Gut Health and Your Cycle

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Image of women with hands over pelvic area

By: Alexa Fancett, CSUN Dietetic Intern Cohort 2022-2023 

Why Is It Important to Focus on Gut Health? 

Just like your fingerprint, your gut microbiome can identify you. The gut is composed of millions of bacteria, from the mouth all the way down to the colon. Many pathways that occur to break down food are conducted by these organisms. This means that the foods that we eat are only partially broken down by our own bodies and the bacteria carry out the rest of the processes. The gut metagenome (complete collection or set of genetic material from multiple organisms) has a higher coding capacity than the human genome (an individual set of genetic material or DNA)!1 The gut microbiota is considered to be a metabolic organ because of its high potential to break down food and provide energy to the body.  

Did you know that there is a connection between gut health and menstruation? As women, we experience huge fluctuations of hormones throughout each week of our cycle. These hormone fluctuations can have a direct impact on the gut microbiota, explaining why men and women have different bacteria in their guts.2 The main hormone estrogen in women has a pro-inflammatory effect, whereas the higher levels of testosterone in men have an anti-inflammatory effect.2 Pro-inflammatory hormones are able to induce inflammatory cells that evoke a response in the immune system, which negatively affects the bacteria in the gut.3 The bacterial species can change when inflammatory agents are introduced, which can lead to imbalances in the gut and other organs.3 This means that the gut may not digest, absorb and transfer nutrients as efficiently, leading to deficiencies. This blog is meant to help women understand their cycle and how they can consume foods that may help prevent gut imbalances and keep their gut happy and healthy.  

Hormone Levels Change Throughout Your Menstrual Cycle 

The menstrual cycle consists of four phases and is on average 28 days long.4 The four phases include the menses phase, follicular phase, ovulation phase and luteal phase. The first phase, menses, starts the cycle and consists of days one to five while the uterine lining sheds.4 The second phase or follicular phase occurs days six to fourteen.4 During this time, the uterine lining thickens and there is a rise in follicle-stimulating hormone which is a pro-inflammatory agent.4,5 Ovulation is the third phase, which occurs when the ovary releases an egg and luteinizing hormone increases, which is also a pro-inflammatory agent.4,6 The last phase, which is the longest phase of the menstrual cycle, is the luteal phase. In this phase, the egg travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus which lasts from days 15-28.4 Progesterone, an anti-inflammatory agent, rises during this phase to prepare the uterine lining.4,7 Most of the hormones that play major roles during the menstrual cycle are pro-inflammatory agents, which can have a negative impact on gut health. These impacts can be felt during our cycle including bloating, diarrhea, indigestion, constipation, etc. It is important to help regulate the gut by eating foods that have anti-inflammatory properties. 

Anti-inflammatory Foods 

Eating foods that counteract the negative effects of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estrogen can help to improve your gut health throughout your cycle. Anti-inflammatory foods come with many benefits considering many chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes stem from prolonged inflammation. Foods that contain anti-inflammatory properties include: 

  • Tomatoes: contain 9-oxo-ODA and daphnetin which are anti-inflammatory agents.8  
  • Berries: strawberries contain high amounts of polyphenols (remove free radicals in the body), Vitamin C, and potassium. Blueberries and black raspberries have high antioxidant (remove free radicals in the body that can cause inflammation) capacity.9 
  • Fish: contains Omega 3 (healthy fat that can reduce inflammation in the brain) and helps reduce interleukin-6 and 17(inflammatory markers).10  
  • Broccoli: reduces NF-κB which is a molecule that induces inflammation.11 
  • Avocado: reduces IL-1β and CRP.12  
  • Bell peppers: contains quercetin, which has anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties.13  
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: inhibits the production of tumor-inducing cells.14  
  • Cherries: contain polyphenols and improve intestinal absorption.15 
  • Mushrooms: contain Terpenoids that reduce nitric oxide (causes cell death).16  

Below is an anti-inflammatory recipe that you can try. 

Baked Salmon with Pineapple, Garlic, and Herbs17 

Prep time: ~ 20 minutes | Cook time: ~ 20 minutes | Servings: 2 

The Ingredients 

  • 2 Salmon Filets (3-4 oz each) 
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 
  • ½ Cup 100% Pineapple Juice 
  • Minced Garlic, 2 Cloves 
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Parsley 
  • ½ Tsp Black Pepper 

Directions 

  1. Drizzle a baking dish with olive oil.  
  2. Place salmon on top of olive oil. 
  3. Pour pineapple juice on top of the salmon and then add garlic and parsley.  
  4. Cover and let marinade for 20 minutes.  
  5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  
  6. After 20 minutes, uncover and place the dish in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the fish is cooked and the fish flakes with a fork.  
  7. Let cool and enjoy! Try serving salmon with brown rice, bell peppers, or asparagus for a colorful dish! 

