New research finds that hostile marital relationships, particularly when coupled with a history of depression, can seriously harm gut health, raising the risk of leaky gut syndrome.

Share on Pinterest Hostility may silently harm the health of your gut.

The membrane lining the inside of our intestines forms a barrier that simultaneously prevents bacteria and toxins from reaching the inside our intestines and from getting out and into the bloodstream.

When it doesn’t function properly, however, this lining may have cracks or holes in it, allowing pathogens and food waste to get into the bloodstream and new pathogens to get into the gut.

This problem — referred to as leaky gut syndrome — may, in turn, cause gastrointestinal problems, inflammation, and changes to the overall composition of the gut microbiota.

Alterations in the gut’s flora have been linked to a range of conditions, from obesity and cancer to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Now, a first-of-its-kind study examines the impact of marital hostility on the risk of developing leaky gut syndrome. The new research was led by psychiatry professor Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, director of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.

Prof. Kiecolt-Glaser and team published their findings in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.