ArcaMax

Some of the greatest thinkers -- from ecologist Barry Commoner to jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes and artist LEOnardo Da Vinci -- have proposed that everything is connected to everything else. And it turns out that nothing provides a more vivid example of that interconnection than the human body.

A lab study in Cell Stem Cell has identified how chronic stress sets off a powerful biological chain reaction that travels from the brain to the gut and then impacts the whole body.

It seems chronic stress slows down activity in the areas of the brain responsible for executive decision-making, emotional regulation and threat response. That then changes the back-and-forth conversation along your gut-brain axis and causes what the researchers call "a massive crash" in healthy gut bacterium called Lactobacillus reuteri.

When that naturally occurring probiotic bacteria decreases substantially or disappears, your body can't produce an anti-aging compound called spermidine. Without that compound, your bone marrow can't help flush out damaged cellular trash throughout your body, and your stem cells age prematurely. Talk about interconnection!

That reinforces my frequent warning that stress is the number one cause of premature aging. And, as I also often say, when stress is compounded by a lousy diet, sedentary behavior, loneliness, and lack of a sense of purpose, well, you've got enough tributaries to create a Niagara Falls of premature aging. Your ActualAge becomes much older than your chronological age.

For help easing stress and adopting longevity-friendly habits, tune into my podcast at PodcastHealth.com and check out the AI coaching programs at 4YOUngevity.com.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at drmikerealage@gmail.com.

(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.