WOMEN AND GUT HEALTH: WHY BLOATING, PCOS AND FATIGUE ARE RISING

For years, bloating after meals, crushing fatigue and hormonal irregularities were brushed aside as “normal” parts of being a woman.

- TDG NETWORK

Today, science is pushing back on that narrative. Increasingly, researchers are looking at the gut microbiome the trillions of bacteria living in our digestive tract as a central player in women’s health.The gut does far more than digest food. It regulates immunity, influences inflammation, supports nutrient absorption and plays a critical role in hormone metabolism. In women, this relationship is especially complex. Oestrogen and progesterone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle affect gut motility and microbial balance. In turn, certain gut bacteria influence how hormones are processed and eliminated. When this delicate ecosystem is disrupted — a condition known as dysbiosis symptoms begin to surface.