Gut Health = Hormone Health
Written By Kim Deschamps | November 16, 2022
The hand bone's connected to the arm bone. The arm bone's connected to the shoulder bone. Aaaandd… the hormones are connected to the gut.
Our bodies are incredibly complex and our systems are interconnected. What happens in one part of the body can have a major impact on what goes on in other parts of the body or even, as we’ve discussed previously, our brain. Nowhere is that truer than in our gut. And its impact on our hormone balance – or imbalance – is undeniable.
Inside your gut’s microbiome are trillions of microbial cells. A tremendous variety of bacteria reside there: the good, the bad, the viral, the fungal, and more. It naturally follows that lots of good bacteria equal a healthier gut. An imbalanced gut occurs when the bad outweighs the good or when there is an overgrowth of fungus, inflammation, or – you guessed it - hormonal disturbances.
Let’s take a look at some of the hormones that need to be balanced for a healthy body and how they are affected by our microbiome. One of the strongest examples is serotonin, of which about 90 percent is produced by gut bacteria. Serotonin is known as a feel-good hormone. It acts as a mood stabilizer and impacts sleeping patterns. Meanwhile, low levels of serotonin have been linked to depression, anxiety, insomnia, and much more.
Moving on to hyroxine and triiodothyronine, collectively referred to as the thyroid hormones, and are produced by the thyroid gland. They are essential to a diverse set of functions and impact energy levels, metabolism, mental health, sleep patterns, and even our ability to conceive. Important to keep these in balance, yet an unhealthy gut might impede the absorption of micronutrients needed for thyroid health, like copper, iodine, and iron.
Your gut health can even play a part in reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes when you consider that Lactobacillus reuteri, a species of probiotic bacteria that live in your gut, helps to regulate insulin. Cholesterol levels, which are a precursor to the balance of progesterone and estrogen, are impacted by gut health. And new research shows that poor gut health may increase your risk of diseases that are related to estrogen, like endometriosis, PCOS, and possibly breast cancer.
The list goes on, but the question remains. What should you do about it? Your diet obviously has a lot to do with gut health. If you’re trying to strive for healthier balance of hormones, avoid these three common mistakes:
Juice:
Don’t do it. It sounds healthy to drink fruits and veggies in an easy-to-consume beverage. The problem is that we’re not getting the fiber that is meant to be consumed with it for balanced digestion processes.
Carbs:
Do it! Carbs have gotten a bad rap over the years, but opting for a ketogenic or high-protein diet may backfire and have a negative impact on diversity in the microbiome. Portion control and a balanced diet will win the day; there’s no need to completely deprive your body of bread or pasta.
Fat:
It’s… okay. The days of low-fat diets did a number on hormone health that our culture is still recovering from. It’s impossible to have a healthy gut that produces all the hormones we need to function without some fat in our diet. Fat isn’t the enemy. Just like carbs, it can be necessary and good as long as it’s managed appropriately.
Now that you know what not to do, you might need some help figuring out what to do. That’s what we’re here for. Give us a call so we can talk about your gut health, your hormones, and how to manage them.
Kim Deschamps
MPT, BKin, PYT, BDN