What Leaky Gut Is and Why You Should Care
What Leaky Gut Is and Why You Should Care
If you've been researching ways to improve your health, you may have come across the term "leaky gut," also known as intestinal permeability. While the phrase might conjure up an unpleasant image of your gut contents leaking into the rest of your body, it's not too far off the mark. Leaky gut occurs when the contents of the small intestine spill into the sterile bloodstream through a damaged and “leaky” gut wall. This contamination of the bloodstream by partially digested foods, bacteria, yeast, and other pathogens creates a foundation for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune health disorders.
Understanding Leaky Gut in Simple Terms
Your gut is like a fortress that protects your body from unwanted invaders. Think of your gut lining as a brick wall with tight, interconnected bricks. This wall allows only the smallest and necessary nutrients to pass through to your bloodstream. However, when the wall gets damaged, it develops gaps, making it "leaky."
When your gut becomes leaky, substances that shouldn't pass through, like undigested food particles, harmful bacteria, and toxins, escape into your bloodstream. This triggers your immune system to attack these foreign invaders, leading to widespread inflammation and a host of health problems.
Symptoms and Disorders Linked to Leaky Gut
Leaky gut can manifest in a variety of symptoms and disorders, including:
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Brain fog
- Skin problems
- Joint pain
- Chronic pain
- Autoimmune disease
- Puffiness
- Anxiety
- Poor memory
- Asthma
- Food allergies and sensitivities
- Seasonal allergies
- Fungal infections
- Migraines
- Arthritis
- PMS
Approximately 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, emphasizing the crucial role gut health plays in overall immune function. Studies suggest that up to 80% of people with food allergies have increased intestinal permeability, linking leaky gut directly to allergic responses.
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How Leaky Gut Develops
Leaky gut, referred to as intestinal permeability in scientific research, means inflammation has caused the inner lining of the small intestine to become damaged and overly porous. This allows overly large compounds into the small intestine. The immune system recognizes these compounds as hostile invaders that don’t belong in the bloodstream and launches an ongoing attack against them, raising inflammation throughout the body. Additionally, some of these compounds are very toxic (endotoxins) and take up residence throughout the body, triggering inflammation wherever they go.
At the same time, excess intestinal mucus and inflammation from the damage prevent much smaller nutrients from getting into the bloodstream, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies and poor cellular function. Leaky gut is increasingly being recognized as a common underlying factor in most inflammatory symptoms and disorders.
Medicine Finally Recognizes Leaky Gut
Conventional medicine has long ridiculed leaky gut information and protocols as quack science and alternative medicine folklore. However, newer research now establishes it as a legitimate mechanism. In fact, pharmaceutical companies are even working on drugs to address leaky gut.
Research has established links between leaky gut and many chronic disorders. It’s good that this long-known information is finally being validated in the dominant medical paradigm, as the gut is the largest immune organ, powerfully influencing the rest of the body, as well as the brain. Current studies link intestinal permeability with inflammatory bowel disorders, gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, type 1 diabetes, depression, psoriasis, and other chronic and autoimmune conditions. Given what we know about the connection between gut health and immunity, it’s vital to include a gut repair protocol in the overall treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.
How to Mend Leaky Gut
Sometimes, repairing leaky gut can be as simple as removing inflammatory foods from your diet. Other times it’s more complicated. Most importantly, you need to know why you have leaky gut. Either way, your diet is foundational.
Dietary Adjustments
Many cases of leaky gut stem from a standard US diet of processed foods and excess sugars. Food intolerances also contribute significantly, especially gluten intolerance. A leaky gut diet, also known as an autoimmune diet, has helped many people repair intestinal permeability. Keeping blood sugar balanced is also vital. If blood sugar gets too low or too high, it promotes leaky gut. Stabilizing blood sugar requires eating regularly enough to avoid energy crashes and preventing high blood sugar by avoiding too many sugars and carbohydrates. Regular exercise is also vital to stabilizing blood sugar and promoting a healthy gut.
Importance of Fiber
Additionally, failure to eat enough fiber and produce leads to leaky gut by creating a very unhealthy gut microbiome, or gut bacteria. Our intestines (and entire body) depend on a healthy and diverse gut microbiome for proper function. A healthy gut microbiome comes from eating at least 25 grams of fiber a day and a wide and rotating variety of plant foods.
Other Contributing Factors
Other common things that lead to leaky gut include antibiotics, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, excess alcohol, hypothyroidism, and autoimmunity. These factors can disrupt the delicate balance of gut bacteria and cause inflammation, further contributing to leaky gut.
