When we think about hormonal balance, we often focus on reproductive organs or the endocrine glands—things like ovaries, thyroid, or adrenal glands. But there’s a critical piece that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves: gut health. Your gut, home to trillions of microbes, plays a pivotal role in regulating hormones like oestrogen, cortisol, and thyroid hormones. If you’re struggling with PMS, irregular periods, acne, stubborn weight gain, or mood swings, your gut might be trying to tell you something.
I’m Georgia Blue, a hormonal health coach. In this blog, I will discuss how gut health impacts hormone balance, common hormonal issues and symptoms, and how to support both your gut and hormones for better overall health.
Common Hormonal Imbalances and Their Symptoms
Hormonal imbalances can affect anyone, and they often present with a mix of frustrating symptoms. Here are some common hormonal issues connected to gut health:
- Oestrogen Dominance: This happens when oestrogen levels are too high relative to progesterone. Symptoms include PMS, heavy or painful periods, breast tenderness, mood swings, and weight gain.
- Low Progesterone: Low levels of progesterone can lead to irregular periods, short menstrual cycles (less than 24 days long), spotting before your period and difficulty conceiving.
- Cortisol Imbalance: High cortisol from chronic stress can lead to fatigue, stubborn belly fat, moon face (weight gain in the face), anxiety, and poor sleep.
- Thyroid Hormones Imbalance: Poor thyroid hormone balance can cause your thyroid gland to be overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism). Hyperthyroidism can cause extreme and rapid weight-loss, palpitations, excessive sweating and hair-loss. Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain, fatigue, sensitivity to cold and dry skin.
- Insulin Resistance: Things like a sedentary lifestyle and diets rich in processed carbohydrates can cause prolonged elevated high blood sugar levels which may lead to insulin resistance over time. This can cause sugar cravings, weight gain and acne.
If you’re nodding along to any of these symptoms, don’t worry—you’re not alone. And the good news? Supporting your gut health can help bring your hormones back into balance.
The Gut-Hormone Connection: Why It Matters
Your gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes living in your digestive tract—does far more than help with digestion. It directly influences your endocrine system, the network of glands that produce hormones.
Here’s how:
Oestrogen Metabolism
Your gut bacteria help metabolise oestrogen through something called the estrobolome. The estrobolome, or oestrogen microbiome, is the collection of bacteria in the gut whose by-product metabolise, or process, oestrogen. When your gut microbiome is out of balance (a state called dysbiosis), it can interfere with how oestrogen is processed, leading to excess circulating oestrogen. Excess oestrogen can trigger PMS, heavy periods, bloating, mood swings, tender breasts and acne, as well as increase the risk of endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and some types of cancer.
Cortisol Regulation
Cortisol is made in your adrenal glands, and is your primary stress hormone. The production of cortisol also ties back to the gut, where this one signals the hypothalamus to make CRH (corticotropin releasing hormone) which starts the cascade of hormones which will finally signal your adrenal glands to produce cortisol (this is known as the HPA axis). This gut-brain axis is where the nervous system and the gut interact. This communication influences stress response, mood regulation and adrenal function. Dysfunctional gut microbiome or a leaky gut can disrupt this axis contributing to adrenal dysfunction. Dysbiosis can also lead to poor production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, which play a big role in managing your body’s stress response.
But this is a vicious cycle. Excess cortisol can lead to all sorts of problems in the gut including how the colon moves, what the gut absorbs, and even the microbiome itself.
Insulin and Blood Sugar Management
Gut health strongly affects insulin and blood sugar management. Gut dysbiosis can lead to what is commonly called “Leaky Gut”, a condition where the gut lining becomes permeable, allowing toxins and partially digested food to enter the bloodstream. These substances trigger immune responses and inflammation which prevents insulin from properly enabling our cells to take up glucose from the blood. This reduced responsiveness to insulin is known as insulin resistance.
Thyroid Hormone Conversion
Your gut also helps convert inactive thyroid hormones (T4) into their active form (T3). Poor gut function can slow this process, leading to thyroid imbalances like hypothyroidism, which comes with symptoms like fatigue, sluggish metabolism, dry skin, and brain fog.
How Poor Gut Health Leads to Hormonal Chaos
What throws the gut-hormone connection out of balance? Here are a few culprits:
- Chronic stress: High cortisol weakens the gut lining and disrupts your microbiome.
- Poor diet: Diets low in fibre and high in processed foods feed harmful bacteria.
- Antibiotics: While sometimes necessary, they wipe out both bad and good bacteria, leaving your gut vulnerable.
- Lack of sleep: Poor sleep alters gut bacteria and increases inflammation.
These factors can lead to inflammation, impaired detoxification, and even leaky gut—a condition where the gut lining becomes permeable, allowing toxins and partially digested food to enter the bloodstream, triggering immune responses and worsening hormone issues.
Healing the Gut for Hormone Balance
Supporting your gut health is one of the most powerful ways to rebalance your hormones. Here’s how to get started:
Fibre-Rich Foods
Fibre feeds your beneficial gut bacteria. Aim for a variety of plant foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, and whole grains. A diverse diet = a diverse microbiome.
Fermented Foods
These are rich in probiotics—the good bacteria your gut needs. Add foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha to your routine.
Stress Management
Don’t underestimate the power of relaxation. Chronic stress can undo the best diet. Incorporate calming practices like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or even simple walks in nature.
Quality Sleep
Aim for 7–9 hours of restorative sleep. Poor sleep disrupts hormone production and gut health.
Two Products for Gut Health and Hormonal Balance
For those looking for an easy daily routine to support both gut health and hormone balance, I recommend adding +boost 360 Greens and L-glutamine:
+boost 360 Greens
This powerhouse blend is packed with probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to nourish your gut and support detoxification. Starting your day with greens ensures you’re getting key nutrients that fuel both your microbiome and your hormones.
L-Glutamine
L-Glutamine is an amino acid which helps repair and maintain the gut lining, protecting against leaky gut. It supports digestive health and ensures that your gut can properly communicate with your endocrine system. When your gut lining is strong, hormones can function smoothly.
Together, these products help strengthen the gut-hormone connection, leaving you feeling more balanced, energised, and in tune with your body.
Final Thoughts
Hormone balance isn’t just about addressing symptoms like PMS, acne, or irregular cycles—it’s about nurturing the root causes, and gut health plays a starring role. By supporting your microbiome, managing stress, eating well, and incorporating targeted supplements like +boost 360 Greens and L-glutamine, you can build a strong foundation for long-term hormonal health.
With love and support,
Georgia Blue, Hormonal Health Coach
If you have any questions about your hormones, gut health, or which supplements to choose, feel free to reach out—I’m always happy to guide you on your wellness journey!