Now with the knowledge of what hormones cause inflammation during the different phases of your cycle, you can alter your diet to fit your gut microbiome’s needs. Always remember to be mindful and recognize that everyone’s gut is distinct and tailored to you, like your fingerprint.  

References

  1. Yadav M, Verma MK, Chauhan NS. A review of the metabolic potential of human gut microbiome in human nutrition. Archives of Microbiology. 2017;200(2):203-217. doi:10.1007/s00203-017-1459-x      
  2. Jaggar M, Rea K, Spichak S, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. You’ve got male: Sex and the microbiota-gut-brain axis across the lifespan. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. 2020;56:100815. doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100815  
  3. Audet M-C. Stress-induced disturbances along the gut microbiota-immune-brain axis and implications for mental health: Does sex matter? Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. 2019;54:100772. doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100772  
  4. Menstrual cycle (normal menstruation): Overview & Phases. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10132-menstrual-cycle. Published 2022.  
  5. Huan Z, Wang Y, Zhang M, et al. Follicle‐stimulating hormone worsens osteoarthritis by causing inflammation and chondrocyte dedifferentiation. FEBS Open Bio. 2021;11(8):2292-2303. doi:10.1002/2211-5463.13238  
  6. Pant P, Chitme. Inflammation and Ovulation. Fibroids. Intechopen; 202;1 doi: 10.5772/intechopen.94107  
  7. McGlade EA, Miyamoto A, Winuthayanon W. Progesterone and Inflammatory Response in the Oviduct during Physiological and Pathological Conditions. Cells. 2022;11(7):1075. Published 2022 Mar 23. doi:10.3390/cells11071075 
  8. Mohri S, Takahashi H, Sakai M, et al. Wide-range screening of anti-inflammatory compounds in tomato using LC-MS and elucidating the mechanism of their functions. PLOS ONE. 2018;13(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0191203  
  9. Joseph SV, Edirisinghe I, Burton-Freeman BM. Berries: anti-inflammatory effects in humans. J Agric Food Chem. 2014;62(18):3886-3903. doi:10.1021/jf4044056  
  10. Costabile G, Della Pepa GD, Vetrani C, et al. An oily fish diet improves subclinical inflammation in people at high cardiovascular risk: A randomized controlled study. Molecules. 2021;26(11):3369. doi:10.3390/molecules26113369  
  11. Hwang JH, Lim SB. Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Broccoli Florets in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells. Prev Nutr Food Sci. 2014;19(2):89-97. doi:10.3746/pnf.2014.19.2.089  
  12. Henning SM, Yang J, Woo SL, et al. Hass Avocado Inclusion in a Weight-Loss Diet Supported Weight Loss and Altered Gut Microbiota: A 12-Week Randomized, Parallel-Controlled Trial. Curr Dev Nutr. 2019;3(8):nzz068. Published 2019 Jun 12. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzz068  
  13. Chen S, Jiang H, Wu X, Fang J. Therapeutic Effects of Quercetin on Inflammation, Obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes. Mediators Inflamm. 2016;2016:9340637. doi:10.1155/2016/9340637  
  14. Lamy S, Ben Saad A, Zgheib A, Annabi B. Olive oil compounds inhibit the paracrine regulation of TNF-α-induced endothelial cell migration through reduced glioblastoma cell cyclooxygenase-2 expression. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 2016;27:136-145. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.08.026  
  15. Beconcini D, Felice F, Fabiano A, Sarmento B, Zambito Y, Di Stefano R. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cherry Extract: Nanosystems-Based Strategies to Improve Endothelial Function and Intestinal Absorption. Foods. 2020;9(2):207. Published 2020 Feb 17. doi:10.3390/foods9020207 
  16. Elsayed EA, El Enshasy H, Wadaan MA, Aziz R. Mushrooms: a potential natural source of anti-inflammatory compounds for medical applications. Mediators Inflamm. 2014;2014:805841. doi:10.1155/2014/805841  
  17. McDowell B. Baked Salmon with Pineapple, Garlic, Herb Sauce. The Domestic Dietitian. 2021. https://thedomesticdietitian.com/baked-salmon-with-pineapple-garlic-herb-sauce/  

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