Archive · 5 Aug 2026
Doctors Warn High-Protein Diets Chasing Abs Harm Gut Health
A lot of people who go to the gym really want to have strong, bumpy tummy muscles called 'six-pack abs.'
To get them, many young people eat lots of protein and stop eating foods like bread, rice and fruit.
Doctors are telling us this can make our tummies unhappy.
Our tummy, or gut, is full of tiny bugs called microbes that help us digest food.
Inside the gut, the body also makes a special chemical that helps us feel happy.
If we eat mostly meat, eggs and protein shakes, we don't get enough fibre.
Fibre is the part of plants that keeps poo soft and moving, just like a broom that keeps our insides clean.
Without fibre, people can get constipated, bloated and cranky.
So doctors say real fitness means eating protein AND fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and drinking plenty of water.
That way, our muscles and our tummies stay happy together.
Gastroenterologists report a steady rise in young gym-goers, including Gen Z fitness enthusiasts, complaining of constipation, bloating, cramps and sluggish digestion.
Doctors say high-protein, fibre-poor diets centred on chicken, eggs, paneer, whey protein and protein bars are wrecking gut health, and visible abs reflect low body fat, not gut health.
Aggressively cutting carbohydrates lowers fibre intake, slowing bowel movement and raising long-term risks such as haemorrhoids, anal fissures and rectal prolapse.
The gut, home to trillions of microorganisms, communicates with the brain via the vagus nerve through the gut-brain axis and produces nearly 90 per cent of the body's serotonin, influencing mood and immunity.
Experts advise a balanced diet with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and fermented foods plus 2.5-3 litres of water daily to support gut and muscle health together.
- Who
- Young fitness enthusiasts, especially Gen Z gym-goers, and gastroenterologists including Dr G.V. Rao, Dr Pavan K. Addala and Dr Sharath Putta.
- What
- A rise in digestive problems such as constipation, bloating and cramps linked to high-protein, fibre-poor diets eaten to chase visible abs.
- When
- The article describes a steady rise seen in recent clinical practice; no specific date is given.
- Where
- Across clinics and hospitals, including the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Medicover Hospitals and Apollo Hospitals; exact locations are not specified.
- Why
- Aggressive carbohydrate cutting and high-protein, low-fibre foods leave little fibre, slowing bowel movement and harming the gut microbiome, which also affects mood and immunity.
- Reported trend
- Rising cases of constipation, bloating, cramps and sluggish digestion in young gym-goers
- Main cause cited
- High-protein, fibre-poor diets with aggressive carbohydrate cutting
- Low-fibre foods named
- Chicken, eggs, paneer, whey protein, protein bars
- Long-term risks
- Haemorrhoids, anal fissures, rectal prolapse, aggravated functional bowel disorders
- Serotonin produced in gut
- Nearly 90 per cent
- Gut-brain link
- Gut-brain axis driven by the vagus nerve
- Recommended water intake
- 2.5-3 litres daily
- Key advice
- Balanced diet with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and fermented foods