Do I Need a “Gut Reset”?

Reader’s Digest is where we answer common questions about digestive health as simply and jargon-free as possible. If you’re seeking snackable info, start with our short answer. Hungry for more? Dig into our longer explanation. Have a question of your own that you’d like us to break down in a future Reader’s Digest? DM us on Instagram.  

Let’s say you’ve spent the weekend indulging in rich food, drinking more than usual, and skimping on sleep and exercise. You’re left feeling bloated, constipated, exhausted, and at the whim of volatile blood sugar spikes.

In the aftermath, can TikTok’s internal shower drink really hit the “reset” button on your gut health? What about an at-home colon cleanse? Or one of the many elixirs loaded with ginger, lemon, and other “gut-healing” ingredients social media influencers swear by? 

Let’s cover the ins and outs of “gut resets,” and explore the most effective ways to get your digestion back on track quickly after periods of disruption with the help of gastroenterologist, microbiome researcher, and member of Seed’s Scientific Board, Emeran Mayer, MD.

Do I need a “gut reset”? 

The short answer: It’s much better to focus on long-term, sustainable habits than to try out the viral cleanse du jour. If you want additional support for your gut health, try a scientifically validated probiotic. 

The longer answer: If your health is feeling off after traveling or a weekend filled with microbiome perturbations (think: alcohol, sugar, processed foods, and/or disrupted sleep), it’s possible the balance of your gut microbiome has been disrupted.

This may manifest as digestive discomforts like bloating, gas, stomach pain, and changes in bowel movements—though it can go beyond the boundaries of your gut and influence skin and even immunity. (The post-vacation bloating, breakout, and tickle in your throat all make sense now.) 

Fortunately, a diverse microbiome is resilient. While temporary shifts in your lifestyle can cause changes in microbial composition, these are not permanent, and your microbiome will bounce back—but there’s no magic cleanse or silver bullet to expedite this (if only).

For instance, studies show that a change in diet can cause detectable shifts in your microbiota in as little as 24 hours.^1,2 Once you return to a normal (and hopefully microbiome-friendly) diet, however, your gut microbiome will revert to its original structure within roughly 48 hours.² 

So, let’s say you go on a vacation and your diet shifts—maybe you’re enjoying a local cuisine filled with entirely new foods, swapping your morning omelet for a pastry, or skipping the salad bar (you are on vacation, after all). Because different microbes feed on different dietary components, your microbiome may shift in response to the aforementioned changes, which could contribute to common digestive issues experienced when traveling (the vacation constipation struggle is real).

Once you return home and reinstate your typical dietary habits, however, your microbiome will shift back to its pre-vacation state (more or less) within about two days. And at this point, any lingering discomforts associated with microbial changes would likely resolve on their own.

So what should I do to help my gut feel better?

Now, the question remains: If your gut microbiome can naturally return to its baseline, do you need to take any additional action to “reset” it? According to Dr. Mayer, probably not.

“As long as you’re following a healthy lifestyle regimen, your gut is set up for success and should be able to withstand temporary disruptions,” he tells Cultured. “This means you don’t need a major ‘reset’ like a juice cleanse or detox diet to get your health back on track.”

Translation: Focus on the long game and build sustainable habits, since that’s much more important for gut health than a short-term extreme regimen without a clear offramp. 

When it comes to establishing a healthy lifestyle to support your gut, diet is one of the best places to start. As a simple rule of thumb, build your daily choices around a high-fiber diet that’s 70% plant-based and includes fermented foods. (Here’s a deeper dive into the best diet for your gut.)

Dr. Mayer also suggests turning your attention to the brain. “Most people think a reset needs to be done only at the gut level, but equally as important to consider is what your brain is sending down to your gut, and how your gut responds to that,” he says. “Relaxation, mindfulness, or meditative practices can have a strong influence on your gut and may help support your body during a period when you’re feeling like you need a ‘reset.’” 

All this said, there are some instances when your gut will need a little extra help. “If you have to take an antibiotic or experience some other kind of major disruption to your gut, additional action may be a good idea,” Dr. Mayer said. “In these instances, I suggest taking a scientifically validated probiotic.” 

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, quick fixes alone will not reset your gut health. Instead, you’ll want to focus on long-term, sustainable habits that build a resilient, diverse microbiome. Perhaps the real reset we collectively need is a shift in how we approach the topic of caring for our guts in the first place.