Is your gut causing your hormonal & libido issues?

55% increase in testosterone after fixing gut issues

Hormonal issues including low libido are VERY common in people with gut issues.

There are a few key mechanisms behind this:

HPG Axis Suppression

The gut acts as a neuroendocrine organ, producing and regulating:

- Neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, GABA

- Peptides: ghrelin, leptin, oxytocin (impact hunger, satiety, arousal)

- Immune molecules: cytokines like IL-6 and TNF-α that alter hormone receptor sensitivity

When the gut is inflamed, infected or excessively permeable, it sends chronic danger signals to the brain. This suppresses the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, causing low sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen, DHEA) and libido.

Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen is normally conjugated in the liver, sent to the gut via bile and eliminated wih the help of gut bacteria.

But when the gut is out of balance or infected, this can get disrupted.

An enzyme called beta glucuronidase becomes overactive, estrogen is reactivated and recirculated causing estrogen dominance. This leads to:

- Symptoms like low libido, fatigue, mood swings

- Imbalances in other hormones like progesterone.

Leaky Gut

Excessive gut permeability allows endotoxins, food particles, and pathogens to enter the bloodstream, triggering chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and immune overactivation.

In these situations, the body is prioritizing survival over reproduction. Meaning:

- Cortisol rises

- Testosterone, estrogen and DHEA drop

- Thyroid hormone conversion is disrupted

- Libido disappears

Your body literally doesn’t feel “safe” enough for reproduction.

Cortisol

Gut infections like SIBO chronically activate the HPA axis, leading to:

- Elevated or flattened cortisol rhythms

- Cortisol “steals” pregnenolone from sex hormone production

- Long-term adrenal fatigue, low mood and lack of libido

Over time adrenals burnout causing low energy, mood and libido.

When cortisol stays high, testosterone stays low.

I’ve shared before how I increased my testosterone over 55% from the 500s to over 800 in just a few months just by fixing my gut.

I recently worked with someone who saw a similar jump, going from the 600s to 800+ after addressing candida overgrowth, microbiome imbalances and all the downstream chaos they cause.

So if you're dealing with low libido, low energy or hormonal issues alongside digestive symptoms like bloating or food sensitivities, maybe it's time to stop chasing testosterone boosters and start considering the issues behind the hormonal disruption.