Ways That Poor Gut Health Can Make You Age Faster

Everyone wants to avoid aging. In fact, it is so highly avoided that there’s an industry dedicated to “anti-aging” products and therapies, claiming to help you slow down the aging process and make you appear younger. Surprisingly, one of the major causes of aging isn’t a lack of spa and massages, but rather poor gut health.


But how does gut health impact the aging process?


Poor Nutrient Absorption

Poor gut health may lead to malabsorption syndrome, which refers to a health condition where the small intestine cannot properly absorb nutrients from the food consumed. In addition to that, research has found that as we age, our bodies become less efficient in absorbing nutrients, thus our nutrient requirements tend to increase the older we get.


Our bodies are dependent on a steady supply of nutrients for bodily functions, such as cell repair and growth. Without proper gut health, your body can’t absorb enough nutrients, minerals, and fluids. This may lead to a number of disorders, pains and diseases, impacting areas such as the joints, skin, energy levels, immune system, brain function, and more. In fact, poor digestion, unbalanced intestinal health, and leaky gut syndrome have been linked to the development of major diseases, including autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, and even the development of chronic depression. As a result, you may begin to feel far older.


Inflammation

Inflammation is a leading cause of many age-related diseases, including stroke and cardiovascular diseases, with its common culprit being imbalances in gut bacteria. Research from Italy has recently shed new light on how an imbalance of the gut microbiome may be the cause of “inflammaging”, which refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that speeds up our rate of cellular aging. As a result of inflammaging, our skin and body prematurely ages, accelerating the processes that lead to collagen breakdown, fine lines, wrinkles, and lackluster skin, thinner hair & brittle nails, as well as age-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and arthritis. In some cases, it even correlates with the development of life-threatening conditions such as stroke, dementia, and cardiovascular diseases.


Why is this happening? As we get older, our ability to create the ideal environment for our gut microbes to produce anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids naturally declines. Alterations to the gut microbiome and impaired digestion, including leaky gut syndrome, can be a major factor that causes inflammaging. Keeping inflammation down by maintaining a healthy gut could help to slow down the aging process. 


Reduced Energy Levels

Older people often complain about constantly feeling tired and fatigued all the time. While we may suspect their old age to be the main culprit, this issue could actually be caused by their poor gut health. This is because gut bacteria plays a major role in how active we are.


The gut microbiome significantly impacts how well we digest our food. This is because the microbiome is dependent on nutrients from the carbohydrates that we consume - in fact, they ferment the carbs that our gut was unable to digest, i.e. the dietary fiber, to produce strains of probiotic bacteria. These fermentation processes in turn create short-chain fatty acids, which are rich sources of energy for us. If your gut is lacking in the bacteria that support these processes, you will suffer from a major lack of energy as a result.


Skin Conditions

Skin wrinkles and sagging are the most obvious signs of aging, but do you know that digestive problems are one of the most common causes?


It has been found that our digestive system is intricately linked with our skin - in fact, people with rosacea and acne commonly have an imbalance of bacteria in their gut. When there is an imbalance of bacteria in your small intestine, your skin is more likely to show the signs of aging and develop problems, including acne. Moreover, diseases linked to poor gut health often trigger an inflammatory response from the immune system, which causes stress to our body. This stress will impair the integrity and protective layer of the epidermal skin, thus causing it to wrinkle and sag prematurely. 


Aging is inevitable, but accelerated aging caused by poor gut health doesn’t have to be. If you eat the right foods, focus on reducing inflammation, and take a good probiotic in conjunction with a fitness regime that includes strength training with resistance bands, your gut health will improve. Over time, that will slow down the aging process in your skin, joints, and elsewhere in your body.


Aside from focusing on your gut health, it is also important to exercise regularly, which helps to maintain your overall health. The Peach Builder booty bands allow women to activate their booty, helping with the ultimate toning and muscle growth that makes you look younger. Check out our products and purchase your resistance bands online at Peach Builder for the finest selections of resistance bands in NZ.