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Gut dysbiosis: part 2 – signs, symptoms & links to disease

Gut dysbiosis: part 2 – signs, symptoms & links to disease

Published on November 28, 2023January 26, 2024
by Saskia Knight

The strong connection between the gut microbiome and disease is becoming widely appreciated. As discussed in the previous post – Gut dysbiosis – part 1, an imbalance in the composition of the gut microbiome can occur for a number of reasons and cause a variety of health problems.

Let’s look now at the signs and symptoms of gut dysbiosis and the health conditions associated with it.

Signs and symptoms of gut dysbiosis

Gut dysbiosis can show up in different ways, in different parts of your body. On your skin, it may appear as eczema, rosacea, acne, or psoriasis. In your brain, it can feel like anxiety or depression. In your nervous system, it may manifest as fatigue; in your joints, as arthritis or in your airways, as asthma, allergies, or sinusitis. In your digestive system, it may show up as diarrhoea, constipation, IBS, pain, gas, bloating, or food intolerances.

Health conditions linked to gut dysbiosis:-

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Some people with IBS show differences in their gut microbiome compared to those without IBS. These alterations may cause a heightened pain response to an otherwise normal digestive process.¹
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. IBD patients often have decreased microbial diversity.²
Obesity: Some studies have suggested a link between gut dysbiosis and obesity due to imbalances in the gut microbiome affecting energy regulation and metabolism. Some types of bacteria affect the genes that are responsible for storing energy, suppressing hunger signals, or triggering inflammation.³
Type 2 Diabetes: Weight gain, inflammation, and insulin resistance have been linked to gut dysbiosis. ⁴
Autoimmune disorders: the gut microbiome plays a role in modulating the immune system and inflammation. Gut dysbiosis can cause an imbalance in the immune response and lead to autoimmune conditions.⁵
Mental health and neurological conditions:
- Mood disorders: research shows that disturbances along the gut-brain axis may lead to conditions like depression and anxiety.⁶
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Some studies have explored the gut-brain connection in individuals with ASD and found differences in gut microbiome composition.⁷
- Patients with Parkinson’s disease may experience gastrointestinal disorders such as chronic constipation before displaying motor symptoms, and it’s suggested that gut dysbiosis may be implicated.⁸
Allergies and asthma: gut dysbiosis is associated with an increased risk of allergies and asthma, as the gut microbiota can influence the immune system’s response to allergens.⁹
Cardiovascular disease: Research suggests that gut dysbiosis contributes to inflammation and the development of cardiovascular conditions.¹⁰
Skin disorders (eczema, acne, psoriasis, rosacea): There is a link between the gut and the skin (gut-skin axis), and alterations in the gut microbiome play a role in skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.¹¹

In the next post of our gut dysbiosis series, we’ll look at how to deal with dysbiosis by making changes to diet and lifestyle 🙂

In the meantime, if you’d like to read more on gut health, check out these articles on our blog – Signs of an unhappy gut – and what you can do about it!, Biofilm – The Beauty and the Beast, Meet your very own commensal bacteria!,

Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.

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