Gastrointestinal Nutrition Support for POTS · EDS · MCAS

POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) involves autonomic nervous system dysregulation. This can impact digestion in several ways:

• Motility changes: Reduced vagal (parasympathetic) activity can slow gastric emptying and intestinal transit.
• Digestive enzyme function: Impaired parasympathetic signaling can reduce secretion of digestive enzymes, making nutrient breakdown less efficient.
• Blood flow to the gut: Dysregulated cardiovascular responses can reduce splanchnic blood flow after meals, contributing to post-meal fatigue, nausea, and brain fog.
• Cardiac implications: POTS is defined by an abnormal increase in heart rate upon standing. This cardiovascular stress can indirectly influence gut function and tolerance to larger meals.

EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) affects connective tissue integrity throughout the body, including the gastrointestinal tract. Weak connective tissue can contribute to:

• Impaired gut motility, constipation, and bloating
• Visceral hypersensitivity and abdominal discomfort
• Risk for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) due to slower transit

MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) affects immune signaling and inflammatory responses, often along the GI tract:

• Histamine and other mediator release can trigger abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and food sensitivities
• Increased intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) can worsen dysbiosis
• Dietary triggers may amplify systemic symptoms if not managed carefully

Gut dysbiosis is a common thread across these conditions. Changes in microbiome composition and diversity can increase inflammation, impair nutrient absorption, and worsen digestive symptoms.