Evaluation of a functional medicine approach to treating fatigue, stress, and digestive issues in women

•A functional medicine program may effectively manage chronic stress in women.•The treatment program increased mean salivary DHEA levels and cortisol-DHEA ratio.•The program substantially improved Helicobacter pylori infections.•The program improved many stress, fatigue, and quality-of-life measures.

Fatigue, stress, and digestive disorders are common among adults, especially women. We conducted a 28-week pilot study to assess the efficacy of a functional medicine approach to improving stress, energy, fatigue, digestive issues, and quality of life in middle-aged women. Findings showed significant improvements in many stress, fatigue, and quality-of-life measures. The treatment program increased mean salivary dehydroepiandrosterone levels and the cortisol-dehydroepiandrosterone ratio. Stool sample analyses suggested that these treatments reduced Helicobacter pylori infections. This study suggests that functional medicine may be an effective approach to managing stress and gastrointestinal symptoms.