Crash Course on Leaky Gut
What is Leaky Gut?
The lining of our digestive tract is naturally semi-permeable, which means that it allows certain things, such as nutrients, water, and energy to pass through into the bloodstream. This membrane has tiny pores that enable these nutrients to pass through. However, excessive stress and inflammation can result in damage to this lining, causing the holes to enlarge and, in turn, enabling larger, undigested nutrients to leak into the bloodstream. Studies suggest that individuals with autoimmune, inflammatory, and gastrointestinal diseases are more likely to have a 'leaky gut' that allows these big particles through. The particles that leak through can include undigested foods, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can invade the gut. These 'invaders' can be toxic and foreign to the body, triggering an inflammatory response that can lead to various chronic illnesses.
Are You At Risk?
Experiencing stress in any form, be it toxins, traumas, or negative thoughts, can increase your risk of developing leaky gut. This condition is characterized by a damaged intestinal lining caused by inflammation, and it can be triggered by common stressors that affect us all. So, what factors can increase your chances of developing leaky gut?
SAD diet: The Standard American Diet, which is typically high in processed carbs, saturated fats, and low in fiber, can weaken the digestive barrier. Fiber is essential for maintaining a strong intestinal lining.
High alcohol intake: Consuming too much alcohol can damage the intestinal lining, causing inflammation in the body and affecting nutrient absorption in the digestive tract.
Frequent antibiotic usage: Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, but they can also eliminate the beneficial bacteria in your digestive system, which are necessary for proper digestion.
Daily use of NSAIDs: Regular use of over-the-counter painkillers like NSAIDs can cause intestinal inflammation and damage the lining of your digestive tract.
Frequent use of corticosteroids: These medications suppress the immune system, which is closely linked to your digestive tract. Lowered natural defenses can make you more susceptible to infections.
Birth control and high levels of estrogen: High levels of estrogen can contribute to yeast overgrowth in the digestive tract, which is associated with inflammation and leaky gut.
Acid-reducing drugs: Medications like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) lower the acid in your stomach, which can make you more vulnerable to stomach infections and bacterial invasion in your digestive tract.
Autoimmune diseases and digestive illnesses: Conditions such as IBS, IBD, RA, Hashimoto's, Crohn's, and diverticulitis are linked to high levels of inflammation that can damage the lining of your intestines and lead to leaky gut.
Chronic inflammatory diseases: Chronic illnesses like diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and obesity are associated with long-term inflammation. This can disrupt the digestive tract's lining and reduce the diversity and quality of the gut bacteria present.
Common Signs and When To Get Tested
high levels of inflammation or diagnosed inflammatory disease
burning feeling in stomach
diarrhea or painful constipation
painful gas or bloating
low energy, fatigue, and excessive daytime sleepiness
food allergies
brain fog, memory issues, ADD/ADHD
skin irritations like acne, hives, rosacea, and eczema
hormonal imbalances
If you are experiencing 3 or more of these symptoms on a daily basis, it is likely time to get tested.
Why Test?
Leaky gut affects large areas of the digestive system and can cause vague and general gastrointestinal symptoms that often overlap with other GI issues. Therefore, testing is crucial to receive a proper diagnosis and support for your gastrointestinal problems. The first phase of treating leaky gut is to identify and remove the inflammatory factor, which can be a parasite, bacteria, yeast, or other irritants. Bacterial overgrowth can occur at different locations in the digestive tract, and testing can help us to determine the best course of action.
The treatment of leaky gut involves five steps. The first step is to remove anything that is inflammatory and causing digestive issues, including parasites, infections, foods that you may be sensitive or allergic to, processed foods, and common food allergens like corn, soy, and wheat. In the second step, we incorporate healthier, more nutrient-dense foods that help to repair the gut lining and promote healthy gut function. Depending on test results, your practitioner may incorporate supplements to improve stomach acid levels, bile salts, or enzymes to aid in the breakdown of food.
The third step is to incorporate probiotics that help colonize and heal the gut microbiome and build the population of good bacteria in your digestive tract. In the fourth step, anti-inflammatory nutrients are brought in, such as vitamin D, magnesium, collagen and bone broth, and glutamine. These nutrients will differ based on test results and personal situations. The last step is to find balance in life by getting quality sleep, managing stress, maintaining a healthy diet, and exercising regularly.
How to Test Effectively
There are different methods to test for leaky gut, including a stool sample, blood test, and breath test.
Stool Testing - A stool sample is minimally invasive and can be taken in the privacy and comfort of your own home. It gives a more detailed picture of what is happening in your gut.
