Hello Hormones with Dr. Carrie Jones The Hormone-Gut Drama You Didn't Know Was Happening
Oct 21, 2025
Discover how hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause dramatically impact digestion. The connection between oral health and gut function is unveiled, shedding light on the mouth-gut relationship. Learn how estrogen levels can loosen the lower esophageal sphincter, causing reflux. Tips for improving gut health include thorough chewing, stress reduction, and dietary diversity. Plus, hear about the benefits of prebiotics and possible hormone therapy to support gut integrity. Feeling good in your gut is within reach!
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Hormones Drive Midlife Gut Changes
- Hormone shifts in perimenopause and menopause commonly trigger new or worse GI symptoms like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and reflux.
- Many women experience these changes and they are not random but linked to estrogen and progesterone changes.
Start With The Mouth
- Estradiol and progesterone affect the entire digestive tract beginning in the mouth, altering saliva and oral bacteria.
- Oral microbiome changes can seed downstream gut problems so mouth health matters for digestion.
Estrogen Affects Reflux Risk
- Declining estradiol can loosen the lower esophageal sphincter and let stomach acid reflux into the esophagus.
- New-onset heartburn or reflux in midlife can be hormonally driven rather than only lifestyle-related.