The Day Your Body Stopped Cooperating: IBS and Dysautonomia Explained

Many women with IBS describe a sudden onset of dizziness, anxiety, heart palpitations, or feeling faint—often after years of “pushing through.”

This pattern is increasingly linked to dysautonomia, a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Research shows gastrointestinal inflammation and motility disorders are common contributors to autonomic instability.⁷

The gut houses a significant portion of the body’s immune and nervous system signaling. Chronic irritation, nutrient depletion, dehydration, and blood sugar instability can overwhelm the system over time—until compensation fails.

Low blood volume, inadequate sodium or protein intake, and impaired digestion all worsen autonomic symptoms.⁸ These are especially common in women who restrict food to manage IBS symptoms.

Functional medicine reframes dysautonomia not as a mysterious diagnosis, but as a systems imbalance with identifiable triggers.

Addressing gut inflammation, restoring nutrients, improving hydration, and stabilizing blood sugar can dramatically improve symptoms for many patients.

Your body didn’t stop cooperating—it reached its limit.

Accompanying article:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7850225/