Leaky Gut also known as ‘Intestinal Permeability’ is a condition in which the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, in turn causing undigested food particles, toxic waste products and bacteria to leak through the intestines and flood the bloodstream. The foreign substances entering the blood can cause an autoimmune response in the body including inflammatory and allergic reactions such as migraines, irritable bowel, eczema, chronic fatigue, food allergies, rheumatoid arthritis and more.
With a leaky gut, damaged cells in the intestine are unable to produce the enzymes needed for proper digestion. Hence, it5 becomes difficult for the body to absorb essential nutrients, causing hormonal imbalance and a weakened immune system.
In more scientific language, an increase in permeability of the intestinal mucosa to luminal macromolecules, antigens and toxins associated with inflammatory degenerative and/or atrophic mucosal damage. Once in the blood stream the immune system is the last line of defense to deal with these substances and it will eventually get overwhelmed if a Leaky Gut is not rectified.
Leaky Gut Syndrome is a very common condition in this day and age. It is the cause of much or our modern autoimmune illness: IBS, Chrons disease, allergies, asthma, food sensitivities, chemical sensitivities, arthritic conditions, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, addison’s disease, lupus, fibromyalgia, thyroiditis. It is an illness that depicts our modern times.
Causes
In most cases, leaky gut is caused by the diet. Certain foods, like gluten, soy and dairy, act as foreign invaders of the gut. When these foods are consumed, the body goes into war, i.e, producing antibodies, as a result of a triggered immune response that includes diarrhea, headaches, fatigue and joint pain.
Leaky gut can also be caused by medications including antibiotics, steroids or over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin and acetaminophen, which can irritate the intestinal lining and damage protective mucus layers. This irritation can start or continue the inflammation cycle that leads to intestinal permeability.Alcohol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen are well-known irritants of the bowel lining.
The key and most common cause of Leaky Gut is Candida. Candida is a yeast-fungal organism that grows roots like a plant. These roots grow into and through the intestinal tract looking for food. These roots break through the intestinal lining and cause the leaky gut.
Our intestinal lining replaces itself approximately every 24 hours. This means that every cell that the lining is composed of is digested, and a new one grows to take its place. All this activity means the gut uses more blood when it is resting than any other organ but it is also the first to lose its blood supply when in a fight or flight situation, which is what stress is. If you have a lot of stress then your gut will always be starved for blood and the lining will be impaired.
Zinc is a critical piece of maintaining a strong intestinal lining. A deficiency of the vitamin can lead to the mucosal lining losing strength and becoming more permeable. There are studies that show that supplementing with Zinc when it is deficient can dramatically improve intestinal lining integrity
Certain conditions and treatments
The following conditions and treatments can also damage the seals in the bowel lining:
- Inflammatory bowel diseases – such as Crohn’s disease
- Infections of the intestines – such as salmonella, norovirus and giardiasis
- Coeliac disease
- Chemotherapy medicines
- Chronic kidney disease
- Radiotherapy to the abdomen (tummy)
- Immunosuppressants (medicines that weaken the immune system)
- HIV/AIDS
- Tystic Fibrosis
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Sepsis
- Complicated Surgery
Factors that worsen Leaky Gut –
- Alcohol and caffeine, which irritate the gut wall, this includes cokes (diet and regular), chocolate, coffee, and cocoa.
- Contaminated foods, E. coli and other bacteria’s can develop due to poor food handling.
- Chemicals found in processed and fermented foods (dyes and preservatives), wine, vinegar, soy sauce, tofu, etc.
- A diet high in refined sugars and other carbohydrates (e.g. candy, cookies, sodas, processed foods and white bread).
- Foods contaminated by parasites (pork, chicken, fresh water and hatchery fish).
- Antibiotic use-this causes an overgrowth of fungi (yeast) in the gut due to the immune suppression that occurs.
- Ingestion of animal products that have been given hormonal and antibiotic treatments.
