The Influence of Estrogen on the Rat Gut Microbiome

The Influence of Estrogen on the Rat Gut Microbiome The Influence of Estrogen on the Rat Gut Microbiome Obesity is an important womens health issue. [1]. The menopause transition is a time of significant physiologic change. There is a clear increase in obesity rates in menopausal women which is an important public health concern (CDC), obesity related medical diseases increasing in tandem. Related disorders such as DM type 2, CAD and HTN are worldwide health concerns[2], A number of studies have demonstrated increases in fat mass, and the development of increased fat stores in the abdomen (central adiposity).[3]. Some research has indicated that absence of estrogen might be an obesity triggering factor. [4]. The reasons for weight gain in menopausal women are not entirely clear. The gut microbiome influences obesity through a variety of mechanisms[5]. The gut microbiota are involved in energy extraction from food lipid metabolism, endocrine function and immune response. The composition of the gut microbiota differs in obese and lean subjects in both animal and human models. It is well known that estrogen plays many roles in metabolism such as regulating food intake, glucose homeostasis, body fat distribution, fat metabolism and overall body weight[2, 4]. Whether the post-menopausal hormonal milue (absence of estrogen) per se influences the makeup of the gut microbiome is unknown. We hypothesize that the composition of the gut microbiome in rats is influenced by the presence or absence of estrogen.