The connection between hormones and gut health: What you need to know

If you’ve ever felt bloated, anxious, or fatigued and couldn’t pinpoint why, your gut and hormones might be at odds. The gut-hormone connection is a fascinating, yet often overlooked, piece of the health puzzle. Your gut doesn’t just influence digestion—it plays a major role in regulating your hormones, which can impact everything from mood to metabolism.

In this post, we’ll look at the connection between hormones and gut health, how imbalances can affect your well-being, and what you can do to start to restore balance and feel your best.

How the Gut and Hormones Communicate

Your gut and hormones are in constant communication through a two-way street called the gut-hormone axis. The gut is home to trillions of bacteria, collectively known as the gut microbiome, which influence how hormones are produced, metabolized, and eliminated.

Here’s how this works:

1. Gut Microbiome and Hormone Production: The gut microbiome helps produce and regulate key hormones like serotonin (your feel-good hormone), cortisol (your stress hormone), and even estrogen.
2. Nutrient Absorption for Hormone Synthesis: The gut absorbs nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins, which are essential for hormone production and balance.
3. Detoxification and Hormone Elimination: Your gut and liver work together to eliminate excess hormones like estrogen. A sluggish gut can lead to reabsorption of these hormones, contributing to imbalances.

When the gut is out of balance—due to inflammation, dysbiosis (imbalance in gut bacteria), or a leaky gut—it can disrupt hormone levels, leading to symptoms like mood swings, fatigue, and weight changes.

Key Hormones Affected by Gut Health

1. Cortisol: The Stress Hormone

The gut and brain are connected via the gut-brain axis, which influences your body’s stress response. Chronic stress can disrupt your gut microbiome, while an unhealthy gut can increase cortisol levels, creating a vicious cycle. Elevated cortisol not only impacts digestion but can also contribute to weight gain (especially around the middle and the hips), anxiety, and poor sleep (hello 3am wake up call).

2. Estrogen

The gut microbiome plays a key role in metabolizing and regulating estrogen through a group of bacteria called the estrobolome. A balanced estrobolome helps process estrogen and prevent it from being reabsorbed into the body. When this balance is disrupted, it can lead to estrogen dominance, contributing to symptoms like PMS, bloating, and even conditions like endometriosis.

3. Serotonin: The Happiness Hormone

Did you know that about 90% of serotonin is produced in your gut? Serotonin helps regulate mood, sleep, and even digestion. A healthy gut microbiome supports serotonin production, while imbalances can lead to mood disorders like anxiety and depression.

Your gut also produces 50% of your dopamine (learning, memory, addictions neurotransmitter) and 30% of your GABA (chill, calm neurotransmitter). These two are also implicated in anxiety, depression and ADD/ADHD. 

4. Thyroid Hormones

Your thyroid, which regulates metabolism, is closely linked to gut health. The gut plays a role in converting T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) to T3 (active thyroid hormone). Gut imbalances like dysbiosis or inflammation can interfere with this conversion, leading to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog.

Your digestive system also absorbs multiple nutrients that are imperative for thyroid health (iron, vitamin D, zinc, selenium....)

Signs of Gut-Hormone Imbalance

How do you know if your gut and hormones are out of sync? Here are some common signs:

• Digestive Symptoms: Bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea.
• Mood Changes: Anxiety, depression, or mood swings.
• Fatigue: Feeling tired even after a full night’s sleep.
• Irregular Periods: PMS, heavy bleeding, or missed cycles.
• Weight Fluctuations: Difficulty losing weight or unexplained weight gain.
• Skin Issues: Acne, eczema, or rosacea.

If these symptoms sound familiar, your gut health may be impacting your hormones.

How to Support Gut and Hormone Balance

The good news? By supporting your gut health, you can help restore hormonal balance and alleviate these symptoms. Here are some strategies to get started:

1. Focus on Fiber

Fiber is a game-changer for both gut and hormone health. It feeds your beneficial gut bacteria, supports detoxification, and helps eliminate excess hormones like estrogen. Aim for 35 grams of fiber per day from sources like leafy greens, flaxseeds, and whole grains. If you're needing to add more fiber, start slowly. If you're not able to tolerate extra fiber- it's time to take a deeper look at what's going on in your digestive system with a functional stool test. 

2. Eat for a Healthy Microbiome

A diverse microbiome is key to balancing hormones. Include a variety of prebiotic and probiotic foods in your diet:

• Prebiotics: Garlic, onions, asparagus, and bananas.
• Probiotics: Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

These foods help foster a thriving gut microbiome, which in turn supports hormone regulation.

3. Support Detoxification

Your gut and liver work together to eliminate toxins and excess hormones. You NEED to have at least 1 well formed, easy to pass bowel movement daily to support this process so:

• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Incorporate cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, which aid liver detoxification.
• Avoid processed foods and excess sugar, which can burden your liver and gut.

4. Manage Stress

Stress wreaks havoc on both your gut and hormones. Incorporate stress-management practices into your routine, such as:

• Meditation or deep breathing exercises.
• Gentle movement like yoga or walking.
• Prioritizing quality sleep (7-9 hours per night).

Reducing cortisol levels can help calm inflammation and restore balance to the gut-hormone axis.

5. Consider Functional Testing

If you suspect a gut-hormone imbalance, functional testing can provide insights. Tests like the GI-MAP or hormone panels can identify gut imbalances, inflammation, or hormonal irregularities, allowing for a targeted approach to healing.

A Sample Day of Gut-Hormone Balancing Meals

Here’s an example of a hormone-friendly, gut-supportive day of eating:

Breakfast:

• Chia seed pudding made with almond milk, topped with berries.
• A cup of green tea for added antioxidants.

Lunch:

• A salad with mixed greens, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, avocado, and a tahini-lemon dressing.
• A side of sauerkraut for probiotics.

Snack:

• A handful of raw almonds and an apple (with the skin for fiber).

Dinner:

• Grilled salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and quinoa.
• A glass of water with a splash of apple cider vinegar to aid digestion.

The Power of Healing Your Gut for Balanced Hormones

Your gut is at the center of your health, influencing not just digestion but your hormones, energy, and mental clarity. By focusing on gut health, you can restore hormonal balance and your well-being. Small, intentional changes to your diet and lifestyle can make a big difference in how you feel—inside and out.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into healing your gut-hormone connection, book a consultation with me today. Together, we’ll create a personalized plan to help you feel your best.