Amazingly, inside our stomach you can find 4,000 square feet of intestinal lining! Leaky gut, also called increased intestinal permeability, is a relatively new term that describes when this gut lining may have cracks or holes in it. This can allow partially digested food, toxins, antigens, and bacteria to enter the bloodstream (2)...
Most herbalists, alternative medicine practitioners, nutritionists and more 'enlightened' doctors have recognised the importance of healing the gut as an initial step to treat many chronic diseases. Hippocrates stated "All disease begins in the gut" more than 2,000 years ago! The gut microbiota has drawn a lot of mainstream attention in the past decade, with research moving towards the impact of gut health on all aspects of wellbeing - from allergies to mental health!
Dr. Alessio Fasano, an acclaimed Harvard researcher, proves there is a link between the opening of the gut wall, chronic inflammation, and autoimmunity (5).
What causes leaky gut?
When the gut lining is working efficiently, it forms a barrier that prevents certain material from getting absorbed into the bloodstream. A damaged gut lining may trigger autoimmune issues, inflammation and changes to the gut microbiota. There are many factors that may potentially result in leaky gut. These include diet, infections, alcohol consumption, and injury(2).
Diet
Diet is reported to contribute to the maintenance or alterations of gut microbiota and the intestinal barrier function(3). A low-fibre diet consumption was found to be a trigger, as was a diet high in saturated fat. Chronic alcohol consumption is responsible for intestinal barrier dysfunction, alterations on both the quality and quantity of gut microbiota. In both human and mouse, it has been well established that alcohol can disrupt intestinal barrier function(2).
Chronic stress
Symptoms of a leaky gut;
- Food sensitivities and allergies
- Migraines (especially after eating certain foods)
- Unexplained weight gain or loss
- Skin issues - acne, eczema, dermatitis
- Joint pain
- Stomach pains, bloating, gas
- Unexplained fatigue
- Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease
- Hormonal imbalances such as irregular periods, premenstrual syndrome, or PCOS
- Anxiety, depression, irritability
What to do if you think you have leaky gut
Key causes of leaky gut;
- Diet - inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, and sugar.
- Alcohol
- Excess caffeine
- Medications and antibiotics
- Stress
- Candida yeast
Work on repairing the gut wall with slippery elm powder, licorice root, aloe vera powder, ginger powder and chamomile powder. These can be found in Mr Mansfield Supplement. It also promotes good bacteria in the stomach (prebiotic) and helps alkalise the body.
After, you can focus on rebuilding with prebiotics and probiotics.
READ MORE: SIX EASY WAYS TO IMPROVE GUT HEALTH
References
1. Harvard health Blog - Leaky gut: What is it, and what does it mean for you? August 22, 2019 By Marcelo Campos, MD, Contributor
2. Leaky Gut As a Danger Signal for Autoimmune Diseases. Frontiers in Immunology, May 2017.
3. Suzuki T. Regulation of intestinal epithelial permeability by tight junctions. Cell Mol Life Sci (2013) 70(4):631–59. doi:10.1007/s00018-012-1070-x
4. Lamprecht M, Bogner S, Schippinger G, Steinbauer K, Fankhauser F, Hallstroem S, et al. Probiotic supplementation affects markers of intestinal barrier, oxidation, and inflammation in trained men; a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial
5. Zonulin, regulation of tight junctions, and autoimmune diseases . Alessio Fasano. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 2013.
