A Closer Look at How Diabetes Can Affect Your GI Tract

Diabetes takes a toll on just about every part of the body; it affects the nerves, blood vessels, and even the gut. High blood sugar levels only make these issues worse and lead to complications without treatment.

Living with diabetes could mean you have a lot of stomach issues, like GERD, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. When you’re ready to tackle those symptoms, Dr. Ilyas Memon offers treatment at his practice, Texas Digestive Disease Consultants.

Dr. Memon is an experienced gastroenterologist who addresses diabetes and provides home tips and treatments to alleviate GI discomfort associated with diabetes.

Diabetes and your gut

Diabetes puts you at risk for various health concerns, including heart disease and obesity. Still, it also affects other aspects of your health. In fact, diabetes can lead to significant issues within the GI tract, leading to abdominal pain, bloating, and vomiting.

Uncontrolled blood sugar causes nerve damage throughout the body, including the GI tract. Nerve damage leads to neuropathy, which affects bowel function and leads to problems like incontinence, diarrhea, or constipation.

People with diabetes also get GERD because of a weakened lower esophageal sphincter. When it doesn’t work properly, stomach acid backs up, causing chest pain, trouble swallowing, and heartburn.

Diabetes also increases the risk for other GI tract issues like irritable bowel syndrome, gallstones, and pancreatitis. It also puts you at risk for liver disease and microvascular problems within the GI tract.

Understanding gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is one of the significant ways diabetes affects the gut. Nerve damage from uncontrolled diabetes affects how the stomach empties, delaying digestion and causing gastroparesis.

People with gastroparesis have delayed stomach emptying due to nerve damage. The nerves don’t properly signal the muscles to contract, which moves food through the GI tract.

The result is slow-moving digestion that leads to intense fullness after a small amount of food, as well as bloating and reflux. It also affects how your body absorbs nutrients, which can lead to malnutrition without treatment.

Gastroparesis causes a multitude of symptoms that range from fullness and bloating to nausea and vomiting. It also makes it difficult to know how much to eat or how much insulin to take, due to delayed gastric emptying.

How do I manage diabetes related GI issues?

GI issues with diabetes may seem hopeless, but there are ways to manage symptoms and control blood sugar levels. The best way to tackle GI problems is to manage diabetes properly.

Regular blood sugar checks, insulin, and oral medications help control diabetes and keep blood sugar levels within normal range. That’s the best way to prevent further damage to the GI tract and nerves.

If you have gastroparesis, we recommend eating small, frequent meals that are low in fiber and fat. Smaller meals help your stomach empty more effectively, reducing uncomfortable symptoms.

You should also drink plenty of water and avoid caffeinated or alcoholic beverages. Staying physically active also helps control gastroparesis symptoms.

Dr. Memon also offers tips to help you manage diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain associated with diabetes. He provides expert treatments and dietary pointers to control GI symptoms.

To learn more about diabetes and GI symptoms, call one of our conveniently located offices in Texas or request a consultation on our website.