The Truth About Sugar and IBS in Midlife
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 27
- 5 min read
Written by Charlotte Cheetham, Gut Health Coach
Charlotte Cheetham is an expert coach in gut health for menopausal women. She is the founder of Lifeinsights and aims to help all menopausal women one by one to heal their symptoms, which are preventing them from living a normal life. She has also written articles for Healthieyoo magazine about gut health, menopause, and psychobiotics.
For many women in their 40s and 50s, sugar cravings hit harder than ever. That innocent biscuit with your tea now leaves you bloated. Afternoon chocolate gives you a rush, then a crash. And somehow, your jeans feel tighter by the end of the week, even when you’ve been “good.” It’s not your imagination. During perimenopause, the way your body handles sugar changes dramatically, and your gut feels the effects first.
“If you fix your gut, your hormones will follow.”
The hormonal storm: Why sugar hits harder now
As oestrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate, your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, the hormone that manages blood sugar. Combine that with higher cortisol (the stress hormone) and disrupted sleep, and you’ve got the perfect storm for sugar cravings, belly fat, and energy crashes.
When insulin stays high for too long, your body starts storing more fat around your middle, your gut bacteria shift, and you feel constantly drained.
These changes also make your gut more reactive, meaning a muffin or a latte that used to sit fine now triggers bloating, cramps, or unpredictable IBS flare-ups.
The more your gut is out of balance, the more you crave sugar because the ‘bad’ bacteria are sending signals to your brain asking for their next fix.
The gut-sugar connection
Your gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria living inside your intestines, thrives on balance. Some bacteria feed on fibre and help reduce inflammation. Others feed on sugar and create gas, bloating, and fatigue.
Too much refined sugar feeds the wrong crowd. It encourages the overgrowth of yeasts like Candida albicans and reduces the diversity of beneficial bacteria that help manage digestion and mood.
This imbalance, called dysbiosis, can trigger IBS symptoms such as:
Constant bloating
Cramping or gas
Alternating constipation and diarrhoea
Fatigue and brain fog
Over time, your gut lining becomes more permeable (“leaky”), allowing toxins and inflammatory compounds to enter the bloodstream, worsening hormone fluctuations and cravings.
Did you know?
Your gut bacteria can influence your food choices. When “sugar-loving” microbes dominate, they send hunger signals through the vagus nerve, literally making you crave sugar.
The IBS-energy rollercoaster
That post-lunch slump? It’s more than tiredness. Here’s what happens:
You eat a sugary or carb-heavy meal.
Your blood sugar spikes.
Insulin floods in to lower it.
Blood sugar drops too quickly.
You feel shaky, tired, and crave another sweet hit.
Cortisol rises to rescue your energy, but it also tightens the gut muscles, which can trigger IBS symptoms. Over time, this cycle leads to unstable moods, low motivation, and even worse sleep.
Your blood sugar affects your gut, and your gut affects your mood. It’s all connected.
How to spot when sugar is sabotaging you
You might not think you eat much sugar, but it sneaks in everywhere. Here are tell-tale signs that it’s time to reset:
You wake up bloated, even after light dinners.
You crave something sweet after every meal.
You get “hangry” between meals.
You feel tired but wired at night.
You rely on caffeine to get through the afternoon.
If this sounds familiar, your blood sugar and gut bacteria are out of sync, and your hormones are struggling to keep up.
Healthy swaps to support hormone and gut balance
Recommendation: gentle changes that stabilise blood sugar, feed the gut, and naturally calm cravings.
Begin the day with protein: Skip cereal and toast. Try eggs, avocado, and spinach, or a smoothie with protein powder, chia, and nut butter. Keeps blood sugar steady for hours.
Choose fibre-rich carbs: Refined carbs (white bread, pasta) spike sugar and feed the wrong microbes. Swap for quinoa, brown rice, or lentils. Their fibre feeds beneficial bacteria and helps detoxify oestrogen.
