3 Digestive Health Concerns for Women

Some of the conditions that affect women disproportionately are obvious. Women have more breast tissue than men, pregnancy is dangerous in and of itself, and they typically live longer than men, spending their remaining years vulnerable to disease. However, women also need to be mindful of their significant risk when it comes to an organ system that we all have: the digestive tract.  

Women are surprisingly vulnerable to this thread of illnesses. Constantly changing hormone levels, menstrual cycles, and pregnancy all affect the digestive tract as well, sometimes in a negative manner.  While the science isn’t exactly clear, there is some speculation. Women’s reproductive organs sit behind the intestines, creating a clear pathway for interference. Below are the most common digestive conditions and what women can do about them.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

While technically a “disorder,” not a disease, IBS has the capacity to significantly lower patients’ quality of life. With symptoms like frequent diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain, it’s easy to see how IBS is extremely disruptive. In fact, it’s so disruptive that IBS sufferers often have mental health problems too, including depression and anxiety. Perhaps this isn’t too surprising, given the link between the gut and brain.

Two-thirds of all IBS sufferers are female. Symptoms typically worsen during a woman's menstrual cycle as well. In order to ease IBS symptoms then, women should focus on relieving menstrual cramps in addition to lifestyle changes. Many IBS sufferers follow a low FODMAP diet and resort to laxatives or antidiarrheals if necessary.  

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

While not as well-known, GERD is actually the most common gastrointestinal diagnosis given in the U.S. Caused by the lower gastroesophageal valve opening too frequently, GERD can lead to chronic acid reflux and heartburn. However, men and women both suffer from GERD at equal rates, so why do women need to watch out for it in particular?

Well, first of all, women tend to experience symptoms more severely than men. The exact causes of this are unknown. Additionally, women have one risk factor that men don’t: pregnancy. Being pregnant increases your risk for a variety of health complications, being bit by a mosquito, even being in a car accident. Additionally, it permanently changes your body, and this apparently extends to your digestive tract.  

GERD treatment varies depending upon the severity, but the first thing women can do to prevent the disease is to be mindful of their diet and lifestyle. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other acid reflux triggers. While it’s normal to have acid reflux every once in awhile, if it occurs too often, you should reexamine your lifestyle.

Gallstones

These are twice as common in women than men, meaning that 1 in 5 women will have one before the age of 60. Repeated excess estrogen seems to be at fault here. Women who have experienced multiple pregnancies, been on the pill, or participated in hormone replacement therapy are at particular risk of gallstones.

Women can prevent gallstones by following many of the same lifestyle changes recommended to prevent GERD; keeping your weight under control, exercising, and eating healthy. You also want to avoid hormone fluctuations, if at all possible.

The conditions above don’t just affect your health. They can affect things like your connection to your family, your career, and your quality of life. But they can also be a nuisance and affect the tangential aspects of your life as well, like how you sleep, your life insurance rates, or what type of birth control you choose to use. It’s critical, therefore, to make healthy choices concerning digestive health. Our gut is connected to more than most people realize, and that’s especially true for women.

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