if you’ve ever felt bloated before a job interview or queasy before a test, you’re not alone. many people feel things in their gut, but a new study suggests a hormone may help with the not-so-pleasant digestive side effects of stress.there’s a clear connection between our brains and, well, bowels. the centre for addiction and mental health lists
gastrointestinal problems as a common symptom of stress. why do some people feel stress in their stomachs? the anxiety and depression association of america
explains it’s a matter of nerves: “like the brain, the gut is full of nerves. it contains the largest area of nerves outside the brain with the digestive tract and the brain sharing many of the same nerve connections…when you are anxious, some of the hormones and chemicals released by your body enter your digestive tract, where they interfere with digestion.”and that means people suffering from stress may also experience bloating, discomfort, nausea, and even diarrhea. a study
recently published in the journal of physiology offers new insight into how to potentially calm a stressed-out stomach. researchers at penn state university-college of medicine were able to manipulate the circuits that receive hypothalamic oxytocin inputs in rats.
oxytocin is also known as the “love hormone” or “cuddle hormone” because of its link to social bonding, sex and childbirth.scientists
discovered that oxytocin played a “major” role in mediating stress side effects in the stomach. the activation of oxytocin neural circuits “reversed the delayed gastric emptying observed following acute or chronic responses to stress,” while inhibition of the neurocircuits did the opposite. the rat model showed oxytocin had a direct role in neural pathways in the stress response.the research is especially important to women’s health.“women are more vulnerable to stress and stress-related pathologies, such as anxiety and depression, and report a higher prevalence in gastrointestinal disorders,” says r alberto travagl, one of the authors of the study. “we are now finalizing a series of studies that investigate the role and the mechanisms through which oxytocin modulates gastric functions in stressed females. this will help to develop targeted therapies to provide relief for women with gastrointestinal disorders.”does the research mean you should turn to kissing and cuddling the next time you’re feeling anxious and bloated? as travagl notes, more studies are on the way. but earlier research has indicated a correlation between better health and the hormone, which can be released by physical affection. penn state
notes that the release of oxytocin has been linked to better sleep and improved immune function, undoing the effects of the stress hormone cortisol.and if you’re not partnered up, don’t worry: “snuggling with pets has been shown to produce similar results as snuggling with the people you love most.”
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