Ep. 653 Estrogen, Progesterone, and Gut Health with Dr. Kumkum Patel | Gut Health, Constipation, Estrogen, Progesterone

Today, I’m honored to speak with Dr. Kumkum Patel, a double board-certified gastroenterologist and neurogastroenterologist who specializes in the gut-brain-pelvic floor connection.

In our conversation, we talk about IBS and stress in midlife, exploring the impact of the enteric nervous system, key risk factors for colorectal cancer, and how stress affects women differently in perimenopause and menopause. We discuss the influence of proton pump inhibitors, bile acid diarrhea after gallbladder removal, how women’s microbiome changes through the menopausal transition, and clues that indicate the estrobulome is optimized. Dr. Patel explains visceral hypersensitivity, the influence of motility, pelvic floor dysfunction, constipation, and why constipation should not be normalized. She also explains how she addresses tears, hemorrhoids, and fissures; what to do when standard approaches stop working; nutritional interventions; and how she uses microbiome testing.

Stay tuned for today’s insightful conversation with Dr. Kumkum Patel about IBS, the gut-brain axis, and the menopausal transition.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

How stress affects the gut-brain axis

The red flags that help Dr. Patel distinguish IBS from colorectal cancer or other conditions, and why midlife bowel changes should be evaluated

How long-term PPI use can create additional problems, and how automatic refills contribute to prolonged use

How bile acid diarrhea can occur after gallbladder removal, and other causes that may explain persistent diarrhea

Symptoms that could indicate that a woman’s gut microbiome and estrobolome may not be functioning optimally

How gastrointestinal and pelvic symptoms change during the menstrual cycle as women approach menopause

How pelvic-floor dysfunction contributes to constipation

Lifestyle changes that can help manage hemorrhoids and fissures and reduce further irritation