Pair fruit with fat or protein: Avoid fruit on its own. Pair it with yoghurt, nuts, or seeds to slow sugar release. Try berries with coconut yoghurt or apple slices with almond butter.
Beat the 3 p.m. slump: Energy crashes come from blood sugar dips. Lunch on salmon, quinoa, and roasted vegetables. Snack on nuts, hummus, or edamame instead of chocolate.
Crowd out, don’t cut out: Focus on adding, not restricting. Include fermented foods (sauerkraut, kefir) and prebiotic fibres (onions, leeks, asparagus). These help rebalance your microbiome and reduce cravings.
Watch hidden sugars: Read labels, as sugar hides as maltose, syrup, or dextrose. Make your own dressings with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and herbs.
Drink before you snack: Often, cravings signal dehydration. Sip water with lemon or herbal tea before eating.
The goal isn’t to cut out sugar forever, it’s to control the spike.
Healing the gut after sugar overload
If you’ve been in the sugar and IBS loop for a while, your gut may need a reset. This four-step approach helps clients calm inflammation and restore energy.
Remove the irritants: Reduce processed foods, alcohol, and refined sugar for 2 to 4 weeks. This gives your gut lining time to heal.
Rebalance the microbiome: Add probiotic foods (kefir, kimchi, miso) and prebiotics (onions, garlic, asparagus). These support digestion and hormone metabolism.
Repair the gut lining: Support with L-glutamine, zinc, and collagen. Bone broth or chia puddings help soothe and repair.
Reintroduce slowly: After your reset, bring back natural sugars such as berries, apples, and dark chocolate mindfully. Notice how your body responds.
The emotional side of sugar
Sugar isn’t just about food, it’s emotional comfort. When oestrogen drops, serotonin dips too, making us crave sweet foods for a mood lift.
Healthier ways to find balance:
Movement: a 10-minute walk after meals stabilises blood sugar.
Breathwork: deep breathing lowers cortisol and reduces cravings.
Mindful eating: savour your food, satisfaction reduces overeating.
When you replace sugar with self-care, your cravings start to fade naturally. You can’t outsmart biology, but you can work with it.
The results: A happier gut, a calmer mind
Within a few weeks of changing how you eat, you’ll notice:
Less bloating and IBS discomfort
Steadier energy
Fewer cravings
Better sleep
Clearer thinking
Your gut bacteria rebalance, your blood sugar stabilises, and your hormones follow. It’s a chain reaction that brings you back into alignment and helps you feel like yourself again.
Gut-friendly sweet swaps cheat sheet
If You Crave... | Try This Instead | Why It Works |
Chocolate | 1 square of 85% dark chocolate + handful of almonds | Magnesium supports mood & reduces cravings |
Ice cream | Frozen banana blended with Greek yoghurt | Adds probiotics & protein |
Fizzy drinks | Sparkling water with lime & mint | Refreshing & supports digestion |
Biscuits | Oat cakes with nut butter | Healthy fats + fibre = satisfaction |
Sugary coffee | Matcha latte with almond milk | Sustained energy & antioxidants |
Final thoughts: Progress, not perfection
Midlife isn’t about restriction, it’s about rhythm. Your body is asking for balance, not punishment. By swapping quick fixes for nourishment, you create a foundation of energy and calm that ripples through every part of your life.
So next time you crave sugar, pause and ask, “What is my body really asking for?” When you listen, and feed your gut with what it truly needs, you’ll find your cravings soften, your energy stabilises, and your sparkle returns. Because when your gut is in balance, your whole life is in balance.
Charlotte Cheetham, Gut Health Coach
Charlotte Cheetham is an expert Gut Coach for menopausal women. After suffering from an acute gut infection, she had to learn how to manage her gut health to prevent another massive flare-up. She has learnt how to manage her nutritional needs to become healthy and happy during menopause. Her mission is to help as many women as possible manage their diet and lifestyle, so they can also learn how to become healthy and happy again.
