COVID has left diagnosable lingering effects on our guts beyond the “gut feeling” that we are sick and tired of hearing about COVID. A recent study looking across the globe reveals that a specific type of GI diagnoses have increased from pre-COVID to the present, leading researchers to dig further into the gut-brain interactions we are seeing in other conditions. These disorders include Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia which were problematic enough before the pandemic.
Medical research has yet to fully explain some syndrome of gastrointestinal disease, but cannot deny that conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and functional dyspepsia include some aspect of gut-brain interactive dysfunction. During such research, much has been learned about the extensive second brain of our bodies that coordinates our GI tract. The extensive network of nerves operating the GI tract is intricately interconnected with our central nervous system more than just being subservient to it, but a co-contributor in many GI conditions.
As in other areas, the impact of COVID has been felt in these GI conditions as changes post infection have helped elucidate how our immune system interacts with other organ systems before and after viral infections. In this study, epidemiologic data shows that IBS increased in the global population from 4.7% to 6%, a 28% increase. Functional dyspepsia, a separate diagnosis with specific criteria, increased even more. It went form 8.3% to almost 12%, an over 40% increase.
The paper does not dive into the mechanisms by which they believe these diagnoses increased, but in functional medicine we have a lot of ideas. We already recognized how many cases of IBS and functional dyspepsia could be traced back to viral infections or suspected food poisonings. We also recognized that the gut microbiome plays a major role gut health versus gut dysfunction and ensuing symptoms like IBS. As other research demonstrated that COVID viral infection altered gut microbial balance, of course other symptoms and diagnoses were expected to follow.
As we have cared for post COVID issues in our patients, we apply the same principles of Gut-Brain axis care that helped so many recover from IBS and other GI issues prior to the pandemic. In many of these cases, we see not only the GI symptoms improve, but other conditions resolve also. Sometimes, mood issues like premenstrual syndrome or anxiety get better with better gut health. Sometimes, autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or psoriasis improve. Sometimes, respiratory conditions like asthma or allergic rhinitis improve.
We look forward to further research that builds on this focus article’s findings. What they are describing is just the tip of the iceberg for uncovering interactions between our gut and our brain and how that impacts our overall health. Helping those with post COVID symptoms or gut-brain axis conditions requires both this type of research and clinicians willing to think outside the box in applying such findings to patients in their offices.
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Original Article:
Olafur Palsson, Magnus Simren, Ami D. Sperber, Shrikant Bangdiwala, Jóhann P. Hreinsson, Imran Aziz. The Prevalence and Burden of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI) before versus after the COVID-19 Pandemic. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2025; DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2025.07.012
Thanks to Science Daily:
American Gastroenterological Association. “The pandemic’s secret aftershock: Inside the gut-brain breakdown.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 July 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250730030346.htm>.
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
Dr. Eric Potter graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School and then went on to specialize in internal medicine (adult) and pediatric care, spending significant time and effort in growing his medical understanding while caring for patients from all walks of life.
