• About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Healing From the Inside Out
    • Dr. Daniel Pompa
    • Dr. Daniel Pompa Testimonials
  • Health Coaching Services
    • Coaching with Dr. Pompa
    • True Cellular Detox
    • Lab Testing
  • Recommended Reading
    • Fasting for a Purpose
    • Series
      Top 5 Health Strategies
    • Series
      Heavy Metal Detox Done Right
  • Events
  • Search
  • Shop Online
    • Supplements
  • Cellular Detox
    • Cytodetox
    • Mold Detox
    • Body Cleanse
    • Thyroid Detox
    • Viome Review
  • Cellular Health
    • Why Am I So Tired?
    • L-Glutamine and Gut Health
    • Burst Training
    • Healthiest Sunscreens
    • Tapping for Healing
  • Fasting
    • 5 Day Water Fast
    • Coffee While Fasting
    • Fasting and Thyroid Conditions
    • How to Break a Fast
    • Working Out While Fasting
  • Diet
    • Adrenal Fatigue Diet
    • Bone Broth for Weight Loss
    • Diet Variation™ Guides
    • Cellular Healing Diet
    • Clean Eating Meal Plan
    • Healing Foods
  • Nutrition
    • Amasai
    • Amino Acids Benefits
    • Black Seed Oil
    • Cultured Vegetables
    • Purple Potatoes Benefits
  • Lifestyle
    • Financial Freedom
    • Functional Exercise
    • Health Biohacks
  • CHTV Podcasts
    • CHTV Live
      (Fridays at 10am est)
    • Search Podcast Archives
    • 2021 Episodes
    • 2020 Episodes
    • 2019 Episodes 254 +
    • 2018 Episodes: 202-253
    • 2017 Episodes: 150-201
    • 2016 Episodes: 97-149
    • 2015 Episodes: 47-96
    • 2014 Episodes: 1-46
  • Recipes
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

Dr. Pompa

The #1 Website for Real Natural Health Solutions

  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Healing From the Inside Out
    • Dr. Daniel Pompa
    • Dr. Daniel Pompa Testimonials
  • Health Coaching Services
    • Coaching with Dr. Pompa
    • True Cellular Detox
    • Lab Testing
  • Recommended Reading
    • Fasting for a Purpose
    • Series
      Top 5 Health Strategies
    • Series
      Heavy Metal Detox Done Right
  • Events
  • Search
  • Shop Online
    • Supplements
  • Cellular Detox
    • Cytodetox
    • Mold Detox
    • Body Cleanse
    • Thyroid Detox
    • Viome Review
  • Cellular Health
    • Why Am I So Tired?
    • L-Glutamine and Gut Health
    • Burst Training
    • Healthiest Sunscreens
    • Tapping for Healing
  • Fasting
    • 5 Day Water Fast
    • Coffee While Fasting
    • Fasting and Thyroid Conditions
    • How to Break a Fast
    • Working Out While Fasting
  • Diet
    • Adrenal Fatigue Diet
    • Bone Broth for Weight Loss
    • Diet Variation™ Guides
    • Cellular Healing Diet
    • Clean Eating Meal Plan
    • Healing Foods
  • Nutrition
    • Amasai
    • Amino Acids Benefits
    • Black Seed Oil
    • Cultured Vegetables
    • Purple Potatoes Benefits
  • Lifestyle
    • Financial Freedom
    • Functional Exercise
    • Health Biohacks
  • CHTV Podcasts
    • CHTV Live
      (Fridays at 10am est)
    • Search Podcast Archives
    • 2021 Episodes
    • 2020 Episodes
    • 2019 Episodes 254 +
    • 2018 Episodes: 202-253
    • 2017 Episodes: 150-201
    • 2016 Episodes: 97-149
    • 2015 Episodes: 47-96
    • 2014 Episodes: 1-46
  • Recipes
Home » Articles » Microbiome and Hormone Health: Gut Diversity & Healthy Hormones

Microbiome and Hormone Health: Gut Diversity & Healthy Hormones

October 14, 2020 //  by Dr. Daniel Pompa//  Leave a Comment

FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn


This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Charles Penick, MD

Microbiome and Hormone Health: Gut health has become a hot topic in the world of wellness due to its profound influence on an array of health markers. Today we explore the microbiome and its particular impact on female hormonal health and balance.

microbiome-and-hormone-health

Microbiome and Hormone Health: What Is The Microbiome?

A microbiome is an environment that contains living bacteria. There are various types of microbiomes, including the human body biome as a whole, or individual ecosystems within the body like the skin biome, the mouth biome, and the gut biome.

