Bloated, Moody, Exhausted? Your Gut Might Be Making Perimenopause Worse
Your gut and hormones are in constant conversation—and those niggling symptoms may be your body’s way of asking for support, not silence.
As a women’s health practitioner I have seen roughly 1000 different women sitting in front of me (or on the computer screen) telling me about their digestion. How they can start the day with a relatively flat stomach, and in the afternoon look as though they are 6 months pregnant. They will also comment on how they have started snapping at colleagues, their kids and husbands, like a monster has taken over their brain and they have no control over how they feel in acutely stressful situations. These are common scenarios which I look to help improve for these women.
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Your digestive system is literally the engine powerhouse of your body. It is there to break down food into little pieces we use for energy, growth, and repair. It is also responsible for eliminating waste, and all the muck we don’t want clogging us up. When there is something wrong with the gut- you will know about it;
bloating
extra gas and burping
indigestion and heartburn
abdominal pain
bowel and stomach noises
bad breath
funny taste in the mouth
constipation
runny or mushy poos
undigested food in stools
changes to skin
Something happens when we hit 40. What is it about our biology that intensifies these symptoms? Is our gut health linked with how our hormones work?
Absolutely! Can we do something about it? Absolutely!
The Gut–Hormone Connection: What’s Really Going On
Gut dysbiosis is when the balance of bacteria, predominantly in your small intestine is dysregulated. The groups of bacteria known to help promote good digestive function are affected by some of the potentially harmful groups like Streptococcous species, Staphylococcous species, or Klebsiella species (among possible other bacteria). These other bacteria are generally ok in small amounts, but given the right environment they can over-grow, create havoc and start to cause inflammation in the gut. Unfortunately, just taking a probiotic is not going to fix the issue.
Your gut microbiome does far more than help you digest food. It plays an active role in nutrient absorption, immune regulation, inflammation balance, and—crucially—hormone metabolism. One of the most important (and often overlooked) aspects of gut health is the estrobolome: a specialised group of gut bacteria involved in the breakdown and recycling of oestrogen. This estrobolome acts as a key link between digestive health and hormonal balance, helping determine how effectively oestrogen is cleared, reabsorbed, or recirculated in the body.
The Estrobolome: How is your body metabolising Oestrogen?
Your body uses oestrogen for multiple purposes every day;
Having a regular period and supporting ovulation to take place for a pregnancy to occur.
Breast development (growth and fat development), and mammary gland support during pregnancy.
Keeping bone density in check by inhibiting osteoclasts (cells which break down bone tissue), and promoting the activity of bone-building osteoblasts, thereby maintaining bone density and strength.
Helping to regulate HDL cholesterol levels to support heart health by boosting Apolipoprotein A-1 (Something I like to check with my patients when they have been told they have high cholesterol).
Stimulating collagen and elastin production to keep skin moist, elastic and stimulate hair growth.
Promoting serotonin production by stimulating the synthesis of tryptophan hydroxylase (which is essential to building serotonin). As well as increasing the number of receptors in the brain for serotonin to attach- for greater effectiveness. Helping mood, and cognitive function.
Once you body finishes using oestrogen for these cellular process the oestrogen molecules are then conjugated in the liver and excreted into the gut via bile. A particular enzyme of the estrobolome: β-glucuronidase deconjugates these oestrogens, allowing them to be reabsorbed through the intestinal wall and recirculated into the bloodstream, helping oestrogen to continue to work as needed.
When there is dysbiosis in the small intestine, the estrobolome is disrupted, recycling diminishes as systemic oestrogen levels drop further. These lower oestrogen levels can cause symptoms such as; hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, irregular periods, mood swings, sleep problems, and decreased libido.
So how do we manage our estrobolome?
We look to clean up the gut! This will often include identifying what’s there to clean up in the first place. Doing a Gut Microbiome test will give a thorough look at what is going on with some of the key players:
how much Beta glucuronidase is present?
are there any potentially harmful bacteria in high numbers which need managing?
is the beneficial bacteria in a position to help or does it need nourishing?
Are there any other pathogens like fungi, protozoa, or parasites contributing to the inflammation in the small intestine?
Once we have established the What, we can look at the how.
Some of the simple dietary tools can make the biggest difference.
Look at increasing dietary fibre from a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds, legumes and pulses. Try for 50gm dietary fibre daily!
Keep the body well hydrated with two plus litres of filtered water daily, plus herbal teas like nettle leaf, calendula, dandelion root, chamomile, and fennel seed.
Use apple cider vinegar with olive oil as a salad dressing to help break down fibrous foods and support stomach acid production.
Limit inflammatory foods which can effect the beta-glucuronidase levels like coffee, red meat, processed foods, fried foods, simple carbohydrates (white rice and breads) and refined sugars.
Increase cruciferous vegetables in your diet: broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, kale, cabbages, and broccolini. These contain a compound which favourably helps with oestrogen metabolism in the gut.
Lifestyle support is just as important as the actual food you eat.
Avoid eating with distraction. Sit down and take time out to eat your food slowly, chewing each mouthful, and away from stimulation like your phone, computer, or television.
Breathing is key! Find a breath work practice in your day which is easy to implement. It might be via an app like Nerva or Smiling mind. Or something you have learned in a yoga class. This automatically helps your vagus nerve with how inflamed or stimulated it is, and it can calm down.
Prepare a meal with mindfulness. Avoid buying takeaway foods on the go and write up a meal plan for the week with 5 meal ideas. Or bulk prepare enough for 2-3 days to give you a nourishing meal with the right amount of fibre and protein required for your body.
Try to finish your meal 3 hours before bed. Give your digestive system a chance to work through some of the complex proteins and fats you have eaten before laying down. Maybe an evening walk would also be a nice support for breath work and vagal nerve support.
Movement will allow for space in your gut to open up. If you sit at a desk all day, your stomach and intestines are literally compressed for hours at a time. Take breaks each hour to stand up, stretch, walk around a little. You will find this helps a lot for those prone to gas and constipation.
In my experience, after roughly three months of working on your gut, you will start to notice changes in your perimenopausal symptoms. Think of your gut as a portal to accepting messages from your hormones to your brain. When the gut is opening those messages and delivering them to the right places- the message is received more clearly.
Less fatigue, less irritability, and in many cases less bloating.
If you are experiencing changes to your gut or hormones and would like some support or guidance, you can find me online at:
https://www.naturopathywithclaire.com.au/ or instagram.com/naturopathywithclaire/
Key message: These symptoms aren’t random or “just ageing” — there’s biology behind them.
