Ep. 599 “Why You’re Getting More Infections in Midlife – The Microbiome Shift No One Talks About | Menopause, Perimenopause and Immune Health

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Recorded28 May 2026

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Welcome to the latest Midlife Minute. I’ve been getting many questions about viruses, bacterial vaginosis, and recurrent infections. So, today, I’m stepping a little outside our usual topics to explore how changes in the gut microbiome can directly influence the vaginal microbiome. Join me as I clarify what actually happens in the body during perimenopause and menopause, and explain why those shifts matter more than most women realize. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: Three changes that occur simultaneously during perimenopause and menopause, and how those changes increase our susceptibility to viruses like herpes. Why declining estrogen weakens the vaginal microbiome How gut microbiome changes in midlife affect the ability to recycle estrogen via the estrobolome Why the gut barrier becomes less stable and more permeable during perimenopause and menopause, and how that can trigger immune responses and low-grade inflammation How hormonal fluctuations can trigger viral outbreaks and increase the likelihood of shingles What research shows about hormone replacement therapy and lower rates and recurrence of severe herpes simplex infections Why bacterial vaginosis is becoming more common in midlife How to balance and support the gut and vaginal microbiome in midlife Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website. Submit your questions to [email protected] Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow. Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now! Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Links: 1. Menopausal shift on women’s health and microbial niches 2. The Effect of Menopause on the Innate Anti-Viral Activity of Cervicovaginal Lavage https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4519412/ 3. Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights 4. Shingles and Menopause: Is There a Connection? 5. The Impact of Hormonal Replacement Therapy on Herpes Simplex Infection and Gingival Health in Post-Menopausal Women 6. The Menopause Transition, Vaginal Health, and Your Vaginal Microbiome 7. Probiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Postmenopausal Vaginal Infections: Review Article 8. G. vaginalis increases HSV-2 infection by decreasing vaginal barrier integrity and increasing inflammation in vivo 9. Association between Acquisition of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 in Women and Bacterial Vaginosis 10. Recalcitrance of bacterial vaginosis among HSV-2 seropositive women

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