The body is definitely well done. Flatulence, which may seem annoying at first glance, actually has an impact on human health and behavior, in this case during pregnancy.
What if flatulence triggered the production of sex hormones? A study by scientists at Harvard Medical School suggests that the gut microbiota may act as an endocrine organ, producing hormones that can be helpful or even life-saving.
Progesterone derivatives
The researchers, whose findings were published in the journal Cell, discovered two types of bacteria present in the human gut microbiota – Gordonibacter pamelaeae and Eggerthella lenta – that can modify steroids. The team found that the bacteria can modify corticosteroids found in bile, steroids that then play a role in immune function and metabolism. Bacteria transform them into progesterone derivatives, which are sex hormones and neurosteroids acting on the brain and nervous system.
“We know that the human body produces progesterone in the adrenal glands, placenta and ovaries. Our work suggests that the microbiome acts as an additional endocrine organ.”emphasizes Sloan Devlin, associate professor of biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology at Harvard Medical School and lead author of the study.
“An impact on women’s health and postpartum depression”
His team also observed that one of the progesterone derivatives produced by intestinal bacteria is allopregnanolone, produced during pregnancy and which is also used against postpartum depression under the name brexanolone. “This work reveals how certain gut bacteria carry out a chemical transformation that produces a steroid that could impact women’s health and postpartum depression”explains Megan McCurry, co-author of the study.
With these results, we can easily imagine that doctors will one day be able to treat or prevent certain types of mental health problems using the intestinal microbiota. “We could consider microbiome-targeted therapies for neurological diseases such as depression”says Sloan Devlin.
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