Your Gut Could Be Fuelling Your Back Pain And a Little-Known Compound Called Butyrate May Be a Key

Most people are surprised to hear that their digestive system has anything to do with their spine. But emerging research is making the connection impossible to ignore — and it has real implications for anyone dealing with persistent back pain.

WHAT IS THE GUT MICROBIOME?

Inside your intestines lives a community of trillions of microorganisms — bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This community is known as your gut microbiota. The microbiome refers to all the genetic material those organisms have. Think of it as a rainforest inside you — the more diverse it is, the healthier you are. When it's thrown off — a state scientists call dysbiosis — problems can flow throughout the body. According to Hernández-Valles et al. (2026), this microbial ecosystem acts as an integrated metabolic system, transforming what you eat into active compounds that regulate your immune system, intestinal barrier, and inflammation levels throughout the body. (1) Chiropractic care at Moriarty Chiropractic is all about balance and reducing inflammation and pain.

HOW DIET DRIVES INFLAMMATION — AND PAIN

The foods you eat are the most influential about which microorganisms thrive in your gut. Research by Toydemir and Merey (2026) shows that diets high in fat and sugar drive a process called metabolic endotoxemia — where harmful bacterial byproducts leak into the bloodstream and trigger low-grade, body-wide inflammation. (2) That inflammation doesn't stay in your gut. It impacts your muscles, joints, and spinal tissues, making pain harder to resolve. On the flip side, fibre-rich, plant-based diets nourish beneficial bacteria that produce compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) — including butyrate — which act as powerful anti-inflammatory indicators in the body. (1,2) We can talk more at your next appointment with us at Moriarty Chiropractic about butyrate.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR RECOVERY

Chiropractic care really works well on the structural side of your pain. But if your diet is quietly fuelling inflammation from within, recovery takes longer than it should. Prioritizing vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, and fermented foods as part of supporting a healthy microbiome isn't just good overall health advice — it's directly reinforcing the biological system your spine heals in.

CONTACT Moriarty Chiropractic

Your gut and your back are more linked than you think. Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he talks about the connection of the immune system and chiropractic care with some emphasis on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Make your Nashua chiropractic appointment today.