How Your Gut Affects Hormones

Your hormones are one of the busiest functions of your body. They’re constantly sending signals throughout the body from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep at night. Balanced levels of cortisol (the “stress” hormone) will give you more energy to start your day. Serotonin (the “happy” hormone) helps with mood throughout the day. Leptin and ghrelin hormones will let you know whether you’re hungry or not. Melatonin hormone will help you reach deep and REM sleep at night. 

However, estrogen is the main one that we’re talking about today because of the major role it plays in both men and women. 

The problem is that many suffer from imbalanced hormones and research shows that a large part of it is actually due to a leaky gut (aka increased intestinal permeability). 

MICROBIOME AND ESTROGEN

Estrogen hormones are produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands. In women, it helps regulate body fat and it’s a vital hormone for reproduction and brain health. 

Many believe that estrogen is only important in females but it turns out that they also play a role in men when it comes to the maturation of sperm and libido.

It travels throughout the body and when it reaches the liver, it becomes inactive. Once this happens, it is delivered to your intestines, which is then eliminated through the stool.

Estrobolome is a part of your microbiome that is dedicated to maintaining estrogen balance. It is responsible for the metabolism of estrogen. However, when you have an imbalanced microbiome or dysbiosis, it produces excess amounts of enzymes called beta-glucuronidase. 

This reactivates the “inactive” estrogen in your intestines and brings it back to your bloodstream, reactivating estrogen causing estrogen dominance. So, instead of it being excreted by the intestines, it is actually reabsorbed into the bloodstream!

An imbalanced microbiome or dysbiosis is a very common consequence of leaky gut. Remember, larger gaps (increased permeability) in that gut wall will lead to more inflammation which can then affect gut flora!

CONSEQUENCES OF EXCESSIVE ESTROGEN:

WOMEN

It can lead to weight gain, menstrual problems including irregular periods, light spotting, heaving bleeding, and severe symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS. It can also cause depression or anxiety, lack of sleep, hair loss, and fatigue.

In the long-term, we now know that excess estrogen is a common culprit to breast, endometrial, cervical, and ovarian cancer

MEN

It can cause erectile dysfunction, enlarged breasts, depression, and infertility.

BOTTOM LINE

Leaky gut can have a huge impact on your hormones, especially on estrogen. 

There are ways to improve your estrogen metabolism and a great way is to increase vegetable intake, particularly cruciferous vegetables. These contain indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that helps remove excess estrogen from the body.

However, these are just band-aid solutions; they will not completely address the underlying root cause of your estrogen dominance. If you heal your gut and bring it back to balance again, everything will begin to fall into place.

My GI Protocol is a foundational protocol that has helped hundreds of people balance, seal, and heal their gut. It explains step-by-step how to restore back your gut health through supplements, nutrition & lifestyle practices. All in one!