Can mushrooms support female hormones? A look into estrobolome.
The following is a guest blog post by Katherine Matthews (Naturopath, Nutritionist, & NIS practitioner).
The estrobolome is a fascinating term used to describe the intricate connection between oestrogen and the gut microbiome.
Did you know that the bacteria within your gut can influence whether more active or inactive oestrogen circulates throughout the body? We’ve known for some time that gut health plays a role in mood and mental wellbeing, but research is now showing it may also play a significant role in hormonal balance.
The Estrogen–Microbiome Axis
Hormones are constantly shifting and adapting throughout our lives. Oestrogen levels naturally rise and fall depending on age, stress, lifestyle, and the menstrual cycle.
The body has a unique collection of gut bacteria known as the estrobolome that helps support this delicate balance. These bacteria and genes help metabolise oestrogen, influencing how much is reabsorbed or eliminated from the body.
It’s a little like balancing on a seesaw. Your gut is continuously helping regulate oestrogen levels to support mood, bone health, cognitive function, and many other aspects of wellbeing.
How Does the Gut Support Estrogen Balance?
Once oestrogen has completed its various roles within the body, it travels to the liver where it is broken down into hormone metabolites.
These metabolites are then prepared for either elimination or reabsorption and sent to the intestines, where the gut microbiome becomes heavily involved in the process.
To Be Absorbed or Eliminated?
Once in the intestines, oestrogen can either be eliminated from the body or reabsorbed back into circulation.
Certain gut bacteria produce an enzyme called β-glucuronidase, which helps convert oestrogen back into its active form and influences whether it is recycled or removed.
This is where digestion and gut health begin to play an important role in hormonal balance.
Gut Health
Fibre, Fibre, Fibre
The estrobolome relies heavily on healthy digestion and regular elimination.
Dietary fibre helps bind excess oestrogen in the intestines so it can be removed from the body. If elimination is sluggish or irregular, some of that oestrogen may be reabsorbed back into circulation.
Excess oestrogen has been associated with a range of hormonal concerns including PMS, PMDD, endometriosis, and PCOS.
The Importance of Elimination
A healthy gut microbiome is essential for maintaining a balanced estrobolome.
When gut bacteria become imbalanced, this may contribute to disruptions in hormonal regulation. Many people experiencing hormonal concerns also report digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation, IBS, or excessive gas.
Supporting digestive health is often an important part of supporting hormonal wellbeing.
The Estrobolome Diet
Feeding the estrobolome with a diverse range of plant fibres may help support a healthier microbiome.
Legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and mushrooms all provide prebiotic fibres and nutrients that beneficial bacteria thrive on.
Eating a wide variety of colourful plant foods is often encouraged as a way to improve microbial diversity within the gut.
Research suggests diversity of plant foods may be one of the most important factors in maintaining a resilient microbiome.
Gut dysbiosis can occur for many reasons including stress, antibiotic use, poor diet, or digestive conditions such as SIBO. Each person’s gut health journey is highly individual.
(Diagram: Estrogen-gut microbiome interactions exhibit physiological and clinical implications. Dysbiosis and reduced gut microbiota diversity may impact the estrobolome and contribute to a wide range of health concerns.)
Mushrooms and Oestrogen: A Natural Pairing
While all vegetables have their place in a healthy diet, mushrooms appear to offer some particularly interesting benefits when it comes to supporting gut and hormonal health.
Mushrooms contain naturally occurring β-glucans and α-glucans which act as prebiotic fibres. These compounds may help support beneficial gut bacteria while also helping maintain a healthy microbiome environment.
Mushrooms are also rich in antioxidants such as ergothioneine and glutathione, compounds that may help support healthy inflammation responses and liver detoxification pathways.
Liver health is closely connected to hormonal health because the liver plays a major role in processing and metabolising oestrogen before it is eliminated or recycled.
Some mushrooms also contain naturally occurring flavonoids that may help influence oestrogen activity through interactions with enzymes such as aromatase.
There is a constant conversation happening between the gut microbiome and the hormonal system. While gut health is not always the first thing people think about when addressing hormonal concerns, improving digestion and microbiome diversity may play an important role in supporting hormonal balance.
Hopefully this article provides a useful starting point for understanding and supporting the estrobolome.
Katherine Matthews, Naturopath Practitioner
Specialising in Women’s Health, Fasting, Mental Health, and Gut Health.