IBS & Anxiety May Share One Surprising Root Cause, Study Finds
Key takeaways
- Author: Ava Durgin July 03, 2026Assistant Health Editor By Ava Durgin Assistant Health Editor Ava Durgin is the former Assistant Health Editor at mindbodygreen.
- We've known for years that IBS and anxiety often go hand in hand, but this study moves the conversation beyond simple association and starts exploring the biological mechanisms that may connect the gut and the brain.
- A new study1 published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests the answer may lie, at least in part, with our gut microbes.
Why this matters: practical guidance grounded in recent research or expert insight.
Author: Ava Durgin July 03, 2026Assistant Health Editor By Ava Durgin Assistant Health Editor Ava Durgin is the former Assistant Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She holds a B.A. in Global Health and Psychology from Duke University.Image by Gordon Waltho / Stocksy July 03, 2026My brother has dealt with both anxiety and IBS for years. Over time, it's led to countless conversations with our family and his doctors, many of which are focused on the same two questions: Does anxiety trigger digestive symptoms? Or could problems in the gut actually be fueling anxiety in the brain?
That's exactly why this research stood out to me. We've known for years that IBS and anxiety often go hand in hand, but this study moves the conversation beyond simple association and starts exploring the biological mechanisms that may connect the gut and the brain.
A new study1 published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests the answer may lie, at least in part, with our gut microbes. Researchers identified one specific bacterium that was consistently lower in people with diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) and anxiety. Even more interesting, restoring that bacterium in mice not only improved digestive symptoms but also reduced anxiety-like behaviors by calming inflammation in the brain.