Do you starve yourself, go on extreme diets to reduce bloating, cravings? UK surgeon warns how it is doing the opposite

Dr Rajan warns that insufficient food intake can harm gut health. He emphasises its importance to maintain overall well-being.

Dieting, starving yourself, and following extreme routines often get promoted under the guise of feeling less bloated, losing weight, and reducing cravings. However, did you know that not eating enough can have the exact opposite effect on your body?

In a January 5 Instagram post, Dr Karan Rajan, a UK-based surgeon and popular health content creator, stitched a video of dietitian and nutritionist Becca Tunink, highlighting how eating breakfast with 25-30g of protein can help you feel ‘no longer bloated, pooping regularly, and not think about food all day.’

Feed your gut

In the clip, Dr Rajan explained how it is important to feed your gut. He highlighted that if you really want to support your gut, it doesn't need less; it needs more. “The fastest way to mess up your gut is to starve it,” he cautioned.

However, what is the reason behind this logic? The surgeon explained that our gut is one of the hungriest organs in our body, and every day, trillions of bacteria in our colon wake up and demand ‘a food sacrifice.’

He noted that what we offer our gut microbiome decides how they behave: like ‘helpful roommates or gremlins with a blowtorch.’

How eating less harms you

“When you don't eat enough—whether through aggressive dieting, fasting for days, or skipping meals chronically—your microbes start to panic. They still need fuel, so guess what they ferment next? You,” he further explained.

Specifically, the mucous layer of the gut lining, which is made up of proteins, Dr Rajan elaborated. “This is called proteolytic fermentation, and it's basically your microbes eating the furniture because you forgot to feed them groceries,” he added.

According to the surgeon, this can lead to:

• thinner gut barrier
• more inflammation
• slower gut motility
• altered microbiome compositions
• potentially more bloating, not less.

Why does this happen? “A starved gut is not a clean gut; it's a compromised one. Supporting your gut starts with realising you've got trillions of kids to feed—the ecosystem inside you—so it can support every other part of your health,” Dr Rajan noted.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.