The Menopause Gut: How Hormones Shape Your Microbiome with Cynthia Thurlow

Commune with Jeff Krasno

Commune Media

Society & Culture, Health & Fitness

4.5 • 673 Ratings

🗓️ 4 June 2026

⏱️ 71 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What happens to your gut when estrogen declines? In this episode, Jeff sits down with Cynthia Thurlow, nurse practitioner and author of The Menopause Gut, to explore the overlooked connection between hormones and digestive health. How declining estradiol impacts the microbiome and increases inflammation What is the estrobolome and estrogen processing in the gut Why 80% of autoimmune conditions affect women Sleep, stress, and their cascading effects on gut health Practical protocols for nutrition, movement, and hormone optimization This episode is for women navigating perimenopause and menopause, anyone curious about the gut-hormone connection, and those seeking science-backed strategies for midlife health. Stripes: Visit stripesbeauty.com and use the code COMMUNE20 for 20% off our entire product line. Stemregen: Get 20% off your first order at stemregen.co/commune with the code COMMUNEPOD Vivobarefoot: Try Vivobarefoot risk-free with a 100-day return guarantee, and get 25% off your order at vivobarefoot.com/commune. LMNT: Get a free 8-count Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavors with any purchase at drinklmnt.com/commune.

Transcript

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0:00.0	80% of the autoimmune conditions we see are in women. This interrelationship of estrogen is so
0:05.5	protective, but that protection is only one cell layer thick. Women's brains in their 60s, 70s and 80s
0:11.5	are made in their 40s and 50s. So the imprint on our nervous system while we're developing,
0:17.4	while our brain is developing, while our bodies are are developing has pervasive and long-term
0:21.7	effects. Cynthia Thurlow, board-certified nurse practitioner, expert in hormones, gut health,
0:28.2	and metabolic function, author of the new book, The Menopause Gut, and host of the Everyday Wellness
0:35.0	podcast. Today, we discuss the gut hormone connection behind
0:39.4	menopause, intermittent fasting myths, and metabolic health in midlife.
0:45.3	Estrogen is a potent anti-inflammatory hormone, so as it is declining and progesterone,
0:49.7	we start seeing more inflammation. And we know that inflammation is really at the basis of aging.
0:54.6	The decline in estrogen is impacting that wall that prevents a degree of systemic inflammation.
1:02.2	Estrogen is like the glue. If you put a woman on estrogen therapy, her postmenopausal
1:07.4	microbiome starts to resemble a younger woman's.
1:11.6	Cynthia Thorla, what a treat. Thanks for coming back on.
1:15.6	Oh, such an honor to be here again, Jeff. Thanks for having me.
1:17.6	Yeah, and congratulations on birthing another book. I know that's not easy. So the menopause gut, well done.
1:24.6	Thank you. And as we were talking talking before there's a lot in the public
1:30.8	discussion around menopause but this was revelatory for me I live what in what I call my
1:39.0	estrogen footprint so I have three daughters and my wife.
1:49.2	And so I'm constantly learning and I learned a lot from this.
1:53.7	So maybe I'll start with like one of the principal theses of the book and then you can pick it apart in a nuanced way, right?
1:57.8	Because this is why we're here to have a long-form nuanced conversation.
	...

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