Ever noticed a change in your poop routine before your periods? Well! That’s one example of female sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone) affecting your gut health. But, there’s more to hormone-gut interaction. Keep reading to understand how hormones impact your digestive health.

What Are The Signs of an Unhealthy Gut?

Knowing the signs of compromised gut health helps differentiate between hormone-led gut issues and changes because of an unhealthy gut. Common symptoms of poor gut health include:

• Frequent bouts of gas, constipation, diarrhea, bloating
• Sensitivity to certain foods
• Weight changes despite a nutritious diet
• Fatigue
• Skin allergies
• Lazy bowel syndrome
• Autoimmune conditions
• “Leaky” Gut Syndrome
• Obesity

Can Hormone Imbalance Cause Gut Problems?

Yes, hormonal fluctuations or imbalances can influence the pace of food movement through the intestines, resulting in diarrhea or constipation. For example, low progesterone levels in post-menopausal women cause constipation. Similarly, the increase in estrogen and progesterone during the second phase of the menstrual cycle can cause stomach and digestive discomfort.

How Does Hormonal Imbalance Lead to Gut Health Issues?

Women experience hormonal shifts primarily during periods, pregnancy, and menopause. When your periods are almost a week away, progesterone levels rise and relax the colon. It results in constipation or a delay in achieving defecation reflex. Later, estrogen also hits bottom just before your periods, increasing the possibility of digestive issues. In most cases, these issues start resolving when your period begins. However, the release of prostaglandins that result in muscle contractions and pain during periods may induce diarrhea in some women.

Similarly, elevated progesterone during pregnancy slows intestinal muscle contractions and makes pooping harder. When menopause occurs, estrogen and progesterone take a nosedive permanently. Consequently, post-menopausal women experience slow digestion, bloating, and constipation, among other symptoms.

Does Gut Health Affect Hormones?

Yes, gastrointestinal health affects hormones. It is because gut flora (estrobolome) has a significant role in estrogen regulation. When healthy microorganisms no longer love living in your gut, estrogen production takes a hit. It may lead to low estrogen-related diseases such as PCOS.

Alternatively, estrogen dominance may occur if gut dysbiosis causes excess beta-glucuronidase production. The reabsorption of the unconjugated active form of estrogen back into the bloodstream (because of beta-glucuronidase) may lead to high estrogen-related diseases such as endometriosis and breast cancer.

Gut health also helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, which are associated with maintaining a balance of estrogen and progesterone.

How Can I Balance My Hormones and Improve Gut Health?

Restoring or maintaining hormonal balance and improving gut health are not one-time tasks. Besides clinical intervention, they require following a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few useful tips for you.

• Drink 7-10 glasses of water every day. It hydrates the colon and eases the transit of stool through it.
• Select a nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory diet.
• Include prebiotics in your diet to maintain healthy gut flora.
• Limit the intake of refined sugar, simple carbs, trans fats, and salt.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners; they adversely affect hormonal health and the gut microbiome.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Exercise regularly.

Gut health and hormonal imbalance share a two-way relationship. Hormonal ups and downs can affect your gut health, and a gut microbiome imbalance can lead to hormonal vicissitudes. Therefore, caring for both is the best way to achieve optimum health.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are common signs of an unhealthy gut?
  Signs of an unhealthy gut include frequent gas, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, sensitivity to certain foods, unexplained weight changes, fatigue, skin allergies, lazy bowel syndrome, autoimmune conditions, leaky gut syndrome, and obesity.

• Can hormonal imbalances cause gut problems?
  Yes, hormonal fluctuations or imbalances can significantly impact gut health. They can affect the pace of food movement through the intestines, leading to conditions like diarrhea or constipation, especially during different phases of the menstrual cycle or menopause.

• How do hormonal changes during menstrual cycles affect gut health?
  Before menstruation, rising progesterone levels relax the colon, leading to constipation. Later, as estrogen levels drop, digestive issues may increase. The release of prostaglandins during periods can also cause diarrhea in some women.

• What is the impact of pregnancy and menopause on gut health?
  During pregnancy, elevated progesterone slows intestinal muscle contractions, making bowel movements more difficult. Post-menopause, lower levels of estrogen and progesterone can lead to slow digestion, bloating, and constipation.

• Does gut health have an effect on hormonal balance?
  Yes, gut health can influence hormones. An imbalance in gut flora can affect estrogen regulation, potentially leading to conditions like PCOS or estrogen dominance, which is linked to health issues like endometriosis and breast cancer.

• What are some ways to balance hormones and improve gut health?
  To balance hormones and improve gut health, drink plenty of water, follow a nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory diet, include prebiotics, limit intake of refined sugars, trans fats, and salt, avoid artificial sweeteners, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise regularly.