Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 14: Women’s greater susceptibility to gastrointestinal pain may be rooted in hormonal activity, with new research pointing to oestrogen as a key driver behind heightened gut sensitivity.

A comparative study conducted on male and female mouse models by researchers from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and the University of California, San Francisco, has found that oestrogen activates a biological pathway that amplifies pain signals in the gut. The findings were published in the journal Science.

According to the study, oestrogen increases the release of peptide YY (PYY), a gut hormone associated with satiety. This, in turn, stimulates nearby serotonin-producing enterochromaffin cells, leading to a surge in serotonin levels. The increased serotonin sensitises gut nerves, intensifying pain signals sent to the brain.

“Oestrogen activates a pathway in the colon that increases the release of the gut hormone PYY. PYY then stimulates neighbouring serotonin-producing cells, boosting serotonin output and sensitising the nerves that send pain messages to the brain,” said Stuart Brierley, director of the visceral pain research group at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute.

Gastrointestinal and visceral pain disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are known to affect women more frequently than men, though the biological reasons have remained unclear until now.

The study also sheds light on why certain dietary changes help some patients. Researchers found that oestrogen heightens the gut’s response to short-chain fatty acids, which are produced when gut bacteria break down food. This may explain why low FODMAP diets — which limit foods like garlic, apples, wheat and some dairy products — can ease symptoms of gut distress.

“We now understand that certain foods can feed into this oestrogen-sensitive pathway through the metabolites they produce. This gives us a clearer biological rationale for why dietary changes may help and how they could be refined,” Brierley said.

The findings connect hormonal activity, digestion and nerve responses, opening new possibilities for targeted treatment. Researchers believe that interrupting this oestrogen-dependent pathway could help reduce chronic gut pain without disrupting normal digestive functions.

“If we can intervene at the right point in this pathway, we may be able to reduce chronic gut pain while preserving the body’s natural hormonal balance,” Brierley added.