Bacteria play a crucial role in generating our existence and health, for there are more bacterial cells in the human body than human cells. There are approximately 40 trillion bacterial cells to 30 trillion human cells. [1, 2] An optimally healthy gut should contain 20,000 – 30,000 different bacteria species. Most people living a modern “standard American” lifestyles includes under 1,000 species. [3]

The human gut microbiome facilitates a wide range of bodily functions, including digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients, immune regulation, brain health, and hormonal production. [4-6] For this reason, having a microbially diverse gut is one of the most important aspects of maintaining whole-body health and longevity.

Microbiome and Hormone Health: The Microbiome Hormone Link

Hormones are signaling molecules that target organs to regulate physiology and behavior. The two main female hormones are estrogen and progesterone, which play a major role in metabolism and reproduction. [7] Too much or too little of any hormone can have a dramatic effect on the whole body.

Hormonal imbalances are prevalent in women; studies suggest that 80 percent of women suffer from hormonal imbalances. Symptoms of female hormone imbalances include: [8-12]

  • Weight gain
  • Fatigue
  • Dry skin
  • Constipation
  • Overly cold or overly hot
  • Muscle aches or tenderness
  • Still joints
  • Depression
  • Low or no libido
  • Infertility
  • Sweating
  • Thinning hair

The relationship between the gut microbiome and estrogen is deeply intertwined, with much cross-talk between the two. [13] The relationship impacts microbial diversity, estrogen metabolism and dominance, inflammation, and gut lining.

Microbiome and Hormone Health: Estrogen to Promote Microbial Diversity

Although estrogen is a significant player in reproductive health, it also plays a crucial role in various other functions. One such function is the promotion of growth and proliferation of good gut bacteria. [13] When the gut bacteria is imbalanced (known as gut dysbiosis), genes and pathways are activated that influence sugar and carbohydrate metabolism negatively. One route, known as the TLR4 pathway, is linked to insulin resistance, and an array of illnesses that can cascade as a result. [14]

Estrogen Metabolism and Dominance and Breast Cancer

Your gut microbiome plays a significant role in metabolism, which is important in keeping your hormones in balance. Female hormones fluctuate throughout the month, and estrogen is one of the hormones that can cause various problems when it is not metabolized well (known as estrogen dominance).

The gut biome breaks down estrogen by secreting an enzyme called β-glucuronidase. This enzyme breaks estrogen down into a free, biologically active form that can be taken up into the body’s tissues. [15] And so gut dysbiosis can impair the process of estrogen metabolism, resulting in excess free estrogen levels not being appropriately used in the body.

One of the most lethal links between disease and excess estrogen in the body is hormone-dependent cancers, especially breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer in women. As well as increased risk of blood clots and stroke. [16]

Although estrogen dominance is considered a hormonal imbalance with health consequences, estrogen itself is not ‘bad’ and has many critical roles in the body when in balance. Estrogen helps manage weight (especially abdominal fat), and promote glucose tolerance when produced and metabolized properly.

Estrogen, Gut Lining, and Inflammation

When it is produced and metabolized correctly, estrogen helps reduce inflammation in the body and protect the integrity of the gut lining. It decreases the pathogenic populations of bacteria and the inflammation caused by lipopolysaccharide (or LPS).

LPS can interfere with gut lining and cross the body’s gut barrier, causing a highly inflammatory response. Breaking down the gut lining, LPS can also open up the flood gates for all sorts of other inflammatory causing invaders. Estrogen works to protect the integrity of the gut lining by eliminating LPS and has a preventative anti-inflammatory role. [17]

Maintaining the integrity of the gut lining is very important for overall health. This lining acts like a barrier between the outside world (pathogens, bacteria, viruses, and other inflammatory inducing agents) and your body. Gut permeability (leaky gut) is linked to a wide range of disease models known to science, including Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathies, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, schizophrenia, and certain types of cancer. [18]

Estrogen also helps produce a more robust gut lining because it is needed to form the gut’s epithelial layer and maintain a healthy, elastic, and tight junctions. [19] It not only prevents breakdown from lipopolysaccharides but also helps strengthen the lining itself from unwanted molecules.

Microbiome and Hormone Health: Tops Ways To Improve Microbial Diversity in the Gut

Avoid Anti-Microbial Foods and Agents

Consuming good bacteria is only useful if you’re mindfully avoiding the types of foods and other agents that kill bacteria. The anti-bacterial movement that swept the nation in favor of killing harmful bacteria does not selectively kill the bad. By using harsh anti-bacterial agents (like soaps, hand sanitizers, and antibiotics), the good bacteria get bombed as well. [20]

Certain types of food and beverages target bacteria and make it very difficult for the good bacteria to survive. They include artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils, and other PUFAs, alcohol.

