How women's hormones effect the gut

Hormones significantly influence women's digestion, gut motility (movement), microbiome, and the gut-brain axis. Effects vary across life stages and conditions.

Oestrogen

  • Enhances gut motility and supports microbiota diversity. However, fluctuations can lead to bloating or bowel changes

  • Has an anti-inflammatory effect on gut, protecting against conditions like Crohn's disease during reproductive years

Progesterone

  • Progesterone delays gastric emptying and relaxes GI muscles, causing bloating, constipation, and gas

  • Reduces gut permeability, which helps maintain the gut lining but may slow nutrient absorption

Cycles

  • Follicular Phase - Low progesterone promotes smoother digestion

  • Luteal Phase - High progesterone slows motility, increasing bloating and gas

  • Ovulation - Hormonal peaks can temporarily disrupt gut function

Pregnancy & Menopause

  • Pregnancy - High progesterone slow digestion, while microbiota shifts enhance nutrient absorption but can increase bloating

  • Menopause - Declining oestrogen reduces microbiota diversity, increases gut inflammation, and alters bowel habits

Stress Hormone Cortisol

Cortisol affects the gut-brain axis, altering motility and increasing gut permeability, leading to dysbiosis and digestive issues during stress

Thyroid Hormones

These regulate gut motility.

  • Hypothyroidism causes slower digestion and constipation

  • Hyperthyroidism causes rapid motility and diarrhoea

To summarise, oestrogen supports gut diversity and reduces inflammation, while progesterone slows digestion and affects motility.

Stress and thyroid hormones further modulate gut health, with significant shifts during pregnancy, menopause and conditions like PCOS.

WOMENS HEALTH, THYROID HEALTH, STRESS, MENOPAUSE, HORMONESGutsy by Nutritionhormones, gutComment