How Gut Health Affects Men's Hormones and Performance: A Holistic Approach in Forest Hills, Queens

By Dr. Boris Nektalov, DC · Enzyme Nutrition Specialist · Nektalov Chiropractic & Wellness, Forest Hills, Queens NY

Published April 16, 2026 · Last updated April 16, 2026 · Gut Health · Men's Wellness · Hormone Balance

The short answer: Your gut microbiome directly influences testosterone production, blood flow, and hormonal balance. When the gut is inflamed or imbalanced, performance and vitality decline — often long before a diagnosis is made.

At Nektalov Chiropractic & Wellness in Forest Hills, Queens, we treat the whole body — not just the symptom. Many patients come to us searching for a chiropractor for back pain or neck pain relief, and discover that the same internal inflammation affecting their spine is also impacting their energy, hormones, and performance. This article explains the connection and what you can do about it.

The Gut-Hormone Connection: What the Research Shows

The gut microbiome — the trillions of bacteria living in your digestive system — plays a far larger role in hormone regulation than most people realize.

A 2014 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that supplementation with Lactobacillus reuteri significantly increased testosterone levels in aging male mice while also improving muscle mass and immune function. While large-scale human trials are still underway, the mechanistic pathway is well-established: gut bacteria influence enzyme activity involved in hormone synthesis and metabolism (Poutahidis et al., PNAS, 2014).

Here is what the gut-hormone pathway looks like in practice:

This table reflects why men — including a growing number under 40 — are experiencing declining performance despite no obvious medical diagnosis. According to research published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in men under 40 is approximately 8%, with rates rising significantly alongside increases in processed food consumption and gut dysbiosis risk factors.

Why Younger Men Are Experiencing Performance Issues

Erectile dysfunction is no longer exclusively an older man's condition. Clinically, it refers to the consistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfying sexual activity — and it has measurable vascular and hormonal roots.

The modern Western diet is a major contributing factor. Diets high in refined sugars, ultra-processed foods, and industrial seed oils do three things that directly impair performance:

1. Promote gut dysbiosis — they feed harmful bacteria while starving beneficial strains
2. Trigger systemic inflammation — which damages the endothelial lining of blood vessels
3. Reduce nitric oxide production — the molecule responsible for blood vessel dilation and healthy circulation

Many men who come to our Forest Hills chiropractic office with lower back pain or sciatica are already experiencing this inflammation systemically. Chiropractic care helps address the structural side — but the internal environment matters just as much.

What Is Leaky Gut, and How Does It Affect Hormones?

Leaky gut (intestinal hyperpermeability) is a condition in which the tight junctions of the intestinal lining become compromised, allowing undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins to pass into the bloodstream.

Once in circulation, these substances trigger an immune response. The body releases pro-inflammatory cytokines — signaling proteins that promote inflammation — which can:

• Damage blood vessel walls (endothelial dysfunction)
• Suppress testosterone production at the testicular level
• Elevate cortisol, which further suppresses testosterone
• Impair the liver's ability to detoxify excess estrogen

This creates a cycle: inflammation lowers testosterone, low testosterone reduces the body's ability to manage inflammation, and performance declines further. Addressing intestinal permeability — through diet, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and nervous system support — is foundational to breaking this cycle.

The Role of Chiropractic Care in Hormone and Gut Health

Chiropractic adjustments do more than relieve back pain. The nervous system — which chiropractic care directly supports — controls every organ in the body, including the digestive system and endocrine glands.

Spinal misalignments (subluxations) in the thoracic and lumbar spine can interfere with nerve signals traveling to the intestines, liver, and reproductive organs. When these nerve pathways are cleared through chiropractic adjustment, patients commonly report improvements in:

• Digestion and bloating
• Sleep quality and energy
• Mood and mental clarity
• Overall vitality

Patients seeking spinal decompression therapy in Queens or relief from chronic back pain often experience secondary improvements in these areas — because they're treating the same underlying neurological interference.

Enzyme Nutrition: The Missing Link in Gut Health

Even a healthy diet cannot deliver full benefit if your digestive enzymes are insufficient. Enzymes are the biological catalysts that break food into absorbable nutrients. Without them:

• Proteins are not fully digested → less amino acid availability for hormone synthesis
• Fats are not properly broken down → impaired absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
• Carbohydrates ferment instead of absorb → gas, bloating, and dysbiosis

At Nektalov Chiropractic & Wellness, we incorporate enzyme nutrition therapy into our care plans because digestion is the gateway to full-body health. Supplementing with proteases, lipases, and amylases — combined with dietary changes — creates an internal environment where beneficial bacteria thrive and hormone production stabilizes.

5 Evidence-Based Steps to Support Gut Health and Hormone Balance

Step 1: Increase Prebiotic Fiber Intake

Foods like garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, and green bananas feed beneficial bacteria. Research from Nature (2016) found that increased dietary fiber diversity correlates directly with microbiome diversity — a marker of gut health.

Step 2: Add Fermented Foods

Kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and plain yogurt introduce live probiotic strains. A 2021 Stanford study published in Cell found that a high-fermented-food diet increased microbiome diversity and reduced 19 inflammatory proteins.

Step 3: Reduce Ultra-Processed Food Consumption

Processed foods contain emulsifiers, preservatives, and refined sugars that disrupt the mucosal lining and feed pathogenic bacteria. The NOVA classification system identifies ultra-processed foods as those with five or more industrial ingredients not found in home kitchens.

Step 4: Support Digestion With Targeted Enzymes

Digestive enzyme supplementation — particularly protease, lipase, and amylase — improves nutrient absorption and reduces digestive stress. This is especially important for men over 35, as natural enzyme production declines with age.

Step 5: Reduce Chronic Stress

Cortisol — the primary stress hormone — suppresses both testosterone and gut immune function simultaneously. Chiropractic care, sleep optimization, and nervous system regulation are all evidence-supported approaches to reducing the physiological stress load.

How Nektalov Chiropractic & Wellness Approaches Men's Wellness in Forest Hills

At our practice in Forest Hills, Queens, we combine:

• Chiropractic adjustments to restore nervous system function and improve communication between the brain and digestive/endocrine organs
• Enzyme nutrition therapy to support absorption and gut microbiome health
• Personalized wellness plans that address diet, lifestyle, and structural alignment together

We do not treat erectile dysfunction as a standalone medical condition — that requires appropriate medical evaluation. What we do is identify and address the underlying functional imbalances — inflammation, poor gut health, nutrient deficiencies, and nervous system interference — that often contribute to declining performance and vitality.

If you are experiencing low energy, poor sleep, reduced libido, or chronic digestive issues, these are signals worth investigating at the root level.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does gut health affect testosterone levels in men?

The gut microbiome influences testosterone through several pathways: beneficial bacteria help regulate estrogen metabolism in the liver, reduce systemic inflammation that suppresses hormonal production, and support absorption of key nutrients like zinc and magnesium that are required for testosterone synthesis.

What is leaky gut and can it affect sexual performance?

Leaky gut (intestinal hyperpermeability) occurs when the intestinal lining becomes compromised, allowing toxins into the bloodstream. This triggers systemic inflammation that can damage blood vessel walls, impair circulation, and suppress testosterone — all of which directly affect libido and sexual performance in men.

Can a chiropractor help with gut health and hormone balance?

Yes. Chiropractic adjustments restore nervous system function, including the nerve signals that regulate the digestive and endocrine systems. Subluxations in the thoracic and lumbar spine can interfere with gut function and hormone regulation. Many patients report improved digestion and energy following chiropractic care.

What is Lactobacillus reuteri and how does it affect testosterone?

Lactobacillus reuteri is a beneficial gut bacterium shown in animal research (Poutahidis et al., 2014, PNAS) to support testosterone production and muscle mass. While large-scale human trials are ongoing, the link between gut bacteria and hormone regulation is increasingly supported by scientific evidence.

What are digestive enzymes and why do they matter for hormone health?

Digestive enzymes are proteins that break down food into absorbable nutrients. Without adequate enzyme activity, the body cannot efficiently absorb zinc, magnesium, and fat-soluble vitamins — all essential for testosterone production and hormonal balance. Enzyme deficiency contributes to nutrient malabsorption even when diet quality is high.