The estrobolome

By now, you know that I am all about gut health, but did you know that hormonal imbalances are also related to gut health?

I am bringing this topic here because I get a lot of questions from women about their hormones. And we always have to ask ourselves WHY?

Statistics show that hormonal imbalances, especially in women, are now more common than ever. You might not be able to see a hormonal imbalance and maybe not even feel it. But the effects can present themselves in all aspects of your life and, left untreated, can be dangerous or even life-threatening.

Statistics also show that 50-80 percent of women suffer from hormonal imbalances. Some women live with these imbalances without even realizing it. In fact, 70 percent of women are unaware that many health problems may have manifested, at some point in life, due to hormonal irregularities.

The most dangerous thing about a hormonal imbalance is not actually the symptom but the root cause. This is telling us that different systems, communication pathways, and organs in your body are not functioning to their best ability.

The first step in treating your hormonal imbalances is always digestive health. Impaired digestion leads to major hormone-disrupting issues like poor nutrient absorption, elevated cortisol levels, chronic inflammation, compromised serotonin production, and imbalanced gut bacteria.

The human body produces and circulates close to 50 hormones. All hormones are crucial for our health, but today we will be looking at estrogen and its relation to gut health.

Estrogen

Let’s talk a little, again, about this bacteria that is so critical to our overall health. The subset of gut bacteria responsible for metabolizing estrogen is known as the ESTROBOLOME. The estrobolome is a collection of bacteria in the gut which is capable of metabolizing and modulating the body’s circulating estrogen.

Estrogens are primarily made in the ovaries and adrenal glands. There are three different types, all of which have vital roles in the body. In women, estrogens help regulate body fat, are essential to female reproductive function, cardiovascular health, bone health, and brain function (including memory). Men also have estrogen, and they can also have estrogen-related problems.

When the gut microbiome is healthy, the estrobolome is producing optimal levels of an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. If the gut is unhealthy, well, the estrogen levels become imbalanced. A healthy, diverse gut microbiome with a rich collection of different bacteria is critical for hormonal balance.

As the liver metabolizes estrogen, this conjugated estrogen is delivered to the bile for excretion into the gut. A healthy estrobolome minimizes reabsorption of estrogen from the gut allowing safe removal as waste in stool and urine, ensuring hormone balance.

Symptoms of estrogen dominance include PMS, weight gain on hips and tights, endometriosis, infertility, mood swings, insomnia, fatigue, headaches, migraines, acne mostly along the jawline, hot flashes, PCOS, and more.

If you find yourself having some of these symptoms, or you know that you have hormonal imbalances, you have to address your gut health. There is no way around it.

In good health,

Ioana