Gut, Brain, and Hormones: The Menopause Connection with Dr. Amy Shah

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Amy Shah, a physician trained in internal medicine and immunology with a nutrition background from Cornell, and author of the new book Hormone Havoc. Dr. Haver and Dr. Shah begin the conversation with the gut-hormone-brain connection, explaining how 40% of estrogen is recirculated through the gut, how the estrobolome, the collection of gut bacteria responsible for metabolizing estrogen, determines how much the body retains, and why declining estrogen in perimenopause and menopause triggers a cascade that loosens the tight junctions meant to keep food particles, toxins, and viruses from entering the bloodstream. This leaky gut drives inflammation that accelerates every symptom women are already experiencing, from weight gain and mood changes to sleep disruption and brain health decline. The gut-brain axis, the constant two-way communication between the gut and the brain, means that what is happening in the gut is directly shaping cognitive function, motivation, and emotional resilience in menopause. She also covers how 95% of serotonin is made in the gut, why chronic inflammation reroutes tryptophan away from serotonin and melatonin, and what that means for mood, sleep, and appetite in midlife. Guest links: Dr. Amy Shah (Instagram)   / dramyshah   Dr. Amy Shah (TikTok)   / dramyshah   Dr. Amy Shah http://amymdwellness.com/?srsltid=Afm... Save Yourself With Dr. Amy Shah (Apple Podcasts) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Books: “Hormone Havoc: A Science-Backed Protocol for Perimenopause and Menopause: Sleep Better. Think Better. Feel Better,” by Dr. Amy Shah https://www.amazon.com/Hormone-Havoc-... “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+new+pe... “The New Menopause,"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://www.amazon.com/New-Menopause-... For full show notes, please visit: https://bit.ly/unPAUSEDDrAmyShah 00:00:00 – Gut Health Myths After 4 00:02:13 – Why Women's Bodies Change in Midlife 00:08:05 – The Gut-Brain-Hormone Connection 00:13:10 – Rebuilding a Healthy Gut Microbiome 00:16:45 – Cortisol, Insulin & Midlife Metabolism 00:22:20 – Appetite, GLP-1 & Weight Gain 00:27:30 – Inflammation, Leaky Gut & Estrogen 00:33:00 – Gut Health Testing: What Actually Works? 00:40:30 – The 30-30-3 Nutrition Plan 00:47:30 – Best Foods for Gut & Hormone Health 00:55:35 – Nutrition Myths to Stop Believing00:58:20 – Fasting & Circadian Rhythms 01:04:00 – Should Women Fast? 01:10:30 – Protein, Muscle & Healthy Aging 01:17:30 – Exercise That Supports Hormones 01:23:30 – Daily Habits for Better Gut Health 01:29:00 – Dr. Amy Shah's Takeaways Never miss an episode—sign up for The ’Pause Life Newsletter: https://thepauselife.com/pages/newsle... Medical Disclaimer: The information, including opinions and recommendations, on this platform is meant for informational and educational purposes only. Mary Claire Media, LLC, the unPAUSED podcast, and The ’Pause Life are not medical organizations. Medical advice or medical diagnosis cannot be provided to you through the platform, any associated website, or customer portals. Using this platform does not establish a patient-physician relationship.