Unlocking the Connection: Gut Health and Neurodivergent Eating

If you’re supporting someone with an eating disorder, especially a child or teen who’s also autistic or has ADHD, you’ll know how confusing it can be when food becomes the enemy.

Why are they stuck in such rigid food routines? Why do they gag at smells? Why do they refuse vegetables even though they know they “should” eat them?

➔ The answer might not just be emotional; it could be biological.

➔ And it starts in the gut.

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What Is the Gut Microbiome, and Why Does It Matter?

Our gut microbiome is a colony of bacteria that live in our digestive system. Think of them like a team of tiny workers, some good, some not so good, who help us break down food, absorb nutrients, and regulate mood.

For people with ADHD, autism, or sensory eating issues, this gut ecosystem can get thrown off balance (a condition called dysbiosis). And that’s when symptoms worsen:

 

Practical Steps: How Can We Gently Rebuild Gut Health?

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Zinc

  • Supports taste and smell

  • Boosts gastric juices (reducing tummy pain)

  • Improves appetite and emotional regulation

Often the missing piece in restrictive eaters, and it’s especially depleted during puberty.

Iron

 

Probiotics

  • Can restore balance after antibiotics or illness

  • Help regulate neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

  • Can be found in live yoghurts, kefir, or taken as a supplement

 

Digestive Enzymes

 

 

Navigating Safe-Food Challenges

Gut Health and the Neurodivergent Brain

Neurodiverse people are more likely to struggle with:

  • Inflammation in the brain

  • Low levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine, GABA, and serotonin

  • Digestive challenges that make eating painful or exhausting

 

Your gut microbes play a key role in:

  • Producing dopamine ➔ motivation, reward, focus

  • Producing GABA ➔ calm, anxiety reduction

  • Supporting acetylcholine ➔ memory, self-regulation

  • Helping you absorb vitamin B12 and folate ➔ crucial for mental energy

So if your gut’s out of balance, your brain might be too.

What Triggers Gut Disruption?

The Biological Side of Healing

Here are some everyday disruptors that may be quietly worsening gut health:

  • Antibiotics, which kill off both good and bad bacteria

  • Ultra-processed foods, common in beige, crunchy, “safe” diets

  • Stress, including school anxiety, masking, or trauma

  • Picky eating,  common in autistic and ARFID-leaning children

And here’s the kicker ➔ once your gut is out of balance, it reduces hunger cues, taste sensitivity, and your ability to digest nutrients… locking people further into food avoidance.

Building a Diverse Plate (Even for Fussy Eaters)

Trauma-Informed Therapy

Encouraging variety is important, but must be done without pressure. Here’s how:

Offer different colours of the same food (e.g. orange, yellow, and purple carrots)

  • Cook together outside mealtimes to reduce stress.

  • Introduce new foods through sensory play (e.g. baking, licking the spoon)

  • Keep language non-judgmental (no “good” or “bad” food talk)

  • Start with “bridge foods” that are similar in texture or appearance to current favourites

 

What If They’re Still Stuck?

Children/adults with ARFID, sensory trauma, or severe anxiety may not respond to food changes straight away. This is not failure.

➔ Many neurodivergent children/adults  need parallel support:

• gentle gut health restoration

• trauma-informed therapy

• emotional regulation tools

• a pressure-free food environment

What This Means for Eating Disorder Recovery

We often assume food issues are all about emotions. And yes, feelings like shame, control, and anxiety are part of it.

However, the biological load, especially for neurodivergent children and teens, also matters.

Supporting someone’s gut health can:

➔ reduce sensory overwhelm

➔ increase appetite naturally

➔ make recovery feel safer and more possible

It’s not about “fixing” a child, it’s about helping their system feel safer.

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Reflections on Recovery

Final Thought

If you or someone you love is stuck in restrictive eating, it’s okay to take a different approach. Start with curiosity, not control.

Ask:

➔ Could their gut be struggling to absorb nutrients?

➔ Could low zinc or iron be behind the food refusal?

➔ Are they overwhelmed, not disobedient?

Food is communication. Let’s listen with compassion.

Young woman with ADHD sitting near a window, reflecting on food choices and gut health during eating disorder recovery

Becky Stone

I’m Becky Stone, a qualified eating disorder therapist based in the UK. I work with both teens and adults, offering a calm and non-judgmental space to explore what recovery truly means, on your terms. I specialise in supporting neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD and autism. My approach is trauma-informed, shame-free, and focused on rebuilding trust between you and your body.

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