Increase Consumption of Live Fermented Foods

Fermented live foods contain live probiotics and enzymes that can help increase the microbial diversity of your gut. [21] Aiming to consume at least one serving of fermented foods a day is ideal, but one serving per meal is optimal. Fermented foods include:

  • Yogurt (unpasteurized)
  • Kefir (unpasteurized)
  • Kombucha
  • Saurkraut
  • Kim-Chi
  • Beetroot kvass
  • Miso

Increase Consumption of Prebiotic Foods

Prebiotic foods are rich in dietary fibers and sugars that feed the good bacteria in your gut. If probiotics are the seeds, then prebiotics is the soil, sunshine, and water that help bring them to life and keep them thriving. Prebiotic foods include:

  • Leeks
  • Dandelion greens
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Jerusalem artichokes
  • Chicory root
  • Oats
  • Barley
  • Apples
  • Bananas (especially green bananas)

Breathe in Microbes in Nature

One of the easiest and most profound ways to increase the microbial diversity in your gut is simply to spend time in nature, breathing in the air, and getting exposure to the earth, trees, flowers, and dirt. Live microbes live abundantly in nature, especially in areas kept clean like national parks, the beach, larger forests, mountains, lakes, and creeks. Simply spending time in nature will introduce an array of healthy microbes into your body. [3] So get outside!

Microbiome and Hormone Health: Summary

The gut microbiome plays a role in various bodily functions, including digestion, absorption, and assimilation of nutrients, immune regulation, brain health, and hormonal production. Microbial diversity has a cross-talk relationship with estrogen. Estrogen influences microbiome health and vice versa. Having a robust gut microbiome is vital to properly metabolizing estrogen. Estrogen also plays a crucial role in keeping the gut lining healthy and robust. Some of the key ways to promote microbial diversity include: avoiding anti-bacterial agents and harmful foods, increasing your consumption of probiotics and prebiotic foods, and getting out in nature to breathe in healthy microbes.

Diversify Your Gut

There’s a problem with most probiotic pills and powders out there… Yes, even the ones that boast billions of CFU or colony-forming units. The problem is—most of these bacteria are dead. Others won’t survive the long and treacherous trip through your acidic digestive system and are mostly inert by the time they reach your gut.

That means many of the most expensive probiotics on your grocery store’s shelves aren’t doing anything at all.

That’s why I recommend a different kind of gut-boosting blend altogether—MegaSporeBiotic is a probiotic blend of 5 Bacillus spores that have been clinically shown to maintain healthy gut barrier function and overall immunity. In their spore form, they can withstand the acidic environment of your stomach by remaining dormant until they reach your GI tract. Once inside the large intestine, they transform into their active form and begin to colonize your gut. 

If you’re searching for a way to quickly and effectively increase and balance microbial diversity, this is one of the best ways to do it.

>> Check out MegaSporeBiotic now!