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Symptoms
- The long-term net result of the leaky gut is the likely development of autoimmune disease where the body attacks its own tissues. There are some 80 recognized autoimmune diseases. These include:
- Lupus
- Alopecia areata
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Polymyalgia
- Multiple sclerosis rheumatica
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Celiac disease
- Vitiligo syndrome
- Thyroiditis
- Vasculitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Urticaria (hives)
- Diabetes
- Psoriasis
Physicians are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the GI tract in the development of autoimmune diseases. In fact, researchers now estimate that more than two-thirds of all immune activity occurs in the gut. Allergies can develop when the body produces antibodies to the undigested proteins derived from previously harmless foods. These antibodies can get into any tissue and trigger an inflammatory reaction when that food is eaten. Depending on where this inflammation occurs in the body—in the joints, brain, lungs, blood vessels or gut—a variety of chronic illnesses can develop as a result.
Other disorders that are associated with leaky gut include eczema, psoriasis, pancreatic insufficiency, candidiasis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), multiple chemical sensitivities and even heart disease. Leaky gut can aggravate existing conditions as well, for it can give rise to such symptoms as:
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Fever
- Abdominal discomfort
- Diarrhea
- Skin rashes
- Memory deficit
- Shortness of breath
Leaky gut syndrome can also cause malabsorption andthus deficiencies of many important nutrients—vitamins, minerals and amino acids—due to inflammation and thepresence of potent toxins. This malabsorption can alsocause gas, bloating and cramps, and can eventually lead to such complaints as fatigue, headaches, memory loss, poor concentration and irritability.
Treatment
Medications – Band-aid treatment with corticosteroids, prescription broad-spectrum antibiotics, and immunosuppressive drugs may be prescribed for acute episodes of pain, bleeding or severe inflammation of the gut. However, there is no conventional treatment that resolves a leaky gut.
Alternative treatment
Probiotics – Probiotics are the most important supplement to take because it helps replenish good bacteria and crowds out bad bacteria. They play essential roles that not only fight off the bad bacteria, but also reduce inflammation in the gut.
Digestive Enzymes– Digestive enzymes are critical to properly breaking down the foods we eat. They are found naturally in the raw form of foods to help break them down. The plant based enzymes will break down food into very small particles before it leaves the stomach, preventing large undigested molecules from irritating the intestinal lining and increasing nutritional uptake. They also work through the intestines acting as garbage collectors by removing toxins, bacteria, and damaged cells of the mucosal lining. The whole process gives the gut a clean slate of healthy cells to rebuild with. While the leaky gut permeability remains, they do the same garbage collecting in the bloodstream if they are passed through the intestinal lining. The bromelain and papain enzymes or pancreatic animal tissues (porcine, bovine, lamb) and aloe vera juice are shown to reduce inflammation in the gut lining and throughout other tissues in the body, allowing the immune system and the liver some reprieve.
Nutritional Supplementing – The conditions that lead to leaky gut can also cause mal-absorption and improper digestion, both of which are going to leave you with nutritional deficiencies. First and foremost: supplementing with a good multi-vitamin, large amounts of vitamin D, and Zinc will help the intestinal lining return to normal
L-Glutamineis critical for any program designed to heal leaky gut. Glutamine is an essential amino acid that is anti-inflammatory and necessary for the growth and repair of your intestinal lining. L-glutamine benefits include acting as a protector: coating your cell walls and acting as a repellent to irritants.
Licorice Root (DGL)is an adaptogenic herb that helps balance cortisol levels and improves acid production in the stomach. DGL supports the body’s natural processes for maintaining the mucosal lining of the stomach and duodenum. This herb is especially beneficial if someone’s leaky gut is being caused by emotional stress.
Quercetin has also been shown to improve gut barrier function by sealing the gut because it supports creation of tight junction proteins. It also stabilizes mast cells and reduces the release of histamine, which is common in food intolerance. New studies have also shown its effectiveness in healing ulcerative colitis.
Essential fatty acids– Milledflax, flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, olive oil, fish oil, black current seed oil; soluble fiber – pysillium seed husks and powder, apple and citrus pectin, the rice derived gamma oryzanol.
Plant Extract – Kudzu, various high chlorophyll containing green drinks like spirulina, chlorella and blue-green algae, burdock, slippery elm, Turkish rhubarb, sheep sorrel, licorice root, ginger root, goldenseal, bismuth and bentonite.
Colostrum – Colostrum has been clinically proven to heal leaky gut and increase immune response.
Reference –
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/leaky-gut-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/features/leaky-gut-syndrome
http://draxe.com/4-steps-to-heal-leaky-gut-and-autoimmune-disease/
http://www.purehealingfoods.com/infoLeakyGut.php