Skip to main content

Gut-Hormone-Heart Axis

Meaning

The Gut-Hormone-Heart Axis represents a complex, bidirectional communication network that integrates the gastrointestinal system, the endocrine regulatory network, and the cardiovascular system to maintain systemic homeostasis. This axis highlights how the gut microbiota and its metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, directly influence the production and signaling of hormones like insulin, cortisol, and sex steroids, which in turn profoundly affect cardiac function, vascular tone, and metabolic health. Understanding this multi-organ crosstalk is crucial in clinical practice, as dysfunction in one component, such as gut dysbiosis, can precipitate systemic issues like insulin resistance or hypertension, underscoring the interconnectedness of physiological systems.