Your gut is important for your spine. The digestive system and spine are connected. A healthy gut helps the body absorb key nutrients like Protein, fat, and vitamins. These nutrients are crucial for strong bones and tissues, including the spine's discs. If the gut isn’t working well—due to a bad diet, inflammation, or bacterial overgrowth—it can stop the body from getting these nutrients. This can weaken the spine and lead to problems like osteoporosis, disc degeneration, and joint pain.

What Is Chronic Gut Inflammation?

Chronic gut inflammation can also affect the spine directly. When the gut lining is damaged, it can cause the body to release substances that increase inflammation. This widespread inflammation can affect muscles, joints, and nerves. Conditions like ankylosing spondylitis, which is a type of arthritis that impacts the spine, have been linked to gut health issues. Over time, ongoing inflammation can lead to stiffness, pain, and restriction of the spine.

Additionally, gut health impacts the nervous system, especially the vagus nerve. This nerve runs from the brain to the gut and helps regulate inflammation and spine function. A healthy gut supports good vagus nerve activity. This helps you relax the body and reduce inflammation. In contrast, poor gut health can disrupt this signaling, leading to stress, inflammation, and pain in your back or hips . By keeping your gut healthy, you can also support your nervous system and reduce the risk of chronic back problems.