Archive · 14 Jan 2026
Oestrogen Linked to Higher Gut Sensitivity in Women
Scientists found that a hormone called oestrogen, which is more common in women, makes their guts more sensitive to pain.
Oestrogen makes the gut release a hormone called PYY, which then boosts the production of serotonin.
Serotonin is a chemical that makes the nerves in the gut more sensitive to pain.
This explains why women often feel more gut pain than men.
The study also found that oestrogen makes the gut more reactive to certain foods, which is why some people feel better when they follow special diets like the low FODMAP diet.
This research could help in finding new ways to treat gut pain without affecting normal digestion.
Oestrogen increases the release of the gut hormone PYY, which boosts serotonin production and sensitises gut nerves to pain.
The study compared male and female mouse models and found an oestrogen-dependent pathway that promotes gut sensitivity.
Oestrogen also enhances the gut's response to short-chain fatty acids, explaining why dietary interventions like low FODMAP diets can reduce gastrointestinal distress.
The findings have significant implications for understanding and potentially treating conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Researchers suggest that interrupting the oestrogen-dependent pathway could reduce chronic gut pain without affecting normal digestive functions.
- Who
- Researchers from South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and University of California, San Francisco
- What
- Oestrogen increases gut sensitivity to pain and toxic stimuli in women
- When
- Study findings published in the 'Science' journal
- Where
- Research conducted using mouse models
- Why
- To understand why women experience more severe gut pain and gastrointestinal disorders
- Hormone Involved
- Oestrogen
- Gut Hormone
- PYY
- Neurotransmitter
- Serotonin
- Study Models
- Male and female mice
- Published In
- Science journal
- Dietary Intervention
- Low FODMAP diet
- Potential Condition Impacted
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)