Blood Testing - A blood test is quick but more expensive and analyzes a sample of your blood for evidence of gut bacteria infiltration. Specific antibodies and endotoxins are some of the biomarkers analysts look for.
Breath Testing - A breath test is often combined with stool testing when certain symptoms and signs are present. It tests for specific causes of leaky gut that may not be detectable through blood tests.
How is Leaky Gut Fixed?
Resolution of leaky gut typically involves five steps:
Remove - The first step is to remove anything that is inflammatory and causing digestive issues, including parasites, infections, foods that you may be sensitive or allergic to, processed foods, and common food allergens like corn, soy, and wheat.
Replace - In the second step, we incorporate healthier, more nutrient-dense foods that help to repair the gut lining and promote healthy gut function. Depending on test results, your practitioner may incorporate supplements to improve stomach acid levels, bile salts, or enzymes to aid in the breakdown of food.
Reinnoculate - The third step is to incorporate probiotics that help colonize and heal the gut microbiome and build the population of good bacteria in your digestive tract.
Repair - In the fourth step, anti-inflammatory nutrients are brought in, such as vitamin D, magnesium, collagen and bone broth, and glutamine. These nutrients will differ based on test results and personal situations.
Rebalance - The last step is to find balance in life. Make sure you are getting quality sleep, managing stress well, maintaining a healthy diet, and exercising regularly.
How Long Does It Take To See Results?
The time required to resolve leaky gut issues can vary from person to person depending on factors such as the underlying cause, severity, and duration of the problem. Compliance with the recommended protocol and diet can also play a crucial role in resolving the issue. While some patients have been able to resolve their chronic digestive issues within a few months, others have taken a year or more. Although most people experience a reduction in symptoms within the first week, complete resolution of symptoms may take time.
Signs Your Gut Is Healing
Attempting to restore your gut health can be challenging, and it's important to remember that setbacks are a normal part of the process. Leaky gut is a complex condition that requires a lot of commitment and determination to overcome. However, setbacks should not discourage you, as they are often a natural part of the road to recovery. As you work on repairing your gut lining, your symptoms can be a good indicator of the progress you are making. Look out for the following signs to know you are making progress:
reduced food sensitivities leading to less brain fog, fatigue, and chronic pain.
improved skin health, and fewer instances of acne, hives, dandruff, and eczema.
inflammatory lab markers showing improvement
fewer digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, nausea, and bloating
How Can You Support Your Body While Healing The Gut?
Prebiotics - prebiotics are what help feed the good bacteria in the gut so that they multiply and become stronger to properly protect your digestive tract and digest foods.
Probiotics - Probiotics, on the other hand, come in different strains of bacteria and help to maintain the diversity of gut bacteria, preventing bad bacteria from taking over and causing harm. Click here for 10% off my custom Gut Health Reset supplement bundle that has been designed to fight leaky gut and inflammation. It is packed with high-quality prebiotics, probiotics, and anti-inflammatories to help you feel better and function better!
Stress Reduction - Reducing stress reduces inflammation, which in turn lowers the risk of damaging the lining of the digestive tract.
Quality Sleep - Deep, quality sleep allows your body to shift its energy towards healing your digestive tract, while also reducing chronic levels of stress and inflammation that can often exacerbate leaky gut.
Focus on Nutrition - Eating more anti-inflammatory foods, removing any known allergens, and incorporating proper supplementation can help speed up your healing process.
Gentle Exercise - Gentle exercises that help reduce cortisol and inflammation can include yoga, qi gong, and pilates. Try to avoid high-intensity exercises when repairing the gut lining as they can often increase inflammation in the body.
Collagen/Bone Broth - Collagen and bone broth are incredibly supportive to the damaged intestinal lining because they contain building blocks that your body can use to begin repairing any damage done from leaky gut and other digestive infections and illnesses.
Reduce Refined Carbs - Refined carbohydrates like baked goods, white pastas and rice, added sugars, are all inflammatory and can worsen leaky gut symptoms.
Where Can You Get Tested?
Find yourself a functional medicine practitioner!
I offer personalized functional stool, breath, and blood testing for patients, regardless of location in the United States (excluding New York). I work closely with a lab that will ship the breath and stool testing kits straight to your door so that you are free to collect samples in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Simply collect your samples, place them in the supplied box, label them with the free return label, and ship it! It’s very simple and timely.
From here, we wait for results to come in. Once your lab test results are completed, you will receive a digital copy of your testing results, as well as a video review of myself covering your results in detail. We will also have a report of findings where I go over your results with you, as well as address the path forward. During this time you are encouraged to ask questions that you have prepared while watching your review video.
You can schedule a discovery call with me here.
