10 Habits that are Aging Your Gut

When it comes to healthy aging, supporting your gut microbiome is a crucial piece of the puzzle. In fact, growing research suggests that a healthy, diverse microbiome may be an important predictor of longevity.,  While the gut microbiome is surprisingly adaptable, some common day-to-day habits can collectively take a toll on your gut, causing it to age faster. Read on to find out what habits experts say may be aging your gut—and what to do instead. 

1. Eating the Same Things All the Time

Having a diverse microbiome—aka a variety of beneficial gut microorganisms—is essential for a healthy gut. And one of the best ways to achieve this is by eating a varied diet filled with minimally processed, whole foods, especially plant-based ones. Research suggests that including five different servings of plants on your plate each day may improve your long-term health. “A variety of fiber foods means that you’ll also benefit from getting a wide variety of nutrients,” says Amanda Sauceda MS, RD. 

Lack of variety may also be a factor in why the Standard American Diet (SAD) is linked with poor gut health outcomes.  Not only is SAD typically low in fiber, but it tends to be high in processed foods, which aren’t as nutrient-rich as their whole-food counterparts. “Inevitably this pattern of eating, over time, has been shown to alter the gut microbiome (complex ecosystem of microbes in our gut), in ways that can lead to inflammation,” explains Jenna Volpe RDN, LD, CLT. This unchecked inflammation can age your gut and increase your risk of chronic disease. 

2. Grazing Rather Than Eating Meals

“Some individuals get into the habit of grazing through the day rather than eating meals. This frequent snacking and even late-night eating can age the gut. Our gut needs periods of rest to clean and repair itself” says Marcie Vaske MS LN CNS. More specifically, we need to give our body the chance for the migrating motor complex (MMC) to turn on between meals. “The MMC is essentially like a motorized intestinal broom, creating a downward wave-like motion responsible for sweeping the debris (such as microbes) down and out of our small intestine. A full cycle of MMC activity takes about 4 to 5 hours,” explains Volpe. 

Frequent grazing, or even consuming sweetened beverages throughout the day, turns off the MMC, so it doesn’t get a chance to effectively sweep out the intestines. Over time, this spells trouble since it may increase the risk of developing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), bloating and more. Per Volpe, allowing 3–4 hours between each meal or snack (and avoiding sugary beverages) is optimal for healthy gut motility.

3. Chronic Stress

Has stress ever presented itself in digestive woes? It’s not just a coincidence. “Stress isn’t just in your head, your gut feels it too,” says Julie Balsamo MS, RDN. In fact, stress can age your gut in more ways than one. “Stress can impact gut motility and hypersensitivity (through the brain-gut axis). It can also disrupt the intestinal epithelial barrier function and trigger immune responses of the gut. Finally, it can alter the gut microbiome and cause dysbiosis. All of these changes can increase the risk and severity of both functional and inflammatory GI disorders and in turn age the gut,” explains Asma Khapra, a board-certified gastroenterologist.

That being said, stress is unavoidable, so it’s important to adopt habits to keep stress in check for the sake of your long term health. The good news is that stress-relieving practices don’t have to take more than 10 minutes of your day. 

4. Not Eating Enough Fiber

If you’re familiar with gut health, then you’re likely not surprised to see fiber on this list. “[Eating more fiber] is the most basic thing we can do for our gut, but with 90% of people not meeting fiber recommendations it’s the one area that almost everyone can improve on” says Sauceda. Your gut needs dietary fiber to perform at its best., “Without enough fiber, your good gut bacteria don’t have the fuel they need to thrive, and the protective mucus lining in your gut can start to break down. That leaves your digestive system more vulnerable to inflammation, irritation, and early decline,” explains Alyssa Simpson RDN, CGN, CLT.

5. Ignoring Gut Issues

Tummy troubles happen, but if they’re persistent, it’s time to visit a gut health professional. “If you experience gut issues and make the decision to ignore them…you may be aging your gut. Gas, bloating, reflux, diarrhea and constipation are not ‘normal.’ When left untreated, these symptoms can signal deeper issues like dysbiosis, leaky gut or even enzyme deficiencies. Over time, all of them can worsen and age your gut if not addressed,” says Vaske. 

6. Forgetting About Fermented Foods

“Fermented foods have a few special qualities for your gut that help it from aging,” says Sauceda. She adds, “One of the unique benefits of fermented foods is that they can have increased digestibility and nutrient bioavailability.” Fermented foods like yogurt, kombucha and kimchi are also a source of probiotics.  “It’s thought that the bacteria found in fermented foods could help with maintaining your gut barrier and with inflammation,” explains Sauceda. Make it a habit to stock your fridge with fermented foods and add them to your meals regularly. 

7. Overuse of Medications

“Antibiotics can be lifesaving, but overusing them, especially for things that might not need them, can do real damage to your gut. They don’t just kill the bad bacteria; they wipe out the good ones too, leaving your microbiome depleted and more prone to inflammation and imbalance,” says Simpson. 

In addition to antibiotics, several over-the-counter medications may also prematurely age your gut with long-term use. “Medications like ibuprofen or acid blockers can offer short-term relief. However, long-term use can worsen digestive symptoms by irritating the gut lining, lowering stomach acid (which you need for proper digestion) and disrupting microbiome balance,” explains Balsamo.

8. Not Prioritizing Physical Activity

While we normally associate exercise with heart health, it can also support gut health in more ways than one. Exercise not only strengthens the muscles in your abs, arms and legs—your gut muscles benefit, too. Stronger gut muscles means your gut can move waste faster and more efficiently. On the flip side, when you are less physically active, so are your gut muscles. Exercise may also have positive effects on your gut microbiome. Research shows that folks who regularly exercise tend to have a better balance of good microbes in their gut.

9. Drinking Too Much Alcohol

Grabbing an occasional drink with a friend to unwind after a long week is unlikely to have a meaningful effect on your gut health. However, excess alcohol intake can have more serious consequences, causing your gut to age faster. This is because alcohol increases chronic inflammation in the gut. When alcohol is broken down, it releases toxins that may damage the intestinal lining, weakening its defenses against pathogens and contributing to “leaky” gut. Alcohol can also change the composition of your gut microbiome tipping the scales in favor of more “bad” bacteria. That said, be mindful of how much and how often you consume alcohol as it impacts not just gut health but your risk of other diseases as well.

10. Skipping Out on Adequate Sleep

Are you regularly clocking the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night? If not, it may be time to reassess your sleep habits. Your gut is also closely connected with your sleep quality via the gut-brain axis. In fact, research suggests that sleep and your gut health are a two way street. A more diverse microbiome supports better sleep while poor sleep can disrupt the health of your microbiome. So if you’re regularly missing out on adequate shut eye, that could be aging your gut. 

Our Expert Take

If you treat your gut well, it will return the favor. While not meeting your fiber needs or skipping out on sleep is OK on occasion, it can be hard for your gut to keep up when they become regular occurrences. Over the course of years, the damage caused by one or more of the habits highlighted above can start to age your gut prematurely. The good news? It’s never too late to start ditching these common habits for healthier ones to turn back the clock on your gut health.