Mars, Venus, and the Microbiome
Genuine Health recognizes and supports that gender identity is not limited to the man/woman binary: in this particular instance, we are presenting the information on the “microgenderome” in reference to specific research presenting the microbiome differences examined among a group of cisgendered individuals assigned with the gender male or female at birth. For this particular piece, all references to “men” and “women” are in reference to cisgendered individuals based on the scope of anatomical research we reference, and for ease of reading, not with the intention of being exclusionary.
We all know that men and women are different, anatomically speaking. But in 1992, a man by the name of John Gray wrote a book that changed the way that we looked at relationships and communication. The book was called Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus and it provided insight into some of the fundamental psychological differences between men and women – and some of the roadblocks that can arise in relationships based on the way in which both sexes think and act.
Fast forward 20 years, and more discoveries were made about a Mars/Venus difference at play… but this time in the unseen world of digestive processes. For starters, men don’t typically complain about digestive issues and bloating. It could be because women’s digestive tracts are longer, and follow a slightly more convoluted route than men. And women digest food more slowly than men and often complain about feeling constipated – a study conducted by The Mayo Clinic found that, on average, women’s bowel transit time is up to 14 hours longer than men.
And then fast forward another five years, to the study of the microbiome – a highly diverse ecosystem that we coexist with in and on our bodies. The microbiome is possibly one of the best examples of the unseen inner world of our body. Within the last five years, scientists have only begun to create the technology to discover this amazing inner world. And they have made some amazing discoveries about gender and the microbiome.
Our microbiome is so unique to us that it’s like our fingerprint, and can be shaped by a variety of factors, like where we live, our age, how we were born, whether we were breast- or bottle-fed, medications that we take, our lifestyle and stress levels, our diet, and… our gender!
Studies have found that the microbiome becomes distinctly different in opposite-sex twins after puberty, compared to same-sex twins where it remains similar. Additionally, stress has been found to trigger changes in the microbiome in females – different phases of the menstrual cycle can influence digestion, and can even contribute to symptoms of IBS (1).
This phenomenon is called the “microgenderome,” and it’s the interaction between microbiota, sex hormones and the immune system. This is what inspired Genuine Health to create two new probiotics – just for women!
advanced gut health probiotic women’s UTI was specially formulated to promote women’s health. With 15 strains, carefully chosen for a balanced formula that supports women’s gut, skin and vaginal health, including the following species:
Women have shorter urethras than men, which makes it easier for bacteria to reach the bladder and cause a urinary tract infection (UTI). This is why UTIs are more common in women than in men. Half of all women will experience a UTI by age 35, and 20% of women aged 18-24 experience a UTI each year.
Antibiotic treatment of UTI is often necessary, but can result in long-term alteration of the normal vaginal and gastrointestinal microbiome, and development of multidrug-resistant microorganisms.
That’s why Genuine Health formulated advanced gut health probiotic women’s UTI – to help prevent urinary tract infections. advanced gut health probiotic women’s UTI was crafted with 15 balanced strains, including the following species:
advanced gut health probiotics are the only probiotics crafted with 15 balanced strains chosen to mimic healthy human gut flora. A triple-cleaning process ensures that the strains are clean and toxin-free. The strains are encapsulated in a unique, plastic-free, delayed-release capsule that can deliver up to 10x the bacteria to the gut. Plus, advanced gut health probiotic is shelf-stable, and its potency is guaranteed right up to the expiry date.
So while Genuine Health’s new advanced gut health probiotics may not help you settle a squabble, with the opposite sex, it can help your personal microbiome flourish.
References:
1 Mulak A et al. Sex hormones in the modulation of irritable bowel syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Mar 14;20(10):2433-48. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i10.2433.
2 Strus et al., 2012
3 Shim et al., 2016 & Bertuccini et al., 2017
4 Ravel et al., 2011
5 Kimoto-Nira et al., 2014
6 Strus et al., 2012
7 Zarate, et al. Influence of probiotic vaginal lactobacilli on in vitro adhesion of urogenital pathogens to vaginal epithelial cells. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2006 Aug;43(2):174-80
8 Strus et al., 2012 (4) Shim et al., 2016 & Bertuccini et al., 2017
9 Kimoto-Nira et al., 2014
We all know that men and women are different, anatomically speaking. But in 1992, a man by the name of John Gray wrote a book that changed the way that we looked at relationships and communication. The book was called Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus and it provided insight into some of the fundamental psychological differences between men and women – and some of the roadblocks that can arise in relationships based on the way in which both sexes think and act.