References

  1. Sender, Ron et al. “Revised Estimates for the Number of Human and Bacteria Cells in the Body.” PLoS biology vol. 14,8 e1002533. 19 Aug. 2016, doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1002533
  2. Qin, Junjie, et al. “A human gut microbial gene catalog established by metagenomic sequencing.” Nature vol. 464,7285 (2010): 59-65. doi:10.1038/nature08821
  3. “Supplementation.” Zach Bush MD, 30 Jan. 2020, zachbushmd.com/probiotics/supplementation/
  4. Koenig, Jeremy E et al. “Succession of microbial consortia in the developing infant gut microbiome.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 108 Suppl 1,Suppl 1 (2011): 4578-85. doi:10.1073/pnas.1000081107
  5. Rooks, Michelle G, and Wendy S Garrett. “Gut microbiota, metabolites, and host immunity.” Nature reviews. Immunology vol. 16,6 (2016): 341-52. doi:10.1038/nri.2016.42
  6. Cryan, John F, and Timothy G Dinan. “Mind-altering microorganisms: the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behavior.” Nature reviews. Neuroscience vol. 13,10 (2012): 701-12. doi:10.1038/nrn334
  7. Seeman, Mary V. “Psychopathology in Women and Men: Focus on Female Hormones.” American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 154, no. 12, 1997, pp. 1641–1647., doi:10.1176/ajp.154.12.1641.
  8. Turnbaugh PJ, Hamady M, Yatsunenko T, Cantarel BL, Duncan A, Ley RE, Sogin ML, Jones WJ, Roe BA, Affourtit JP, Egholm M, Henrissat B, Heath AC, Knight R, Gordon JI: A core gut microbiome in obese and lean twins. Nature 2009;457:480-484.
  9. Vitti, Alisa. Womancode: Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Drive, and Become a Power Source. HarperOne, 2014.
  10. Gottfried, Sara. The Hormone Cure Reclaim Balance, Sleep, and Sex Drive; Lose Weight; Feel Focused, Vital, and Energized Naturally with the Gottfried Protocol. Scribner, 2014.
  11. Seth, Bhavna, et al. “Association of Obesity with Hormonal Imbalance in Infertility: A Cross-Sectional Study in North Indian Women.” Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry, vol. 28, no. 4, 2013, pp. 342–347., doi:10.1007/s12291-013-0301-8.
  12. Ding, Sarah et al. “The Impact of Hormonal Imbalances Associated with Obesity on the Incidence of Endometrial Cancer in Postmenopausal Women.” Journal of Cancer vol. 11,18 5456-5465. 11 Jul. 2020, doi:10.7150/jca.47580
  13. Chen KL, Madak-Erdogan Z: Estrogen and Microbiota Crosstalk: Should We Pay Attention? Trends Endocrinol Metab 2016;27:752-755.
  14. Saad, M. J. A., et al. “Linking Gut Microbiota and Inflammation to Obesity and Insulin Resistance.” Physiology, vol. 31, no. 4, 2016, pp. 283–293., doi:10.1152/physiol.00041.2015.
  15. Baker JM, Al-Nakkash L, Herbst-Kralovetz MM: Estrogen-gut microbiome axis: Physiological and clinical implications. Maturitas 2017;103:45-53.
  16. Parida, Sheetal, and Dipali Sharma. “The Microbiome-Estrogen Connection and Breast Cancer Risk.” Cells vol. 8,12 1642. 15 Dec. 2019, doi:10.3390/cells8121642
  17. Sylvia, Kristyn E., and Gregory E. Demas. “Acute Intraperitoneal Lipopolysaccharide Influences the Immune System in the Absence of Gut Dysbiosis.” Physiological Reports, vol. 6, no. 5, 2018, doi:10.14814/phy2.13639.
  18. Bischoff, Stephan C et al. “Intestinal permeability–a new target for disease prevention and therapy.” BMC gastroenterology vol. 14 189. 18 Nov. 2014, doi:10.1186/s12876-014-0189-7
  19. Benedek G, Zhang J, Nguyen H, Kent G, Seifert HA, Davin S, Stauffer P, Vandenbark AA, Karstens L, Asquith M, Offner H: Estrogen protection against EAE modulates the microbiota and mucosal-associated regulatory cells. J Neuroimmunol 2017;310:51-59.
  20. Rangel, Gabriel W. “Say Goodbye to Antibacterial Soaps: Why the FDA Is Banning a Household Item.” Harvard University, 9 Jan. 2017, sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/say-goodbye-antibacterial-soaps-fda-banning-household-item/.
  21. Ritchie, Marina L, and Tamara N Romanuk. “A meta-analysis of probiotic efficacy for gastrointestinal diseases.” PloS one vol. 7,4 (2012): e34938. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0034938

Medical Disclaimer: This article is based upon the opinions of Dr. Daniel Pompa. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Pompa and his associates. This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Charles Penick, MD for accuracy of the information provided, but Dr. Pompa encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn

Category: Cellular Health, Health

Previous Post: « The Home Microbiome: How to Keep a Healthy & Nontoxic Home
Next Post: Blood Flow Restriction Training: Biohack Your Strength Training blood-flow-restriction-training»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your comments±.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




± By commenting on this post, you are agreeing to be added to future newsletter and email lists.

Primary Sidebar

This Book Available for Practitioners Only

Dr. Pompa Fasting Kit
Revelation Health
Discount Lab Testing
Listen to Health Hunters Radio
Cellular Healing TV
Camano Island

Footer

drpompa.com
The Number 1 Website for
REAL Natural Health Solutions!divider-footerAs-Seen-on_footer

Contact

Dr. Daniel Pompa
Park City, UT 84098

divider-footer
Watch, Listen & Subscribe

Watch Cellular Healing TV
Listen to the Archives
Subscribe to the Podcast

divider-footer

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Articles

  • Circadian Rhythm Out of Whack? Top Ways to Reset April 8, 2021
  • Black Mold Toxicity Symptoms and Natural Remedies  April 8, 2021
  • Low Dopamine and Serotonin: How to Fix Our Neurotransmitters April 6, 2021
  • Activated Charcoal and Stomach Bugs: Your Secret Weapon April 2, 2021
  • Bitter Foods That Are Good For You March 30, 2021

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Daniel Pompa, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as noted. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Pompa and his associates. Dr. Pompa encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

Site Footer

Dr. Pompa does not practice conventional medicine. More specifically, he does not examine, diagnose or treat, or offer to treat or cure or attempt to cure, any mental or physical disease, disorder or illness, or any physical deformity or injury; and Dr. Pompa does not recommend or prescribe, or recommend changing dosage or discontinuing, any prescription medications or pharmaceutical drugs.

Dr. Pompa has retired from chiropractic in order to more effectively pursue his dream of world health.

  • Copyright Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Anti-Spam Policy
  • Shop Online

Copyright © 2021 Dr. Pompa & Cellular Healing TV · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc