Leaky Gut

Leaky gut:

What is leaky gut? Leaky gut is the term used when you have increased gut permeability. Your intestines are designed to breakdown and digest what you eat, but also to act as a barrier as to what stays in your digestive tract and what gets out. Increased gut permeability means that your gut is letting cells (such as bacteria and toxins) out into your body and bloodstream that should be contained in your gut. This occurs due to a lack of tight junctions and mucus layer in the intestinal wall. When your gut permeability is increased like it is with leaky gut, this barrier can’t do its job leaving you with an array of GI symptoms and side effects.

What are the signs and symptoms of leaky gut?

Leaky gut has many signs and can cause a wide array of symptoms including:

  • Bloating

  • Fatigue

  • Headaches and migraines

  • Abdominal pain

  • Gas

  • Gluten sensitivity

  • Heartburn

  • Diarrhea

  • Constipation

  • Nausea

  • Allergies

  • Multiple food sensitivities

  • Skin rashes— including eczema (atopic dermatitis)

What causes leaky gut? While the exact cause of leaky gut remains ambiguous, there are many factors that we know directly contribute to leaky gut.

  • Inflammation in the body can lead to inflammation in the gut. This inflammation causes the cells lining the intestines to break down leading to what we know as leaky gut.

  • Gluten intake has been linked to leaky gut by destroying the tight junctions in the intestinal wall. This allows for particles to get through that shouldn’t. Celiac disease is a well-known cause of leaky gut but it has also been seen in many people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

  • Other food sensitivities create inflammation in the body. When eating foods that your body doesn’t handle well, they can sit in the intestine longer making your digestive tract work harder to break them down. They also create an inflammatory response in the body due to the extra stress they create. Your adrenal glands control your stress response and your inflammatory response and so stress from food sensitivities can set that inflammatory response into action. Increased food sensitivities can also be a sign that you have leaky gut. Because these foods are getting out of the gut and into your body when they shouldn’t be, your body can become reactive to them due to an inflammatory and immune response that normally wouldn’t occur.

  • Microbial imbalance is a large contributor to leaky gut. A good balance of microbes in the gut is key for gut health. It helps break down your food properly so that you can digest it and move it through in a timely manner. With microbial imbalances, food can sit in your gut longer than it should and can cause inflammation and damage to your intestinal cells. This damage can loosen those tight junctions that your gut relies on leading to leaky gut.

  • Long-term steroid and NSAID use has been shown to increase gut permeability. Steroids affect your adrenal glands and while they are designed to help control inflammation while you take them, can actually promote inflammation with long term use or once discontinued after short term use. NSAID’s also erode the cells in your stomach and gut lining and can increase permeability and thus lead to leaky gut.

 

How do you heal leaky gut?

  • Probiotics will help rebalance your gut bacteria and microbiome which is key for healing the digestive tract. This includes eating naturally fermented foods as well as supplementing with probiotics.

  • Fiber helps to keep your gut microbiome in check by feeding the beneficial bacteria and helping maintain a good balance of flora. It also helps keep things moving and prevents constipation.

  • Digestive enzymes and betaine HCl help digest your food so that you don’t have food sitting in your stomach or digestive tract for longer than it should be. These are a key part of your digestive system and are required for digestion and nutrient breakdown and absorption.

  • L-glutamine supports the intestinal walls and lining and improves gut absorption and decreases permeability. Stress such as trauma, infection, malnutrition, injury, glucocorticoid use, and intense exercise decreases L-glutamine

  • Boswelia is an herb that helps manage inflammation in the GI tract.

  • Limit alcohol to reduce the inflammation and stress it causes on your GI tract.

  • Reduce stress to decrease inflammation, promote a healthy immune response, decrease over-sensitivity of the immune system to foods and keep your gut flora balanced.

  • Avoid food sensitivities. This will help decrease the stress on your digestive tract and reduce inflammation to allow your gut to heal. This can also help prevent any further damage from occurring.

Leaky gut has multiple causes and can have numerous symptoms. Figuring out what is causing your leaky gut and how to help heal it is essential for your digestive and overall health.

The supplements above can be purchased at our Fullscript webstore.

 Contact Dr. Sahni today to schedule an appointment to discuss your leaky gut.

*Always check with your physician before beginning any new supplement or diet regimens.

 

Christina Sahni