Turning 40 can feel like a health milestone. Things don’t quite move or feel the way they used to, and that includes your digestion. Bloating becomes more common, certain foods suddenly don’t agree with you – hello, heartburn!
It’s not just in your head. The gut goes through real, biological changes after 40, and these shifts can affect your entire body, from your immune system to your mood. But the good news? There’s plenty you can do to support your digestive health for the long run.
Let’s break it down.
Your Gut Microbiome Gets Less Diverse — And That’s Not Great News
The gut microbiome – that bustling community of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that live in your digestive tract – undergoes major changes with age. When it’s balanced, it breaks down food, keeps inflammation in check, supports your immune system, and even influences your mood and cognition.
But after 40, your gut microbiome starts to lose some of its diversity. That means less healthy bacteria (like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) and more room for potentially harmful bacteria to take over. This imbalance, known as dysbiosis, is a key contributor to many age-related issues, from constipation and gas to more serious chronic diseases.
Your Immune System Takes a Hit
Your gut is home to an amazing amount of receptors that influence your health. Not only does 95 per cent of your serotonin receptors call your gut home, about 70 per cent of your immune system lives in your gut, too.
When the microbiome gets out of balance, your body’s defenses can suffer. What tends to replace that robust immune response as we age is something researchers call inflammaging — low-level, chronic inflammation that builds over time.
Less diversity means your body cannot effectively repair your intestinal tract and it may form small tears. Harmful bacteria from your gut can travel through these tears, enter the bloodstream, and make their way around your body.
You might not notice it right away, but it shows up in subtle ways: you catch colds more often, you feel sluggish, or your joints ache longer after exercise. It can also present in much more obvious illnesses like diverticular disease, type 2 diabetes, and IBS.
Dysbiosis can also cause malnutrition because your body doesn’t have the bacteria it needs to effectively absorb nutrients and vitamins from food.
Things You Should Start Doing By 40
The biggest difference you can make to your gut health is eating for your age. The gut directly responds to what you feed it, and its needs change from age 20 to age 40.
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1. Eat more fermented foods
Yogurt, kefir, miso, tempeh, sauerkraut, and kimchi aren’t just trendy — they’re rich in probiotics, the live bacteria that help rebalance your gut flora. A recent study even found that sauerkraut in particular contains metabolites that help protect gut cells from inflammation.
If you’re new to fermented foods, you may want to start small — a tablespoon of kimchi with dinner, or a half-cup of plain kefir with breakfast. Get used to the new flavours and find interesting ways to incorporate them into your diet.
2. Prioritize fiber
Fiber is the fuel your good gut bacteria love most. It keeps things moving, helps control blood sugar, and encourages microbial diversity. Focus on plant-based sources like legumes, whole grains, berries, and leafy greens.
3. Eat more plant protein
Protein is essential to strong muscles, a healthy immune system, and nutrient absorption. But it can get harder for your gut to break down meat products as you age, especially if your oral health is lacking. Red meat can be the hardest of all to break down. Plant proteins can be easier on the gut, causing less gas, bloating, and indigestion.
4. Pay Attention to B-12
Your body does not naturally produce B-12, you need to include it in your diet or take supplements. It’s imperative for the production of red blood cells, maintaining cognitive function, and bone health.
There are a couple reasons why your B-12 levels may drop with age, according to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation. With age comes reduced levels of stomach acid, and your stomach cannot properly absorb the vitamin. Another possibility is certain medications can deplete your B-12 reserves.
5. Get moving
Regular physical activity isn’t just good for your heart — it’s good for your gut. Exercise increases microbiome diversity and supports a healthy intestinal barrier. You don’t need to become a marathon runner either; brisk walks, yoga, and strength training all count.
6. Stress less (your gut will thank you)
Your gut and brain are constantly talking — and stress can disrupt that conversation. Chronic stress throws your gut out of balance, sometimes even worsening symptoms of depression, IBS or bloating.
Mindfulness techniques like breathwork and short daily meditations have been shown to help reduce stress-related inflammation in the gut.
A Balanced Gut Means a Better You, at Every Age
Your gut is a reflection of your lifestyle, and turning 40 is a great time to tune in and make supportive changes. You don’t have to overhaul your entire life. Small, consistent choices — eating more plants, adding in fermented foods, managing stress, and staying active — can help keep your gut strong and resilient for decades to come.
Your 40s are the start of a smarter, more empowered chapter in your health story and your gut is right there with you.
~ Read more from The Health Insider ~
- Your Gut Changes After 40. Here’s What You Can Do About It.
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The information provided on TheHealthInsider.ca is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. TheHealthInsider.ca advises consulting a medical professional or healthcare provider when seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.