Female Health: Hormone & Gut Health

The Microbiome

The term microbiome is the collection of all microbes (such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and their genes), that naturally live on our bodies and inside us. Although microbes are so small that we need a microscope to see them, they contribute in big ways to human health and wellness.

Everyone's microbiome is different and changes over the course of our lifetime. However, research has indicated that there is further change to the microbiome in women upon reaching adolescence, likely due to the presence of female sex hormones (particularly oestrogen and progesterone), which in turn helps to shape our gut microbiome.

What is the relationship between the gut and hormone balance?

There is a strong connection between gut health and hormonal balance, with each influencing the other’s function. When the gut microbiota metabolise they produce hormones which impact total hormone levels in the body. On the other hand, hormones can also change the gut environment, including the composition.

Some research suggests that imbalances in gut bacteria have been linked to dysregulation of hormones such as oestrogen and cortisol, contributing to conditions such as menstrual irregularities, mood changes and metabolic disorders.

Furthermore, gut-derived hormones such as serotonin, often referred to as the "happy hormone," not only play a role in mood regulation but also impact gut motility and function.

Did you know? The majority of microbes are found in the gut – however 9% of women’s microbial population resides in the reproductive tract!

Lifestyle Factors and Gut-Hormone Balance

Nutrition and lifestyle factors can play a big role in our gut health and hormonal balance - essential for supporting our overall health and well-being. Eating a balance diet and staying well hydrated are key to promoting optimal gut and hormonal health. Regular physical activity is also important – mindfulness and restorative practices of exercise such as yoga or meditation can reduce overall stress, which in turn has a positive impact on the gut microbiota and our mental wellbeing.

Make sure you look after your gut. You can do this by:

1) Increasing your fibre intake - Eat the rainbow! Aim for a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and legumes to promotes gut microbial diversity.

2) Consuming probiotic fermented foods. Fermented foods like 'live' yoghurt, kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut provide probiotics that help to support gut microbiota balance.

3) Choosing nuts and seeds - another great source of fibre as well as antioxidants and polyphenols and heart-healthy fats.

4) Limiting ultra-processed foods and foods high in saturated fats and added sugars.

References:

Baker, J.M., Al-Nakkash, L. and Herbst-Kralovetz, M.M. (2017). Estrogen-gut microbiome axis: Physiological and clinical implications. Maturitas, [online] 103, pp.45–53.

Korpela, K., Kallio, S., Salonen, A., Hero, M., Kukkonen, A.K., Miettinen, P.J., Savilahti, E., Kohva, E., Kariola, L., Suutela, M., Tarkkanen, A., de Vos, W.M., Raivio, T. and Kuitunen, M. (2021). Gut microbiota develop towards an adult profile in a sex-specific manner during puberty. Scientific Reports, [online] 11(1), p.23297.

Siddiqui, R., Makhlouf, Z., Alharbi, A.M., Alfahemi, H. and Khan, N.A. (2022). The Gut Microbiome and Female Health. Biology, [online] 11(11), p.1683.

Zhang, P. (2022). Influence of Foods and Nutrition on the Gut Microbiome and Implications for Intestinal Health. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, [online] 23(17), p.9588.