The Gut-Hormone Connection You Don't Want to Ignore

If perimenopause has you feeling bloated, foggy, moody, inflamed, or like your body suddenly isn’t responding the way it used to… fibre might not be the first thing you think to look at.

But it should be.

Perimenopause is a time of hormonal fluctuation, not deficiency, and one of the biggest (yet most overlooked) players in how those hormones behave is your gut. More specifically: your fibre intake.

Perimenopause is a hormone traffic problem

During perimenopause, oestrogen and progesterone don’t steadily decline, they fluctuate wildly. Some days are high, some are low, and the swings can drive symptoms like:

• Bloating and digestive discomfort

• Weight gain around the middle

• Heavy or irregular periods

• Mood changes, anxiety, irritability

• Fatigue and brain fog

• Worsening PMS

Your body relies heavily on the gut to help process and clear hormones, especially oestrogen. When fibre intake is low, that system doesn’t run smoothly.

Fibre’s role in hormone clearance

Here’s the key piece most women never get told:

Your liver packages up “used” oestrogen and sends it to the gut to be excreted. Fibre binds to that oestrogen and helps escort it out of the body.

Without enough fibre:

• Oestrogen can be reabsorbed back into circulation

• Hormone symptoms can intensify

• You may experience signs of oestrogen dominance (even when levels are fluctuating)

This process is largely controlled by the gut microbiome, sometimes referred to as the estrobolome, the collection of gut bacteria involved in oestrogen metabolism.

A fibre-poor diet feeds the wrong bacteria and slows this whole process down.

Fibre and blood sugar: the hidden link to perimenopause weight gain

Perimenopause also brings increased insulin sensitivity challenges. Fibre helps by:

• Slowing glucose absorption

• Reducing insulin spikes

• Improving satiety and appetite regulation

Low fibre + fluctuating hormones + rising stress hormones (hello cortisol) is a perfect storm for:

• Cravings

• Energy crashes

• “I’m eating the same but gaining weight” frustration

Fibre acts as a buffer, not a restriction tool, but a regulation tool.

Gut health, inflammation & brain fog

Chronic low-grade inflammation rises during perimenopause, especially when gut health is compromised.

Adequate fibre:

• Feeds beneficial gut bacteria

• Increases short-chain fatty acids (anti-inflammatory compounds)

• Supports the gut lining and immune response

This matters not just for digestion, but for mood, cognition, sleep, and nervous system regulation, all common pain points during this life stage.

Why many women struggle to increase fibre (and how to do it properly)

A common mistake? Going from very low fibre straight to “all the plants” overnight.

That often leads to:

• More bloating

• Gas

• Discomfort

• Giving up altogether

The goal is gradual, strategic fibre, spread across the day.

Helpful starting points:

• Aim for consistency before quantity

• Include fibre at every meal, not just dinner

• Prioritise a mix of soluble and insoluble fibre

Examples:

• Oats, chia, psyllium (gentle, hormone-friendly)

• Lentils, chickpeas, beans (build slowly)

• Vegetables you tolerate well (not just raw salads)

• Fruit paired with protein or fat

Fibre isn’t “just for digestion”

In perimenopause, fibre supports:

• Hormone balance

• Blood sugar stability

• Weight regulation

• Gut–brain communication

• Inflammation control

It’s not about eating more for the sake of it, it’s about eating intentionally for the hormonal season you’re in.

If symptoms are creeping in and you feel like your body is no longer playing by the old rules, this is one of the most powerful (and accessible) places to start.