Menopause causes a delince in gut health

Menopause can negatively impact gut health via several mechanisms influenced by the decline in oestrogen levels.

These changes impact women's gut flora, motility (muscle contractions) and overall gut function.

Here’s more on how the decline in oestrogen in menopause impacts women's guts...

It can alter the composition and function of the gut microbiome
It's associated with decreased microbial diversity and imbalances, potentially causing inflammation and other gut health issues
It often results in slower transit time, and possibly constipation, bloating and discomfort
It can impair bowel movements via compromised smooth muscle function, the contraction and relaxation of gut muscles
It leads to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut), allowing toxins and bacteria to enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation
It leads to a dysregulated gut immune response, contributing to inflammation and gastrointestinal discomfort
It causes an increased prevalence of IBS symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhoea and constipation
It can negatively impact calcium absorption, contributing to osteoporosis. Similarly, it can reduce vitamin D metabolism, impacting bone health and calcium balance
It can lead to insulin resistance, which can further impact gut health by altering glucose metabolism and microbial composition

What can you do without having to resort to taking risky hormones?

Eat lots of fibrous veggies and fruit, and probiotic foods
Add in plenty of phytoestrogenic foods like seeds, organic soy, grapes, cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower), garlic, alfalfa, red grapes
Resolve gut health imbalances by testing as the basis of a healing protocol based on testing
Some supplements help too eg black cohosh, red clover and pine bark extract