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There is a clear connection between leaky gut, dysbiosis, and the common hormone imbalances that impact Americans. Chronic inflammation from dysbiosis and leaky gut sets the stage for hormone imbalance.
There is a known bidirectional interaction between steroid hormones and gut microbiota. As reported by the journal frontiers in Microbiology: "Hormones can have an impact on the structure and metabolism of the microbiota. In turn, the gut microbiome is very involved in hormone homeostasis through several possible devices." The same writers note that dysbiosis (which goes together with leaky gut) produces inflammation that negatively influences the enzyme metabolism of hormones in the gut and eventually in the bloodstream. The term "endobolome" is now used to describe the interaction of the gut microbiota genes and the metabolism of steroid (e.g., estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol) hormones.
Another example of the gut-hormone connection involves the most common cause of hypothyroidism (low thyroid), an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT). HT is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks thyroid gland tissue and makes one vulnerable to the underproduction of thyroid hormones. According to research released in frontiers in Immunology: "There is a great deal of evidence that the intestinal dysbiosis, bacterial overgrowth, and also increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) favor HT development, and a thyroid-- gut axis has been suggested which seems to impact our entire metabolism." Additionally, recent research has shown that gut permeability increases during the menopausal transition in females.
If you want to have hormone balance, then you must have a healthy gut microbiome. Soon I will have an E-book available on gut health and an expanded section on how to heal the microbiome and leaky gut with natural methods. We will let subscribers know when it is available.
