When you think of the gut microbiome, you probably think of your digestive health. You’re not wrong.

The gut microbiome does play a role in digestion, and your gastrointestinal tract, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

But did you know that menopause can disrupt the gut microbiome?  That’s right, gut microbiome disruption contributes to many symptoms we associate with menopause, including weight gain, and more.

A growing body of research explores this very topic. A study in the journal Menopause asked the question: Menopause, the gut microbiome, and weight gain: correlation or causation?

In the study, the researchers found a link between the microbiome’s role in energy and estrogen metabolism and menopause’s alteration of the gut microbiome, which can increase fat gain, lower metabolism, and increase insulin resistance.

Hormones like estrogen and progesterone can affect your gut’s diversity, but your gut’s microbiome can also help regulate and metabolize your hormones.

The estrobolome is a part of your gut’s flora that can help maintain hormonal balance, particularly for estrogen in your body.

Researchers have found that these changes in gut flora were also associated with several health issues, specifically cardiometabolic risks. Cardiometabolic risks can include things like high cholesterol, weight gain, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure, all of which can cause serious health conditions.

As you can see, maintaining a healthy gut is especially important during menopause and beyond.

Researchers encourage women to improve metabolic health during the menopause transition via the gut microbiome. Click here to learn more about Why You Should Care About Your Gut And What It Impacts.

Eating a gut-friendly diet that contains plenty of fiber, prebiotics, and fermented foods rich in probiotics and savvy supplementation can help the beneficial bacteria in your gut to thrive.

For more gut health advice, visit our Digestive Support page and take a 2-minute quiz to find your digestive solution.

Or contact our Customer Service Team, who can answer your questions seven days a week at support@zenwise.com or M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (800) 940-1972.

1 https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/43446/hormone-driven-malignancies-related-to-disturbances-in-estrobolome-physiology