Fast forward 20 years, and more discoveries were made about a Mars/Venus difference at play… but this time in the unseen world of digestive processes. For starters, men don’t typically complain about digestive issues and bloating. It could be because women’s digestive tracts are longer, and follow a slightly more convoluted route than men. And women digest food more slowly than men and often complain about feeling constipated – a study conducted by The Mayo Clinic found that, on average, women’s bowel transit time is up to 14 hours longer than men.
And then fast forward another five years, to the study of the microbiome – a highly diverse ecosystem that we coexist with in and on our bodies. The microbiome is possibly one of the best examples of the unseen inner world of our body. Within the last five years, scientists have only begun to create the technology to discover this amazing inner world. And they have made some amazing discoveries about gender and the microbiome.
Introducing the Microgenderome
Our microbiome is so unique to us that it’s like our fingerprint, and can be shaped by a variety of factors, like where we live, our age, how we were born, whether we were breast- or bottle-fed, medications that we take, our lifestyle and stress levels, our diet, and… our gender!
Studies have found that the microbiome becomes distinctly different in opposite-sex twins after puberty, compared to same-sex twins where it remains similar. Additionally, stress has been found to trigger changes in the microbiome in females – different phases of the menstrual cycle can influence digestion, and can even contribute to symptoms of IBS (1).
This phenomenon is called the “microgenderome,” and it’s the interaction between microbiota, sex hormones and the immune system. This is what inspired Genuine Health to create two new probiotics – just for women!
advanced gut health probiotic women’s UTI was specially formulated to promote women’s health. With 15 strains, carefully chosen for a balanced formula that supports women’s gut, skin and vaginal health, including the following species:
- L. fermentum for decreasing vaginal pH (2)
- L. acidophilus for anti-microbial support against uropathogens (3)
- L. gasseri for vaginal microbiome support (4)
- Lactococcus lactis for healthy skin support (5)
Urinary Tract Infections: More Common in Women
Women have shorter urethras than men, which makes it easier for bacteria to reach the bladder and cause a urinary tract infection (UTI). This is why UTIs are more common in women than in men. Half of all women will experience a UTI by age 35, and 20% of women aged 18-24 experience a UTI each year.
Antibiotic treatment of UTI is often necessary, but can result in long-term alteration of the normal vaginal and gastrointestinal microbiome, and development of multidrug-resistant microorganisms.
That’s why Genuine Health formulated advanced gut health probiotic women’s UTI – to help prevent urinary tract infections. advanced gut health probiotic women’s UTI was crafted with 15 balanced strains, including the following species:
- L. fermentum for decreasing vaginal pH (6)
- L. gasseri to decrease vaginal pH (7)
- L. rhamnosus for anti-microbial support against uropathogens (8)
- Lactococcus lactis for healthy skin support (9)
- To help accelerate healing from a UTI, or prevent a UTI from occurring in the first place, advanced gut health probiotic women’s UTI also includes organic whole fruit CRAN naturelle® cranberry. Farm to finish, this cranberry is grown, harvested, processed, dried and milled in Quebec, and is standardized to PACs (the active ingredients in cranberry).
advanced gut health probiotics are the only probiotics crafted with 15 balanced strains chosen to mimic healthy human gut flora. A triple-cleaning process ensures that the strains are clean and toxin-free. The strains are encapsulated in a unique, plastic-free, delayed-release capsule that can deliver up to 10x the bacteria to the gut. Plus, advanced gut health probiotic is shelf-stable, and its potency is guaranteed right up to the expiry date.
So while Genuine Health’s new advanced gut health probiotics may not help you settle a squabble, with the opposite sex, it can help your personal microbiome flourish.
References:
1 Mulak A et al. Sex hormones in the modulation of irritable bowel syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Mar 14;20(10):2433-48. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i10.2433.
2 Strus et al., 2012
3 Shim et al., 2016 & Bertuccini et al., 2017
4 Ravel et al., 2011
5 Kimoto-Nira et al., 2014
6 Strus et al., 2012
7 Zarate, et al. Influence of probiotic vaginal lactobacilli on in vitro adhesion of urogenital pathogens to vaginal epithelial cells. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2006 Aug;43(2):174-80
8 Strus et al., 2012 (4) Shim et al., 2016 & Bertuccini et al., 2017
9 Kimoto-Nira et al., 2014
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