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Where gut health meets women’s health: how are they interlinked?

 If you are a frequent reader of our Love Your Gut blogs then you’ll know that looking after our gut health is incredibly important for many aspects of our well-being. But did you know that this can be especially true for women?

Research shows that there is a link between our gut and our hormones (1). In women, the two main sex hormones are oestrogen and progesterone, both of which fluctuate throughout life. This link between our gut and hormones means that the gut can play an important role in many aspects of women’s health including menstruation, fertility, pregnancy and menopause.

Not only can our gut affect our hormones, but our hormones can affect our gut health too (something called the gut-hormone axis). Let’s dive into the science!

So how does the gut impact some key moments in a women’s life?

Menstruation:

Have you noticed your bowel habits change during “that time of the month”? We know that oestrogen and progesterone can really shake up how the gut functions during the menstrual cycle. For example, how food moves through the body and how sensitive the gut is. This is why women may be more likely to experience tummy symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea and flatulence during their period (2).

Fertility

Recent scientific research is suggesting a link between the diversity of our gut bugs and infertility. There may also be an association between undiagnosed, and therefore untreated, coeliac disease and unexplained infertility (3). However, more research is needed in this area so watch this space!

Menopause:

Menopause is a period of significant hormonal changes which, in turn, can impact the gut. During menopause, oestrogen levels fall and can influence gut function and diversity, as well as flaring up a variety of uncomfortable symptoms including hot flushes, sleep disturbances and low mood (4). Although the diversity of our gut bugs tends to reduce as we age, by supporting our gut health through diet and lifestyle factors we can help to support our hormones (5).

 What can we do to support our gut (and our hormones)?

  1. Focus on a balanced diet:

We know that a diet rich in fibre can help those good gut bugs thrive! Therefore, making sure we include high fibre foods, such as wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils, is important for supporting our gut health. Plus anything else you can do to boost your plant points will help boost those gut bugs too. To see more examples of high fibre foods, click here (https://loveyourgut.com/all-entries/whats-the-fuss-about-fibre/).

 

  1. Make time for movement:

Regular exercise has been shown to support a higher diversity of gut bugs and improves gut health overall (6). This doesn’t have to look like a run or a heavy gym session (unless that’s what you want!). This could be a walk, pilates, yoga, dancing, you name it! Whatever kind of movement you enjoy, your gut bugs will likely enjoy it too! For more on how exercise can support gut health click here (https://loveyourgut.com/all-entries/summer-exercise-for-a-healthier-gut/).

 

  1. Get enough sleep:

When it feels like there just aren’t enough hours in the day it can be incredibly difficult to go to bed on time, but putting in that extra effort for a bit more shut eye is something your gut bugs will thank you for! Research suggests poor quality sleep can have a negative effect on our gut health (7). Therefore, aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night (8).

Take home messages:

  • Gut health is an important aspect of women’s health, influencing hormone levels, and thereby potentially influencing the menstrual cycle, fertility and menopause.
  • Incorporating gut-friendly habits such as focusing on a Mediter ranean diet, exercising and good quality sleep, can help to promote a happy gut, and therefore support women’s health throughout the lifecycle.

References:

  1. Yoon, K., and Kim, N. Roles of Sex Hormones and Gender in the Gut Microbiota. J Neruogastroenterol Motil. 2021;27(3): 314-325. [Accessed 19th September 2024]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8266488/
  2. Bharadwaj, S., Barber, M., Graff, L., and Shen, B. Symptomatology of irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease during the menstrual cycle. Gastroenterol Rep. 2015;3(3): 185–193. [Accessed 19th September 2024]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4527267/
  3. Singh P, Arora S, Lal S, Strand TA, Makharia GK. Celiac disease in women with infertility: a meta-analysis. Journal of clinical gastroenterology. 2016 Jan 1;50(1):33-9. [Accessed 2nd October 2024]. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/jcge/abstract/2016/01000/celiac_disease_in_women_with_infertility__a.10.aspx
  4. Santoro, N., Roeca, C., Peters, B., and Neal-Perry, G., The Menopause Transition: Signs, Symptoms, and Management Options. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020; 106(1): 1-15. [Accessed 19th September 2024]. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/106/1/1/5937009?login=false
  5. Peters, B., Lin, J., Qi, Q., Usyk, M., Isasi, C., Mossavar-Rahmani, Y., et al. Menopause is associated with an altered gut microbiome and estrobolome, with implications for adverse cardiometabolic risk in the Hispanic community health study/study of latinos. mSystems. 2022;7(3):e00273-22. [Accessed 19th September 2024]. Available from:  https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msystems.00273-22
  6. Mohr AE, Jäger R, Carpenter KC, Kerksick CM, Purpura M, Townsend JR, West NP, Black K, Gleeson M, Pyne DB, Wells SD. The athletic gut microbiota. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2020 Dec;17:1-33. [Accessed 24th September 2024]. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32398103/
  7. Bermingham KM, Stensrud S, Asnicar F, Valdes AM, Franks PW, Wolf J, Hadjigeorgiou G, Davies R, Spector TD, Segata N, Berry SE. Exploring the relationship between social jetlag with gut microbial composition, diet and cardiometabolic health, in the ZOE PREDICT 1 cohort. European Journal of Nutrition. 2023 Dec;62(8):3135-47. [Accessed 24th September 2024]. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03204-x
  8. Insomnia. [online]. NHS website for England. 2024  [Accessed 24th September 2024]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/