The Link Between Gut Health and Hormones

You can balance your hormones naturally once you understand the big connection between gut health and your hormones. In my experience as a functional nutritionist, the endocrine (hormone) system affects the micro-biome which contributes to these imbalances, and if you don’t work on gut health the hormones often stay out of balance. If you are reading this blog, you likely have gut micro-biome imbalances if you have hormonal acne, hormonal weight gain, PCOS, Thyroid Disease, Adrenal Fatigue, menopause, or PMS symptoms. 

In this article, I’m going to explain how you can balance your hormones naturally using gut healing. You will find out that hormonal weight loss, clearer skin, more vital sustained energy, faster healing, and less pain are achievable goals with an easy solution: heal your gut.

Hormones and Gastrointestinal Problems

The endocrine system is a complex web that if we aim to alter one type of hormone directly it can have negative effects on the cascade of hormonal processes in the body. So in functional medicine, we aim to restore and repair and rejuvenate the harmony of communication between the neuro-endocrine (brain and hormone) system. 

First, we have to understand the link and connection between the GI system and hormones. Hormones are made of either protein, amines, or cholesterol, all of which are dependent on proper intestinal absorption of nutrients for genetic production, activation, and transcription to occur. The balance of hormones in the body is also dependent on the body’s main detoxification pathway, the GI tract including the liver and gallbladder, but also the urinary tract. 

To put it simply, hormones are dependent on our digestive system. Gastrointestinal imbalances can hinder the proper elimination of excess hormones as well as inhibit or alter the proper production of hormones.

The GI tract also connects to the central nervous system (CNS) through the vagus nerve. This is a two-way communication whereas the neuro-endocrine system works in a feedback loop. So the probiotics found in the GI system can directly alter hormonal pathways like the H-P-A (Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal) axis as seen in this study.

Let me break it down a little more...

If there is dysbiosis (gut infections) in the GI tract, this causes inflammatory cytokines (immune cells) to trigger chronically high cortisol (a stress hormone) which suppresses the immune system. A suppressed immune system allows for an infection in the GI tract to fester. Allowing more and more chronically high cortisol. This leads to a broken feedback loop not only for adrenal hormones but all other sex hormones, thyroid hormones, and hunger hormones like insulin and leptin. Then the communication between hormone receptors, hormones, the brain, and the cascade of hormone production is hindered. We call this hormonal resistance.

Many individuals have dysbiosis, or gut infections, without having gastrointestinal symptoms often due to a suppressed immune system. This is often the root cause of hormonal imbalances.

How to Heal The Gut and Your Hormones

Now that you know that gut health is the best place to start with your hormonal systems. Here is what you can do now to start healing.

1. Start using meat stock today

Meat stock supplies the amino acids necessary to help heal the gut and provide the building blocks for neuroendocrine hormones. This is the foundational nutritional component to healing diets for hormones like the GAPS Diet.

2. Cut out sugar, alcohol, and caffeine

I’ve written about sugar and caffeine before and how they contribute to insulin resistance and blood sugar dysregulation. Alcohol and sugar also create dysbiosis in the gut and feed the infections driving hormonal imbalances.

3. Go grain-free

Grains are high in glycemic load and contribute to insulin resistance especially when there is dysbiosis in the gut to prevent proper metabolism. By going grain-free insulin the insulin receptor sensitivity will improve along with other hormone sensitivity.

4. Increase probiotic and prebiotic foods

Probiotic and prebiotic foods will balance the microbiome and improve hormone detoxification and elimination. They also contain enzymes to help with hormone activation.

5. Get rid of toxins 

I’ve written about the endocrine-disrupting effects of toxins and chemicals in our everyday products on another blog. Reducing your toxin exposure is essential for hormone imbalances.

6. Exercise 

Exercise supports cortisol balance and improves hormone sensitivity. I especially like yoga for hormonal balance.

You can purchase my Gut-Healing Recipe Guide here which goes into step-by-step how to heal the gut plus a 30+ day nutrition protocol with over 85 recipes.

Herbs and Supplements for Hormones

Vitamin A and D- help gene regulation and expression of hormone translation and receptor site sensitivity

Glutathione- help reduce free radical damage to receptor sites

Omega Fatty Acids - help increase insulin sensitivity 

Probiotics- help balance intestinal flora and decrease cortisol levels

Enzymes- Both digestive and systemic are extremely useful. Help regulate blood coagulation, detoxification, hormone synthesis

Amino Acid Therapy- supports thyroid and neuro-endocrine hormones

Minerals- provide cofactors for enzymes for hormone synthesis

St John's Wort- anti-inflammatory and mood stabilizer

Kava- stress relief, muscle relaxant, anxiety, sleep, and PMS relief

Licorice Root- adrenal support, lower cortisol

Key Takeaways

1. GI infections increase cortisol and decrease bile flow

2. High cortisol increases insulin in the body which is pro-inflammatory

3. Blood sugar dysregulation ensues and promotes insulin resistance

4. Insulin resistance leads to free radical damage of hormone receptor sites

5. Hormones are imbalanced and don’t work as well when receptor sites are damaged and clearance of excess hormones is impaired