Steps to Heal Leaky Gut
Eliminate Inflammatory Foods
Removing foods that cause inflammation is the first step in healing leaky gut. Common culprits include gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugars, and processed foods. An elimination diet can help identify which foods trigger your symptoms.
Incorporate Healing Foods
Incorporating foods that promote gut healing is equally important. These include:
- Bone broth: Rich in collagen and amino acids that support gut lining repair.
- Fermented foods: Such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir, which introduce beneficial bacteria to the gut.
- High-fiber foods: Like vegetables, fruits, and legumes, which support a healthy microbiome.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in fish, flaxseeds, and chia seeds, which help reduce inflammation.
Supplements for Gut Health
Certain supplements can aid in the healing process, including:
- Probiotics: To replenish beneficial gut bacteria.
- L-glutamine: An amino acid that helps repair the gut lining.
- Digestive enzymes: To improve nutrient absorption and reduce gut stress.
- Zinc: Essential for maintaining the gut barrier and immune function.
Leaky Gut and Allergies
Leaky gut doesn't just affect your digestive system; it has far-reaching impacts on your overall health, including your susceptibility to allergies. Here's how:
How Leaky Gut Contributes to Allergies
When your gut lining is compromised and becomes leaky, it allows undigested food particles and other foreign substances to enter your bloodstream. Your immune system, which is on constant alert for invaders, recognizes these substances as threats. This triggers an immune response, which can lead to the development of new food allergies and sensitivities.
For example, if your immune system starts reacting to food particles that escape through a leaky gut, you might develop symptoms every time you eat that food, such as hives, digestive upset, or even more severe allergic reactions. Over time, this constant immune activation can make you more susceptible to environmental allergies, such as pollen, dust mites, or pet dander.
Statistics on Leaky Gut and Allergies
According to research, approximately 70% of the immune system resides in the gut. This means that a healthy gut is crucial for a properly functioning immune system. Studies have shown that individuals with leaky gut syndrome are more likely to develop allergies. For instance, one study found that 80% of people with food allergies also had increased intestinal permeability.
Additionally, about 40% of people with environmental allergies, like hay fever, show signs of leaky gut. This connection highlights the importance of gut health in managing and potentially reducing allergy symptoms.
Symptoms of Allergies Linked to Leaky Gut
Symptoms of allergies that may be exacerbated by leaky gut include:
- Sneezing and runny nose
- Itchy eyes and throat
- Skin rashes or hives
- Digestive issues like bloating, gas, and diarrhea
- Asthma and breathing difficulties
Healing Leaky Gut to Reduce Allergies
By healing your leaky gut, you can potentially reduce or eliminate these allergy symptoms. Here are steps you can take:
Follow an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce gut inflammation and promote healing. This includes eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fermented foods.
Avoid Known Allergens
While working to heal your gut, it's essential to avoid foods and substances you know you are allergic or sensitive to. This can prevent additional immune system activation and allow your gut time to heal.
Support Your Gut with Probiotics
Taking a high-quality probiotic can help replenish the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut lining and reducing inflammation.
Consult a Healthcare Professional
If you suspect leaky gut is contributing to your allergies, it's a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional. They can provide personalized advice and help you develop a comprehensive plan to heal your gut and reduce allergy symptoms.
Conclusion
A leaky gut protocol can help you improve your health, relieve symptoms, boost energy, make you happier, and clear your brain fog. At Back On Track 2 Wellness, we are committed to providing you with the knowledge and tools necessary to support your health decisions and break down the barriers between you and optimal health. By addressing the root issues contributing to leaky gut, we help you move beyond symptom management to achieve lasting wellness. Contact our office today for personalized advice on improving your well-being through a leaky gut diet and protocol.
If you suspect you might have leaky gut or are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned, schedule a consultation with us today to begin your journey to better health!
Schedule a Consultation TODAY!
We would love to sit down with you and chat about your experiences and current pain points.
The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body. We do not aim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. Information is shared for educational purposes only. You must consult your doctor before acting on any content on this website, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.
Dr. Todd W. Bunning, DC, PC
Dr. Todd W. Bunning’s chiropractic and functional medicine services reach far beyond the local Roseville area, with webcam consultations available for patients in any location. With over 20+ years of Private Practice experience, Dr. Todd continues to focus on the individual: science-based methods to address whole-body health factors.
Dr. Todd’s education didn’t stop when he graduated from Life West Chiropractic College in 2003. Today, he’s continuing to receive training and is chipping away on numerous post-graduate degree programs. This unique blend of clinical health investigation and Lifestyle Medicine application helps people of all ages find the underlying factors that result in chronic disease.