Leaky gut, or intestinal hyperpermeability, is a condition where the outer membrane or lining of the intestines develop fissures, allowing particles normally contained in the digestive tract to escape into the bloodstream. These proteins, toxins, yeast, waste – and even bits of undigested food – are foreign matter in the bloodstream.
The first line of defense for the immune system is the liver, which will try to filter out the foreign matter. The liver becomes over-worked and isn’t able to keep up, so the immune system is triggered to attack the particles. When the immune system and liver are overwhelmed, other autoimmune conditions can arise.
Food particles released directly into the bloodstream rather than being digested normally can lead the body to identify them as harmful. This can cause multiple food allergies and sensitivities.
Medical practitioners are still in the early days of understanding leaky gut syndrome; there is much more research yet to be done.
Leaky Gut Symptoms
Symptoms of leaky gut vary greatly for individuals. They can include:
- Chronic constipation, diarrhea and undigested food particles in the feces
- Leaky gut acne, which is caused by the body expelling undigested food and proteins that escape through cracks in the intestinal walls out through the skin
- Uncontrollable weight gain
- Weight loss resistance when carefully following a calories in, calories out diet plan
- Food allergies or sensitivities
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Inflammation in joints and tissues. Some research suggests that leaky gut can actually trigger inflammatory disease.
- Skin rash or hives
- Gas and bloating
- Environmental allergies
- Cravings for foods high in sugar and carbs as a result of overgrowth of candida yeast
- Asthma
Causes of Leaky Gut
“Leaky gut” occurs when the tight junctions in the intestines weaken and allow particles to leak into the bloodstream. This weakening can be caused by factors such as stress, food allergies or sensitivities, genetic predisposition, alcohol use, and an imbalance of gut bacteria.
Leaky Gut Treatment
Here are a few options available to treat leaky gut:
1. Try an Elimination Diet
Remove all of the foods that commonly cause reactions for a period of time. During the strict phase of the diet, eat only whole organic foods like vegetables, non-tropical fruits, poultry (avoid products from factory farming), wild salmon and other deep-ocean fish, beans, legumes, tree nuts and gluten-free grains. Eliminating common allergens will give your body a chance to rest and heal.
After several weeks, re-introduce foods one at a time and document the return of symptoms. If you react negatively to a certain food, you’ll have the evidence you need to decide to avoid it permanently. Click here for a sample elimination diet and full diet guide.
2. Use Probiotics
Probiotics can help to re-introduce “good bugs”, or bacteria to your microbiome that are helpful to digestion. There are many ways to add probiotics to your diet, including a high quality probiotic supplement and naturally fermented foods such as:
- Kombucha, or fermented tea
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi, a Korean condiment made with fermented vegetables
3. Add Prebiotic foods
Prebiotic foods, once thought to be good for people purely because they are high in fiber, have additional health benefits. Their insoluble fiber provides food for the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. Prebiotic foods include jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, onions and garlic. With the exception of onion, prebiotic foods should be eaten raw.
4. Reduce Stress
Try to reduce stress in your life. While leaky gut is a relatively recent concept, it has been known for a long time that stress is harmful to the digestive system.
5. Reduce Alcohol
Chronic use of alcohol not only causes intestinal permeability, but also disrupts the balance of bacteria in the gut. [source]
Note: Some websites recommend other supplements such as L-glutamine for the treatment of leaky gut. While these supplements may make theoretical sense, experts do not agree on their effectiveness.
Ready to get gut healthy? Learn more about how your gut works and think about giving an elimination diet a try!