Maintaining a healthy gut microflora helps ease menopausal symptoms attributable to its relationship with female sex hormones. But do it? Let’s see.
In recent years, an increasing number of studies have linked microflora balance to the advance of menopausal symptoms. It has been observed that this set of intestinal bacteria interferes with the activity of sex hormones. In fact, their balance seems to have added advantages.
Keep in mind that menopause is a biological process whereby a lady’s menstrual cycles permanently stop. While it is an element of the aging process, it brings with it plenty of symptoms that usually affect your quality of life. But why does taking good care of your microbiota help control it? Find out in this text!
Menopausal symptoms
Menopause carries plenty of clinical symptoms which might be inconvenient for ladies. Here are among the commonest symptoms:
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Gaining weight
- Mood swings
- Changes in sleep patterns
It is estimated that girls spend a few third of their lives going through menopause, which occurs across the age of fifty. hormonal changes often increase the danger of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, a lot of these diseases appear between 10 and 15 years after menopause, similar to chubby, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart problems, cancer, and dementia.
For all these reasons, the arrival of this latest cycle is a crucial time to adopt strategies to assist you to stay healthy. Among this Habits that help maintain a healthy microflora play an important role.
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Maintaining a healthy microflora helps ease the symptoms of menopause
The role of microbiota in health has been the topic of scientific research for several many years. So in recent times studies Compounds have been developed linking its effects to symptoms occurring each within the premenopausal period and within the menopausal and postmenopausal periods.
The microbiota is a set of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes. In particular, the intestinal microflora is the biggest and most diverse population of microorganisms within the human body. It plays a crucial role in digestion, immune health and overall health.
It has been observed that over time this group of microorganisms undergoes changes, through habits, lifestyle, hormonal changes, and even disease.
Women who manage to take care of a various gut microbiota are likely to experience fewer symptoms during menopause. It even seems reduce the danger of diseases after they reach this stage.
The relationship between the microbiome and feminine sex hormones
Research shared via International Journal of Women’s Health explains the influence of the extent of female sex hormones on the composition of the microbiome. According to the publication, the hormonal fluctuations that occur during menopause are related to a lower diversity of the gut microbiome.
Given the close contact of the microflora with the immune system, changes that occur during menopause are a risk factor for a lot of diseases, including metabolic, immunological and cardiovascular diseases.
However, scientists have noticed that this can be a two-way relationship. What does it mean? Well, the gut microbiota can also be involved in regulating the extent of free circulating hormones.
In other words, taking good care of the microbiota and promoting the balance of the microorganisms that make it up may be very helpful for minimizing the impact of a drop in hormones similar to estrogens.
In particular, it was established that the strobolome – a set of bacterial genes belonging to the microbiome – is involved within the regulation of estrogens.
Promoting estrogen balance has a positive effect not only on reducing the danger of chronic diseases during menopause and after menopause. It also favors reduction common symptoms similar to vaginal dryness, mood swings, hot flashes and night sweats.
The vaginal microflora can also be vital
The vaginal microbiome is the community of microorganisms that live within the vagina. Study reported in Nature microbiology stresses the importance of supporting her balance with a view to alleviate some menopausal symptoms.
determines that rebuilding bacteria similar to lactobacilli is just not only the important thing to reducing vaginal dryness and other vaginal ailments, but additionally plays a protective role within the urinary tract. Thus, it reduces the danger of dysuria and recurrent urinary tract infectionsthat are common in post-menopausal women.
To date, research on the microbiome and its relationship to symptoms and health complications during menopause remains to be ongoing. However, the findings up to now suggest that restoring this bacterial population may very well be a useful approach to improving the standard of life for ladies before, during and after menopause.
How to advertise microbiome balance to ease menopausal symptoms
Although many aspects may cause an imbalance of the microorganisms that make up your microflora, there are also certain habits that help keep it healthy. In this sense, a review shared through the magazine Nutrients it exposes weight loss program and stress control are determinants.
To a lesser extent, but no less vital, exercise and avoiding bad habits similar to smoking, alcohol and medicines also can help. To be more precise, some recommendations are as follows:
- Increase your intake of probiotics. They are live microorganisms that, when consumed in the precise amounts, can provide health advantages. They will be found, amongst others, in fermented products similar to yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, in addition to in supplements.
- Increase your intake of prebiotics. These are indigestible fibers that promote the expansion of helpful bacteria within the intestine. They will be present in foods similar to bananas, whole grains, plantains, green leafy vegetables, onions, garlic, soybeans, and artichokes.
- Eat more plant-based proteins. These promote growth bacterial species similar to bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, while neutralizing the expansion of pathogenic bacteria. The most famous example is soy protein.
- Practice rest techniques. Since stress is one among the fundamental aspects involved in changing the microflora, it’s convenient to practice techniques similar to meditation, yoga, massage and respiration exercises, in addition to other rest methods.
Some supplements could also be complementary
Symbiotics contain complementary probiotics and prebiotic ingredients that work together to supply a synergistic effect to take care of the specified microbial population within the gut.
Nutraceuticals are natural food ingredients (similar to isoflavones and phytoestrogens) that will be released during digestion and subsequently can assist.
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Hormone alternative therapy is just not the one alternative during menopause
For many years, hormone alternative therapy (HRT) has been the mainstay of treating menopausal symptoms. In fact, it is taken into account essentially the most effective treatment. But due to concerns about its potential uncomfortable side effectsother strategies to enhance women’s health were developed at this stage.
Right now, several studies suggest that adopting strategies to take care of a healthy microflora can assist. The gut microbiome, with its ability to control estrogen, progesterone and other hormones, may play a key role during menopause and postmenopause.
With these findings, a way of life is advisable that helps promote the expansion of those healthy bacteria. Consumption of probiotics and prebiotics, in addition to proper stress management, are key to achieving this goal.
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