Your Gut Controls More Than You Think: The Hidden Microbiome Connection to Brain Health, Hormones & Aging | Martha Carlin

✨Stay inspired on your health journey: Follow us on Spotify or hit subscribe on Apple Podcasts.Better With Age ProgramWe empower women to reclaim their health and vitalitythrough expert-guided exercise and nutrition. Stronger 💪| Healthier 🥑| Better with Age 😁Website: betterwithage.onlineEducational purposes only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.What if your gut is influencing nearly every aspect of your health—from your hormonesand mood to your brain, metabolism, immune system, and even your risk for chronic disease?In this fascinating episode of the Better With Age Podcast, Lea sits down with microbiome researcher Martha Carlin, founder of BiotiQuest, whose journey into microbiome science began after her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson'sdisease at just 44 years old.That diagnosis launched Martha on a decades-long mission that led her to co-found the BioCollective, build one of the world's largest microbiome research collections, and develop probiotic formulations designed around how bacteriafunction as communities—not individual strains.Together, Lea and Martha explore:• Why the microbiome acts like your body's internal pharmacy• The gut-brain connection and how bacteria produce serotonin, dopamine, GABA and other neurotransmitters• The surprising relationship between the microbiome and women's hormones during midlife• Why constipation is more than just an inconvenience—and how it impacts inflammation and detoxification• What GLP-1 medications mean for gut health and why supporting bowel regularity matters• How glyphosate, antibiotics, environmental toxins and processed foods disrupt our gut ecosystem• The power of fermented foods, fiber and polyphenols for restoring microbial diversity• How emotional trauma, chronic stress and unresolved grief can influence chronic disease through the gut-brain axisIf you've ever wondered why healing often requires looking beyond symptoms, this episode offers an entirely new perspective on what it truly means to age well. Connect with Martha CarlinFounder & CEO, BiotiQuest🌐 Website: https://biotiquest.com📰 Substack – Martha's Quest: https://marthasquest.substack.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biotiquestYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BiotiQuestFacebook: BiotiQuestEpisode Chapters00:00Martha's personal journey into microbiome research after her husband's Parkinson's diagnosis03:30Building the BioCollective and collecting thousands of microbiome samples05:40 Theprobiotic breakthrough that dramatically improved her husband's mobility08:00Stress, endurance exercise and the hidden connection to inflammation15:30 What the microbiome actually does for your body17:15 The microbiome, hormones and healthy aging for women20:00 Constipation, GLP-1 medications and detoxification23:20 Sugar Shift and restoring bowel health28:15 Glyphosate, environmental toxins and your gut microbiome37:00 Gut-brain communication: serotonin, dopamine and mental health40:20 Why bacteria function like healthy communities42:10 Fiber, polyphenols and fermented foods46:00 Fire cider, sauerkraut and practical gut health habits49:00 Emotional trauma, stress and chronic disease53:15 Martha's book, Substack and where to learn more#BetterWithAgePodcast#BetterWithAgeProgram #Microbiome #GutHealth #HealthyAging #Women'sHealth#Hormones #Parkinsons #FunctionalMedicine #Longevity #GutBrainAxis #Nutrition#Wellness #LeaWetzell #MarthaCarlin