Does menopause cause gut issues?

*This article includes data based on a UK survey conducted by DR.VEGAN^{^®} of 996 customers of MenoFriend^{^®}, nationally representative, during January & February 2024. All customer survey findings reflect our own efforts and have not been influenced or verified by any external organisations or third-party entities.

In the first customer survey of its kind at the time of publication in February 2024, a survey of over 1,500 women going through menopause has revealed how many women are affected by changes in gut health during perimenopause and menopause.

The customer survey, conducted by DR.VEGAN^®, revealed:

91% of women surveyed experienced changes in their gut health during menopause.
Bloating, excessive wind and gas, constipation, acid reflux, and mild or severe IBS are the most common symptoms experienced.
Nearly two-thirds of women first noticed their gut health changing during perimenopause, compared to a third during menopause.
Two-thirds of women said changing their diet was effective in combating symptoms of changing gut health.
Gut Works^® was said to be effective by 78% of customers who had taken it.

The customer survey also revealed 8 of the worst symptoms of menopause that impact women the most, including exhaustion, social anxiety, mild depression, and feelings of worthlessness. Dr Katie Hodgkinson, GP, hormone health expert and lifestyle medicine doctor commented, "This is likely to be one of the first customer surveys of its kind. It reveals invaluable data on gut health and menopause, and highlights the importance of women investing in their diet at this time".

Here we share the most common changes in gut health during perimenopause and menopause, as revealed in the customer survey, how they affect women, the most effective changes in diet, and supplements for gut health during menopause which may be effective.

8 Gut health changes during menopause

IBS is a common symptom of menopause, and while health professionals have all agreed for a long time that the fluctuations in hormones during perimenopause and menopause affect gut health due to the relationship between oestrogen and the gut microbiome, very little has been known about how many women are affected by changing gut health, and the impact on women's daily lives.

The DR.VEGAN^® customer survey highlights 8 common gut health changes during perimenopause and menopause, and how many women experience them:

	Common gut health symptoms experienced	Proportion affected
1	Bloating	63%
2	Excessive wind and gas	48%
3	Constipation	43%
4	Acid reflux	38%
5	Mild or severe IBS	35%
6	Diarrhoea	26%
7	Stomach cramps	24%
8	Changes in the smell or colour of urine or stools	22%

Among women who said they suffered from bloating and excessive wind and gas, more than 75% experienced these symptoms almost every day, and half of women who suffered from acid reflux and constipation, experienced these symptoms almost every day. You may also enjoy learning about the best foods to eat and avoid if you suffer from acid reflux or GERD.

The research also showed that of the 91% of women who experienced changes in gut health, 58% said they first noticed their gut health changing during perimenopause, while 35% first noticed changes during menopause, and 7% did so during post-menopause.

How menopause affects gut health

Oestrogen plays a vital role in the health and composition of the gut microbiome, and it is fluctuations in oestrogen that can lead to changes in gut health. Because the health of the gut microbiome plays an important role in the regulation of oestrogen levels through enzymes called ‘beta-glucuronidase’, changes in gut health can exaggerate symptoms of menopause, including weight gain, mood swings and anxiety, poor sleep and others. As a result, there can be a circular relationship between hormones and gut health, where changes in either hormones or composition of the gut microbiome can have a knock-on effect on symptoms of the other – learn more about why menopause affects gut health.

Effects of changes in gut health during menopause

Our customer survey highlights the often debilitating impact changes in gut health can have during menopause:

More than 40% of women said their changes in gut health contributed to weight gain and worsening sleep.
A third of women experienced anxiety, fatigue, lower confidence and a desire to be less active as a result of their changing gut health.
20% of women suffered a fall in libido as a result of their changing gut health.

A change in the health of the gut microbiome can also lead to changes in vaginal health, due to the 'Gut-Vagina Axis'. If the gut microbiome is compromised, the ripple effect on the vaginal microbiome can lead to issues including yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis (BV), and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

The best changes in diet during menopause

Nutritionists at DR.VEGAN^® have written extensively about how making changes to your diet and lifestyle can have a dramatic effect through menopause. We also know that a healthy gut and making changes to your diet can also help with symptoms of anxiety and stress. It was therefore not a surprise that the customer survey revealed a majority of women who made changes to their diet, found these changes effective during menopause. Of the 1,526 women surveyed, 82% had made changes to their diet to help with symptoms of menopause, and 66% found these changes effective.

The four most effective changes in diet during menopause were:

Learn more about which changes in diet are most effective and why in 'Best changes in diet during menopause' and advice from Dr Katie Hodgkinson on the foods and drinks to reach for and avoid during menopause.

Supplements for gut health during menopause

Probiotics

Probiotics and prebiotics are effective supplements for addressing gut health issues at any stage of life, for men and women. Our customer survey highlighted how common probiotics are used among women going through menopause, and it highlights variances in the effectiveness between different probiotic supplements.

61% of the women in our customer survey had taken one or more of probiotics, herbal remedies, digestive enzymes, or prescribed medication from a GP to improve their gut health during menopause.

In the customer survey, 311 women had taken Gut Works^® and 509 women had taken standard probiotics. 27% of those who had taken Gut Works^® said it was 'very effective’, compared to 12% who said other probiotics were 'very effective', 13% for digestive enzymes, and 12% for herbal remedies. Overall, 78% of 311 respondents in the customer survey who had taken Gut Works^® said it was effective.