How to Know if Your Gut Is Healthy

Contrary to popular belief, your body does not run on Dunkin'—at least, not entirely. Your body functions on carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water. But if your gut health isn't up to par, these nutrients (including your coffee!) won't be digested properly, leaving your body running on fumes.

And it's not just about low energy. Digestive health and immune health are closely tied together, as are gut health and mood. So, before you chug more caffeine or try to snack your way to a smile, do a gut check. Learning how to know if your gut is healthy and what to do if anything feels off will take you much further than any cup of coffee ever will.

What are the signs of a healthy gut?

When it comes to a healthy gut and healthy gut microbiome, having no signs is a good sign. Occasional constipation, gas or bloating is normal. But if occasional becomes frequent, that's your cue something is amiss with your digestive health. Generally speaking, you want to look for these key signs of a healthy gut:

1. Regular bowel frequency
2. No straining or discomfort
3. Complete bowel movements
4. Minimal to no bloating or occasional gas
5. Consistent energy levels
6. Healthy reactions to food

How to test gut health in 6 easy steps

If you still want to dive a little deeper into how to test gut health, follow the steps below.

1. Assess regularity—You don't have to have a bowel movement every day to be considered regular. The average person has anywhere between three and 21 bowel movements per week. Take note of your own schedule and look out for any conspicuous changes.
2. Estimate transit time—The time between when you eat and how long it takes to travel through your gut (aka gut transit time) shouldn't be too short or too long. If you're headed to the bathroom within minutes of eating, your gut may be telling you something. Listen to it.
3. Check consistency—The Bristol Stool Chart is a good tool to use to assess color and consistency. Type 3 and Type 4 bowel movements are a sign of good gut health. Be cautious if you're experiencing other types, especially if it's combined with irregular frequency and/or transit time.
4. Be self-aware—Gut health affects all areas of the mind and body. Be on the lookout for changes in mental health, as well as other physical signs that may be linked to your gastrointestinal health.
5. Talk to your doctor—Any time something feels off, call your healthcare provider. They can do a thorough examination or refer you to a specialist, if needed.
6. Keep up with lab work—It's good practice to stay up to date with your annual physical. Your doctor will run basic lab panels that can catch signs before health concerns become too concerning. You can also complete functional testing, which goes deeper into your health than typical annual physical lab work.

What can happen to the body when the gut needs attention?

Your gut, or gastrointestinal (GI) tract, houses trillions of organisms that are microscopic in size but monumental in health: the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is the collective name of all the microbes (including their genetic material) within your GI tract that are both helpful and may negatively impact gut health. If there are too many non-friendly microbes and not enough beneficial microbes, several parts of the body may feel the effects.

Let's take a closer look at what that means to your body.

• Immune system

  —Fun fact: 70% of the immune system is located in the gut, which illustrates the strong connection between gut health and immune health. So, a gut microbiome that's in balance supports the gut's physical barrier function. It can also affect the gut pH. The colon, or large intestine, where most of the gut microbiome lives, needs to stay relatively acidic for proper health and to keep non-friendly bacteria at bay.

• Nervous system

  —The enteric nervous system (ENS) in your gut is the largest part of the nervous system outside of your brain. In fact, the gastrointestinal tract contains millions of nerve cells. The ENS communicates with the central nervous system (CNS), but it also works independently to regulate peristalsis (the wave-like movement of the muscles that line the GI tract), secretion and immune system function. Suffice it to say, if anything is amiss in the gut, it can create a ripple effect for the rest of the body!

• Mental health

  —Perhaps most surprising is the link between your gut and mood. Your digestive tract and your brain directly communicate (in part via the vagus nerve). This may even be where the term "gut feelings" comes from! And most people have experienced how various emotions affect digestion (think a "nervous stomach") or when an upset gut coincides with upset emotions.
  

How can I support my gut health balance?

Learning the healthy gut signs and red flags is only part of the equation. You still need to take action to maintain healthy digestion and gut health for the long run. Here are 11 easy things you can do right now to support gut health balance:

What are the early signs of digestive discomfort?

Mild occasional symptoms like gas, bloating, constipation and stomach discomfort can be early signs that there's something amiss in your gut. Note: these can also fall within normal limits. Most healthy people will experience them from time to time.

However, if any of these signs come on suddenly, increase in intensity or occur more frequently than normal, consult your healthcare professional. It's always worthwhile to talk to your doctor about changes in bowel habits, appetite or digestion.

Can supplements support gut health?

Yes, there are several supplements that support gut health. If you have two minutes to spare, take our digestive health quiz to get personalized recommendations. That said, most people benefit from one or more of the following options:  

• Fiber supplements
• Probiotics
• Prebiotics
• Digestive enzymes
• Certain herbal extracts, including formulas that help with occasional bloating
  

How can you best support gut health?

Summarizing the tips above, the best way to support gut health is to consume a healthy diet with a wide variety of foods. It's also important to pay attention to how much you eat and your eating environment, as these factors can influence the gut-brain connection.

References

• Bishehsari F, et al. "Alcohol and Gut-Derived Inflammation." Alcohol Res. 2017. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5513683/
• Cohen S. "If you want to boost immunity, look to the gut." UCLA Health. March 2021. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/want-to-boost-immunity-look-to-the-gut
• Faysal M, et al. "The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Connection: A New Horizon in Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disorders." CNS Neurosci Ther. September 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40908772/
• Hadhazy A. "Think Twice: How the Gut's 'Second Brain' Influences Mood and Well-Being." Scientific American. February 2010. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gut-second-brain/
• Holzer P. "Gut Signals and Gut Feelings: Science at the Interface of Data and Beliefs." Front Behav Neurosci. July 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9296981/
• Lin BH, Guthrie J. "Over time, racial and ethnic gaps in dietary fiber consumption per 1,000 calories have widened." U.S. Department of Agriculture. March 2023. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=106189
• Nandhra GK, et al. "Gastrointestinal Transit Times in Health as Determined Using Ingestible Capsule Systems: A Systematic Review." J Clin Med. August 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37629314/
• Wu J, et al. "Associations between gut microbiota and sleep: a two-sample, bidirectional Mendelian randomization study." Frontiers in Microbiology. August 2023. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1236847/full
• "Bristol Stool Chart." https://med.stanford.edu/content/dam/sm/ppc/documents/General_Primary_Care/Bristol-stool---simple.pdf