Did you know that your gut plays a key role in hormone balance? Molecular biology is proving that there is a relationship between different systems in our body, which is why integrative medicine was born. Here we tell you what psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology is all about.
What is PNIE (PsychoNeuroImmunoEndocrinology)?
PNIE is a medical discipline that integrates the relationship between the immune, nervous and hormonal systems. This integrative medical discipline does not treat each part of the body independently, but takes a multidisciplinary approach.
Thanks to advances in medicine (mainly the study of DNA) it is becoming clear that gut health and our brain are involved with the immune-endocrine system.
This discipline mainly incorporates nutrition, physical exercise, supplementation and stress management in the treatment of disorders.
The microbiota and the microbiome: what are they?
Before we continue, let's briefly review two essential terms: the microbiota and the microbiome. We know that in many parts of our body, such as the gut or the vagina, there are a number of healthy microorganisms that are essential for our proper functioning, which we call the microbiota. The genes of these bacteria are known as the microbiome.
Molecular biology allows us to know what microbiota and microbiome are in different parts of the body, such as the vagina. This means that by studying the vaginal microbiota of women with fertility problems, we may be able to treat difficulties in embryo implantation, for example.
Why is the gut the second brain?
We say that the gut is the second brain because the brain-gut axis communicates through the gut microbiota. In addition, the microbiota interacts with the cells of the immune system. But that's not all: sex hormones (oestrogen and testosterone) have been shown to influence the functioning of the brain and the gut.
The gut microbiota produces 80% of the immune cells and neurotransmitters that regulate our emotional, immune and metabolic health.
In conclusion, an imbalance between the microbiota and the microbiome means autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases and/or chronic pain.
Gut balance is essential for hormone balance
The strobolome (set of bacterial genes in the gut) is responsible for metabolising and modulating the levels of oestrogen circulating in the body. If there is an imbalance in it, this leads to an increase in free oestrogen. This can trigger diseases such as endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome or osteoporosis. On the other hand, another studied example of the link between hormonal health and gut microbiota is that many women with endometriosis or polycystic ovaries also suffer from irritable bowel.
And you, did you know about this medical discipline?
