Women’s guts may be inherently more sensitive, but there are also biological factors that could explain why women tend to be worse affected by gut-related issues and discomfort.

For example, Dr Rajani highlights how the hormonal variations that occur during the menstrual cycle can affect gut motility (ie how fast food moves through the digestive system), leading to symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea and bloating. When oestrogen and progesterone levels are high, gut motility slows, which allows us to absorb more nutrients from our food, but also places us at higher risk of constipation.

On the flip side, when oestrogen and progesterone levels drop in the days before your period, a hormone called prostaglandin rises. This hormone causes the uterus to retract so it can shed its lining, but it can also affect the gut muscles, which can then result in cramping and diarrhoea.

The stress hormone, cortisol, can also have an impact. We already know that stress can wreak havoc on our guts, and research shows that women tend to be more stressed than their male counterparts; a global study of 3,400 people by the workplace experts UKG found that women are more likely than men to rate their mental health as “average, poor or very poor” (43% vs 15%). That backs up numerous studies published before and during the pandemic which paint a similar picture: in general, women tend to be more stressed, and these high levels of stress could be contributing to the gut issues women are experiencing.

Do women have more sensitive guts than men? It’s complicated