Elite team. This is how Marta León, expert in hormonal health and author of The Perfect Balance (Lunwerg), refers to the estrobolome. Not surprisingly, since, as she explains in her book, this family of bacteria present in the intestine produces an enzyme (beta-glucuronidase) capable of giving estrogens a second life that, due to their inactivity, were going to be eliminated. “The intestine has the capacity to recycle those inactive estrogens and return them to the bloodstream. This is especially important when the production is no longer sufficient, as happens in the climacteric,” details León, who is a chemical engineer and dietitian.
Therefore, keeping the estrobolome in balance during menopause will largely shape how a woman navigates this stage. At the moment when ovarian activity declines, the proper functioning of this group of bacteria advances matters. “It can determine how the climacteric experience will be; that is, whether the transition to postmenopause will be gradual or, on the contrary, abrupt,” summarizes the science communicator.
From bone health to good mood
The impact of the estrobolome on menopause spans practically from head to toe. After all, estrogens have receptors throughout the female body. When that “hormonal recycling department”—as Marta León also defines it—becomes unbalanced, many aspects can be affected. Vaginal health is one of the first to show changes. A functional estrobolome helps prevent infections, avoids extreme dryness, and it has even been shown to reduce the risk of atrophy.
Dr. Álvaro Campillo, from The Beauty Concept longevity area, notes “that it acts at the cardiovascular and cerebral level, reducing blood pressure or improving nighttime rest.” There is also a very close relationship with bone health, since at menopause the cells that degrade bone begin to predominate.
Weight and good mood are other major areas affected by an imbalanced estrobolome.
Seek balance: not too little, not too much
As with the rest of the microbiota, the desirable state is the middle ground. This is explained by Dr. Silvia Gómez Senent, gastroenterologist and microbiota expert: If the activity of beta-glucuronidase increases, the amount of active estrogen circulating in the body also rises. This situation can contribute to hormonal imbalances and aggravate diseases related to estrogen excess, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome and tumors of the breast and endometrium.
Conversely, during menopause there is usually a decrease in this enzyme. “This translates into lower levels of estrogen in the blood, with all that entails,” adds the doctor, head of the digestive health and microbiota unit at Womanhood Clinic. This does not mean that these bacteria are capable, by magic, of reviving estrogen levels. But if they are in good shape, even as the amount of estrogens decreases, they can be optimized and used to the maximum.
Modulating the estrobolome from the plate
The three experts agree that if there is a factor capable of modulating the activity of the microbiota — hence, of the estrobolome — that factor is diet. “Following a diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants that promote intestinal health. Foods rich in polyphenols —such as berries, green tea, pure cocoa and extra virgin olive oil— help reduce inflammation,” advises Dr. Gómez Senent, author of The Life That Inhabits Us (Platform Editorial).
Healthy fats, present in olive oil, avocado, nuts and fatty fish, “are essential for hormone production and to maintain a balanced metabolism,” continues Dr. Gómez Senent.
The doctor Campillo adds to that list fermented products: kefir, miso, natural yogurt, tempeh, kimchi, kombucha… “Also, advancing dinnertime and keeping more than two hours between meals will help the microbiota rebalance and function better,” he notes.
Don’t forget the gym
Nor should you forget to get good rest, avoid chronic stress and exercise. “Physical activity is essential. We must avoid being sedentary athletes, those people who do 30-60 minutes of daily exercise, but the rest of the time sit and do not move regularly,” says Dr. Campillo.
And probiotics, what about them?
When talking about the estrobolome, that is, about the microbiota, it is impossible not to think of famous probiotics. “While there is no universal probiotic valid for all women, scientific evidence points to some strains that have shown beneficial effects on estrobolome activity,” says Gómez Senent. Among them, the lactobacillus strains have special importance. The acidophilus, rhamnosus and plantarum strains help with proper elimination of estrogen in the fertile stage; while the reuteri or the brevis KABP052 strains have shown that they can contribute to immune and hormonal balance, especially in perimenopause.
Another novel option among supplements is those that include bacterial probiotics, prebiotic fiber and postbiotics (short-chain fatty acids produced by the microbiota itself). “Moreover, in cases of very severe imbalance, it would be ideal to include a polyphenol (trans-resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, etc.) and, if levels are low, vitamin D3.”
The prescription is mandatory. And it’s important to remember that, at first, there may be bloating, gas or changes in transit that will pass over the weeks.
The fourth generation, a promising future that must be tested
In recent years attention has shifted toward fourth-generation probiotics. “They do not act so much by adding bacteria, but by regulating key functions of the intestinal ecosystem,” which can be especially useful in menopause cases, clarifies the doctor. Some of the most studied are Akkermansia muciniphila; Faecalibacterium prausnitzii; Eubacterium spp. and Roseburia spp.
However, the expert warns that many of them are not yet available to purchase as supplements. “In addition, their clinical evidence is still limited compared with classic probiotics.” Therefore, their use must be strictly supervised and based on prior microbiota studies. Meanwhile, something as simple as a healthy and varied pantry is the first step toward happier bacteria. Also during menopause.
