With age often comes wisdom, insight, and a different perspective on life, but it also comes with a body that doesn’t quite work the way it did in youth. One of the ways our bodies change as we get older is that certain foods and substances become harder to digest. It’s normal to find yourself avoiding dishes you once enjoyed because they now cause more noticeable digestive symptoms or take longer to digest than they used to. These digestive changes don’t affect everyone in the same way or at the same time, but most adults eventually notice differences in how their bodies process certain foods.

How Does Aging Affect Digestion?

The digestive system undergoes several natural changes as part of the aging process. Starting around age 50, many people experience a decrease in the production of digestive enzymes that break down food in the stomach and small intestine. These enzymes are essential for converting proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into nutrients the body can absorb. With fewer enzymes available, the digestive process becomes less efficient, often causing food to move more slowly through the system.

Stomach acid production also tends to decline with age, affecting both the initial breakdown of food and the body’s ability to absorb certain nutrients. Lower stomach acid levels can make it harder to digest protein-rich foods and may reduce the absorption of important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and magnesium. This reduction in acid can also impact the stomach’s ability to protect against harmful bacteria that enter with food.

The muscles involved in digestion also naturally lose some strength and elasticity over time, leading to slower movement of food through the digestive tract. This slowed motility can contribute to constipation, a common issue among older adults. Additionally, the gut microbiome, the collection of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, often changes with age. These bacterial changes can affect nutrient absorption, immune function, and potentially influence which foods are well tolerated.1

Common Foods That Become Challenging

As these digestive changes take place, certain foods that were once well-tolerated may begin causing discomfort. Individual responses vary greatly, with some people experiencing minimal issues while others find they need to modify their diets significantly. Foods that require more digestive enzymes, stronger stomach acid, or faster processing through the digestive tract often become the most problematic:

  • Dairy products: The body’s production of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk, often declines with age. This can lead to symptoms of lactose intolerance including gas, bloating, and diarrhea after consuming milk, ice cream, or soft cheeses. Hard, aged cheeses and yogurt with active cultures are typically better tolerated because they contain less lactose.
  • High-fat and fried foods: These foods require more digestive enzymes and longer processing time, making them increasingly difficult to digest with age. French fries, fried chicken, and other heavily fried items can lead to heartburn, indigestion, and discomfort as the digestive system works overtime to break down the fats.
  • Red meat: As protein-digesting enzymes decrease, red meat becomes more challenging to process efficiently. Many older adults notice that steaks, burgers, and other red meat dishes cause heaviness, constipation, or discomfort as they take longer to move through the digestive tract.
  • Raw vegetables: While nutritionally valuable, raw vegetables require significant digestive work. Their high fiber content combined with tough cell walls can lead to gas, bloating, and discomfort when the digestive system slows. Even slightly cooking vegetables can make them easier to digest while preserving most nutrients.
  • Spicy foods: The aging digestive tract may become more sensitive to capsaicin and other compounds in spicy foods. This sensitivity often manifests as heartburn, acid reflux, or stomach pain, especially when combined with declining protective mechanisms in the stomach and esophagus.
  • Acidic foods: Tomatoes, citrus fruits, and vinegar-based dressings can trigger heartburn or acid reflux as the lower esophageal sphincter naturally weakens with age. These foods may require moderation or specific timing to avoid discomfort.
  • Processed foods with additives: Many preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and food additives become harder to process with age. Foods high in these compounds may cause digestive upset, bloating, or irregular bowel movements in older adults who previously tolerated them well.
  • Legumes and cruciferous vegetables: Beans, lentils, cabbage, and broccoli contain complex sugars that require specific enzymes and gut bacteria to break down properly. Changes in gut bacteria with age can make these foods more likely to cause gas and bloating than they did in younger years.
  • Alcohol: The body’s ability to metabolize alcohol decreases with age as liver function naturally declines. This means alcoholic beverages may cause stronger effects and greater digestive upset, including reflux, stomach inflammation, and altered bowel habits.
  • Caffeine: Sensitivity to caffeine often increases with age, leading to more pronounced effects on the digestive system. Coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages may cause acid reflux, accelerated bowel motility, or stomach upset more readily than in younger years.2

Adapting Your Diet for Better Digestion

Fortunately, most people don’t need to completely eliminate favorite foods as they age. Various adaptations can help make problematic foods more digestible and minimize discomfort. These practical approaches focus on how and when you eat, not just what you eat:

  • Modify cooking methods: Steaming or sautéing vegetables breaks down tough fiber components while preserving nutrients better than boiling. Slow-cooking meats helps break down proteins and connective tissues, making them easier to digest than quickly grilled or fried options.
  • Adjust portion sizes: Smaller portions of challenging foods often cause fewer symptoms than large servings. This is particularly true for high-fat, spicy, or fiber-rich foods that require more digestive work.
  • Change meal timing: Allowing 3-4 hours between your last meal and bedtime reduces the likelihood of nighttime acid reflux. Also, spacing meals evenly throughout the day rather than eating one or two large meals helps maintain more consistent digestion.
  • Chew thoroughly: This simple habit begins the digestive process properly by breaking down food and mixing it with enzymes in saliva. Thorough chewing reduces the workload on the stomach and intestines.
  • Create strategic food combinations: Pairing higher-fat foods with fiber-rich options slows fat absorption and reduces discomfort. Similarly, consuming dairy products alongside other foods often causes fewer symptoms than having dairy alone.
  • Incorporate digestive-friendly additions: Adding spices like ginger, turmeric, or fennel to meals can aid digestion naturally. Fresh herbs not only enhance flavor but many, such as mint and basil, have digestive benefits as well.
  • Stay well-hydrated: Adequate fluid intake supports the entire digestive process and helps prevent constipation, a common issue as digestive motility slows with age.

    Contact Cary Gastro for Better Digestive Health

    While adjusting your diet can help manage many age-related digestive changes, digestive health involves much more than just food choices. Persistent symptoms or significant changes in digestive function often require professional evaluation to rule out underlying conditions that may require specific treatment. The gastroenterologists at Cary Gastro specialize in addressing digestive concerns at every stage of life, providing personalized care that goes beyond basic dietary recommendations. Contact our office today to request an appointment.




    1https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/how-keep-your-digestive-system-healthy-you-age
    2https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-eating-nutrition-and-diet/healthy-eating-you-age-know-your-food-groups