Leaky gut syndrome is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects the lining of the intestines. That being said, a certain level of controversy exists about whether or not leaky Gut exists as it is defined since diagnosis of the disorder is incredibly difficult. Regardless, when a person is believed to be afflicted by this syndrome, tight junctions in the intestinal walls may not work correctly, resulting in tiny gaps that allow bacteria and other toxins to pass into the bloodstream—causing your immune system to go haywire. Increased permeability can be found in people with Crohn's disease and IBS. However, intestinal permeability is a symptom of these ailments, not a cause; it does not lead to anything more than inflammation of the bowel walls, and it is not leaky gut syndrome.

The gastrointestinal tract is a pathway of connected organs from the mouth to the colon. These GI organs are the esophagus, the stomach, and the small and large intestines. The role of our digestive enzymes within the stomach and small intestine is to break down nutrients in food and drink to use these smaller molecules for energy, growth, and repair.

The intestines protect the body from harmful bacteria and toxins (and anything else that should be outside our digestive tracts). The ordinarily tight openings in the intestinal walls allow H20 and these nutrients to pass into the bloodstream, all while keeping the toxic substances inside. With leaky gut syndrome, these openings widen, resulting in permeability, allowing food particles, bacteria, and toxins to enter the bloodstream, where they shouldn't be

The intestines are home to many microbes that help digestion, protect the intestinal wall, and support normal immune function. LGS involves imbalances in the gut biome, which triggers the body's immune response, resulting in inflammation, increased intestinal permeability, and other inflammatory diseases.

What are the symptoms of a leaky gut or "increased permeability" is not fully recognized or excepted by the western medical community, making finding symptoms arduous. Many symptoms are shared with other health conditions, making the disorder difficult for doctors to identify and often misdiagnosed. 

Common possible symptoms:

• Headaches

• Chronic diarrhea, constipation, or bloating

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Fatigue

• Widespread inflammation

• Difficulty concentrating

• Confusion

• Skin problems, such as acne, rashes, or eczema

• Joint pain

Leaky Gut shares common symptoms and is often confused with irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, diabetes, and food allergies. These symptoms overlap with many other health conditions, leading experts to believe that a leaky gut may contribute to their manifestation. 

Furthermore, scientists have closely looked at the gut-brain axis and the relationship between the GI tract and the brain. Some research has shown that a leaky gut may be a factor in mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression (Clapp, 2017)

What are the risk factors for a leaky gut?

While experts do not yet know what causes leaky gut syndrome, various risk factors can disrupt the gut microbiota and contribute to increased intestinal permeability. Some examples are:

• Alcohol consumption

• Poor nutrition

• Infections

• Autoimmune disorders

• Diabetes

• Stress

Testing for leaky Gut-

Diagnosis is challenging, but there is one specific test that some physicians will use to test intestinal permeability: the mannitol and lactulose test. Mannitol is easily absorbed by people with healthy intestinal linings, whereas lactulose is a larger molecule and thus is only slightly absorbed. A patient is asked to drink a solution containing both of these molecules, and then their urine is collected for six hours. The amount found in the urine determines how much was absorbed by the body – a healthy test will display high levels of mannitol and low levels of lactulose to determine permeability. If elevated levels of both are found in the urine, it is clear you have intestinal permeability. If low levels of both are found, it indicates poor absorption of all nutrients.

I want to let you know that this test indicates small intestine permeability and cannot fully diagnose a leaky gut. In Addition, since increased intestinal permeability is a symptom of many other diseases, it should not be used to necessarily diagnose the leaky gut syndrome, as this could prevent a patient from receiving treatment for a more severe condition they may have. I recommend you seek the advice of a gastroenterologist.

What is the fastest way to heal a leaky gut? Diet!

Diet and leaky Gut

The foundation of healthy, robust gut health is a nutrient-dense diet that is clean of environmental toxins and energy; additives and highly processed foods are critical to proper gut function and health.

One day of eating a processed standard American diet can adversely alter your gut microbiome. Remember, intestinal inflammation caused by a poor diet is one of the leading causes of leaky Gut. Organic vegetables, low-sugar fruits, undamaged fats, and grass-fed proteins will help to prevent inflammation and optimize metabolic and immune function.

A prominent food group (grains containing gluten) can increase a protein called zonulin in the Gut, which is a primary culprit of intestinal permeability. Zonulin is also linked to symptoms in people with celiac disease. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can also contribute to the leaky gut syndrome.

What foods should you avoid if you have leaky gut syndrome? Eating an anti-inflammatory diet right for your body is crucial to improving leaky gut symptoms, including bloating, gut pain, brain fog, fatigue, and joint pain. An anti-inflammatory diet also helps maintain a healthy microbiome and intestinal wall.

Choose nutrient-dense, low-sugar, low-toxin, pre of pesticide, and anti-inflammatory foods.

