How Poor Gut Health Contributes to Hormonal Imbalances

Your gut health and hormonal balance are more connected than you think. Your gut is at the center of many vital processes in your body, so it only makes sense that optimal gut health is the key to curing or preventing chronic health problems. 

How does poor gut health affect your hormones? And ow can you fix poor gut health naturally?

Key Takeaways

• A balanced gut microbiome regulates hormones while an imbalanced gut can disrupt this balance.
• Poor gut health can lead to excess estrogen levels and androgens, and dysbiosis, causing weight gain, PCOS, and mood swings among other afflictions.
• Improving gut health through dietary changes, probiotics, and stress management can help rebalance hormones and support overall health.

Relationship Between Gut Microbiota and Hormones

When you have a diverse and balanced gut microbiome, everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Processes involved in regulating hormones, particularly estrogen, keep everything in check. However, when your gut health is in a state of disarray, the balance is disrupted and leads to hormonal issues.

Estrogens and Gut Bacteria

Do women experience more gut health issues than men? Estrogen, known as the “female” hormone, is involved in many body functions, but it’s mostly known for how it affects female reproductive health. 

What most don’t know is that your gut bacteria actually has a say in how much estrogen is in circulation. This is known as the estrobolome.

The "estrobolome," a subset of your gut microbiome, is responsible for metabolizing estrogens. When the estrobolome is healthy, it supports healthy estrogen levels. 

What if your gut health is compromised with chronic inflammation, dysbiosis, or an imbalanced diet? This can throw throwing a metaphorical wrench in the works, leading to excessive estrogen levels. This state is known as estrogen dominance. 

With estrogen dominance can come weight gain, mood swings, and an increased risk for conditions like breast cancer. 

For men, excess estrogen can lead to gynecomastia (aka “manboobs”). While harmless, this can negatively affect self-esteem.

Androgens and Gut Bacteria

Even though they’re mostly referred to as “male” hormones, androgens like testosterone are not just for men; they play a major role in women's health, too. 

Gut bacteria influence androgen levels. When your gut health isn’t running smoothly, it can lead to hormonal imbalances. 

An overgrowth of certain bacteria can increase androgen levels in women, which increases the risk ofconditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is characterized by irregular periods, acne, and unwanted hair growth. 

Just like with estrogen, men aren’t safe when it comes to androgen imbalance, either. In fact, they can be more greatly affected by it. Poor gut health can lead to lower testosterone levels, and testosterone is in charge of what many consider as masculine traits: muscle growth, hair growth, libido, and fertility.

How Hormonal Changes Affect Microbial Diversity

Hormonal fluctuations, such as those during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, can affect your gut bacteria diversity. 

As an example, during pregnancy, the gut microbiome adapts by supporting the increased energy needs of the mother and the fetus. 

However, if your gut health isn’t optimal, these changes can lead to imbalances. Gut imbalances disrupt not only hormones, but also your overall health including your immune system and mood.

Dysbiosis and Hormone Levels

Dysbiosis, the exact term used when your gut bacteria isn’t balanced, is at the center of hormonal imbalances. 

When harmful bacteria overtake the beneficial ones, it leads to unnecessary inflammation, nutrient malabsorption, and disrupted hormone metabolism. This applies particularly to estrogen and testosterone. 

Dysbiosis can either cause these hormones to be in excess, or cause you to not produce enough. If not addressed or treated, this can lead to a chain reaction of health issues from reproductive disorders to chronic fatigue.

Hormonal Disorders Related to Gut Health

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a condition that affects about 10% of women globally. The risk starts when they’re of reproductive age and increases the older they get. Its link to gut health is becoming increasingly clear. 

Women with PCOS often have higher levels of androgens, and some experts believe much of it has to do with poor gut health. Researchers suggest addressing gut dysbiosis as a step in the right direction in managing PCOS symptoms.

Obesity

The link between gut health and obesity is well-researched. Simply put, a healthy gut microbiome regulates metabolism and energy balance, while an imbalanced one can lead to weight gain. 

Obesity, in turn, affects hormone levels, creating a vicious cycle that can be chronic, habit forming, and virtually hard to break. 

Because probiotics can help optimize gut health, some researchers speculate taking probiotics may have a positive effect on weight management.

Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is a precursor to type 2 diabetes, and also linked to poor gut health. The gut microbiome influences insulin sensitivity, and dysbiosis can impair this process, leading to high blood sugar levels and a much higher risk of metabolic disorders.

Best Ways to Restore Gut Health

Changing your diet, taking probiotic supplements, and lowering stress levels are some of the best ways to restore gut health immediately and for the long term.

Dietary Changes

When it comes to health, the best place to start is with what’s on your plate. A diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods can do wonders for your gut. Why? Because fiber fuels your gut's beneficial bacteria. Specifically, fiber acts as prebiotics, or the “fertilizer” to your gut bacteria. 

Include prebiotic-rich foods like garlic, onions, and bananas. Don't forget your fermented foods like yogurt or kimchi; they introduce helpful bacteria into your system.

Probiotics

Gut problems are often caused when bad bacteria start outnumbering good bacteria. This is where probiotics like Balance ONE come in. Probiotics boost the number of good bacteria, which keeps the bad ones in check. Taking a daily probiotic supplement or eating probiotic-rich foods can help put your gut microbiome back into a balanced state.

Stress Management Techniques

Stress is a silent disruptor, an invisible source of gut health problems. It not only negatively impacts your mood but also your overall gut health. 

It’s not usually a problem when stress is moderate, but high stress levels can alter the gut microbiome, causing inflammation and hormonal problems. 

Mindfulness, yoga, or even a simple deep-breathing exercise can be effective at lowering stress. Sometimes, just moving away from the source of stress is enough. These practices help in calming the nervous system and reducing cortisol levels, which can benefit gut health.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re dealing with PCOS, obesity, or insulin resistance, optimizing gut health can have a profound impact on your overall wellness. 

It’s not just about digestion: it’s about giving your body the tools it needs to properly function on all levels. 

Next time you’re thinking about your health, remember to consider your gut—it’s more important than you think.

FAQs

What Does a Hormonal Belly Look Like?

A hormonal belly is known as visceral fat. It’s located at your lower waist and characterized by soft fat, or a rounder stomach. Some say it’s what having an apple-shaped body type looks like. Unlike typical weight gain, which is caused by excessive caloric intake, a hormonal belly is at least partially caused by hormonal balance.

Can Probiotics Help with Hormonal Belly?

Probiotics might help reduce hormonal belly by targeting hormones and proteins involved in fat storage and appetite. Taking probiotics might also reduce inflammation, which contributes to a hormonal belly and obesity.

Does Low Estrogen Cause Digestive Issues?

Lower estrogen levels might cause constipation, bloating, and increased gas. This happens because low estrogen can slow down the digestive process, specifically the food passing through the GI tract.

Can Bad Gut Health Affect Your Period?

The microbiota in your stomach also affects how much estrogen is in your body. Therefore, a healthy menstrual cycle may be associated with a healthy gut. Even estrogen-related health problems such as obesity, endometriosis, PCOS, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis have been linked to dysbiosis, or an unhealthy gut.