• Avoid sugar: Sugar causes systemic inflammation, is rough on the gut lining, and feeds harmful bacteria. Sugar also promotes the overgrowth of yeast and candida (a fungus), all of which cause inflammation of the gut lining and may contribute to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.

• Choose a diverse diet: Eating a variety of high-quality vegetables, fats, and proteins introduce not just good bacteria but many different bacteria into your microbiome, which will improve and sustain the integrity of your microbiome.

• Avoid anti-nutrients: Food toxins like mold, lectins, phytates, and oxalates can cause inflammation and limit the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals. In some cases, these compounds can even contribute to severe Gut and autoimmune reactions. These anti-nutrients can be found in many grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Oxalates are found in many otherwise healthy foods like broccoli, kale, and spinach. Only some people are sensitive to these foods, so test your individualized response to high-oxalate foods. In general, source your food wisely and look into soaking and sprouting your nuts and seeds to limit their phytate content.

• Avoid grains: Grains contain a large amount of gut-aggravating lectin and phytates and may also contain difficult-to-digest proteins like gluten. Once your Gut is healed, you can try introducing small amounts of soaked, fermented, or sprouted grains, like white rice, gluten-free oats, buckwheat, or quinoa. The fermentation or sprouting cuts the number of anti-nutrients and makes these grains easier to digest. But gluten-containing grains should be avoided indefinitely, especially for those with autoimmune conditions, chronic allergies, or irritable bowel syndrome.

• Choose local and fresh when possible: There is no better way to source nutrient-dense foods and support your local economy than shopping at your local farmers market. And because our gut bacteria are directly related to the bacteria found in our soil, eating high-quality, organic produce is essential to robust gut health.

• Choose your fibers wisely: Depending on the severity of your leaky gut or gut dysbiosis, you may want to limit or avoid starchy and fibrous vegetables or those with prebiotics. Fiber and prebiotics are excellent for feeding healthy gut bacteria, but they can also provide the bad guys. If you suffer from small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or SIBO, you'll want to treat that before bringing in a ton of prebiotic and fibrous foods.

• Avoid Alcohol reduces bacterial diversity and causes inflammation of the intestinal lining. Not good when you're trying to heal.

• Fermented foods may help: Although these foods are rich in probiotics, fermented foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, and pickles can also cause a histamine reaction in specific individuals. If you can tolerate dairy, fermented foods like yogurt and kefir are high in probiotic bacteria that can benefit the Gut.

• Avoid conventional dairy or eliminate dairy altogether: Dairy contains the protein A1 casein, is rough on the Gut, and can cause allergic reactions and sensitivities in many people. About 75 percent of the world's population is intolerant to lactose, the sugar in milk products. Not to mention the fact that commercial pasteurization diminishes vital enzymes inherent in milk products, making lactose even more challenging to digest. I recommend only grass-fed organic, raw milk, or yogurt from A2 cows. Avoid Processed and snack foods, Artificial sweeteners, Commercial sauces, and Industrial seed oils, like canola, soy, and cottonseed oil. If you suspect you're still sensitive to dairy, skip it altogether.

Pay Attention To Histamines

• Some probiotics, like sauerkraut, contain histamines, compounds that can cause symptoms like headaches, itchiness, and rashes and can increase systemic inflammation in certain people. If you experience symptoms after eating probiotic foods, you may be one who can't handle histamines.

Supplement Support Recommendations

• Ion Intelligence of Nature Gut Support - ION* Intelligence of Nature Gut Support

• Prebiotics: Prebiotics feed intestinal bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which support colon health. Resistant starches like banana flour, plantain flour, cassava, and raw potato starch are great in small quantities.- Prebiotic Fiber

• Digestive enzymes: Your small intestine, pancreas, stomach, and salivary glands produce enzymes that help you digest your food properly. But the production of these enzymes diminishes naturally with age and maybe even more limited when the health of the Gut is compromised. Try removing enzyme inhibitors like grains and legumes from your diet and supplementing with digestive enzymes. MassZymes

• Betaine HCL: Betaine HCL may help improve fat and protein digestion if you have low stomach acid due to chronic stress, age, or autoimmune disease. HCL

• Activated Charcoal: Activated charcoal is also an ancient and scientifically backed remedy. It absorbs endotoxins that cause gastrointestinal disease and removes toxins from processed, low-quality foods. Coconut Charcoal

• Collagen: Collagen is a protein that makes up most of the connective tissue in your body, including your joints, hair, skin, and nails. Collagen and bone broth offer vital amino acids necessary for tissue repair in the GI tract. Collagen

• L-Glutamine: Adding l-glutamine to your protocol is an anti-inflammatory amino acid that promotes healing in the GI tract while promoting muscle recovery and brain health. L-Glutamine