Why all the fuss about leaky gut syndrome, you may wonder?

Well, leaky gut syndrome can trigger more than an upset tummy with symptoms like bloating, nausea, constipation, gas, diarrhoea and heartburn. When leaky gut syndrome is left to linger it can also cause widespread issues like brain fog, acne, food allergies, joint pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue.

It’s actually responsible for a lot more than you may think. But what exactly is a leaky gut? Let me explain...

Your gut lining - the protective barrier

Your intestines are protected by a single layer of specialised cells that make up something called the mucosal barrier (this barrier sits between the inside of the gut and the rest of the body) and these cells are linked together by tight junction proteins.

The tight junctions lining your gut form a wall between your intestines and your bloodstream. They control what passes into the bloodstream from your digestive system.

However, when the permeability of the gut lining has been altered (i.e. there is intestinal permeability beyond what there should be) these tight junctions become looser.

The result of this is that cracks and holes can appear in your gut lining allowing toxins, bacteria, and foreign substances like undigested food particles to enter the bloodstream.

Hello - leaky gut syndrome!

In a healthy gut, when you digest food, your intestines break it down, allowing only tiny healthy nutrients to pass through the walls of your gut lining into the bloodstream.

What causes intestinal permeability?

Your intestines are loaded with trillions of microorganisms that form a natural ecosystem referred to as gut flora.

This ecosystem is designed to be beneficial to both you - the individual, and the microbes that live within you. Certain diet and lifestyle stressors however can throw off this natural, interactive balance and as a consequence cause an increase in harmful microbes, chronic gut inflammation and damage to the gut lining.

Diet and lifestyle stressors that can trigger leaky gut

We all have some degree of intestinal permeability, as the gut lining is not completely impenetrable (and it isn’t supposed to be). Some of us may have a genetic predisposition and may be more sensitive to changes in the digestive system, but our DNA is not the only factor at play.

Poor diet, gut infections, toxins, and stress are the main drivers behind leaky gut syndrome.

1. Diet

Diets including inflammatory and processed foods, added sugar, alcohol, saturated fats, diet foods and drinks, artificial sweeteners, gluten and any meat, dairy and poultry from animals that have been treated with antibiotics can all promote unfavourable conditions in the gut.

The latter can have the same effect as taking antibiotic prescriptions on our gut due to the amount of antibiotics present in the meat or dairy.

And gluten causes the gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that can break apart the tight junctions in your intestinal lining. More on zonulin later.

2. Chronic stress

Stress that is ongoing whether it be physical, mental, emotional or physiological in nature will have a negative impact on your gut health.

3. Toxin overload

We come into contact with lots of chemicals and toxins, but the worst offenders for causing leaky gut include drugs like antibiotics, steroids, acid-reducing medication, NSAIDS and tap water. Environmental toxins including mycotoxins (mold toxins), mercury, pesticides, and BPA from plastics are also causal agents.

Actually antibiotics are the worst thing for our microbial balance. After a round of antibiotics it will take at least four to eight weeks to renew the gut.  During which time opportunistic pathogens and parasites can establish themselves on the gut wall.

4. Gut infections

The most common infectious causes are candida overgrowth, intestinal parasites, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

5. Bacterial imbalance (aka dysbiosis)

Bacterial imbalance is as it implies, an imbalance between the good and bad species of bacteria in your gut. A large body of evidence now shows that gut microbiota is important in supporting the mucosal barrier lining of your gut and preventing autoimmune reactions.

Symptoms of a leaky gut

Since leaky gut is not yet a medically recognised condition, there is no specific diagnostic criteria.

However, there are some signs, symptoms and diagnoses you can look out for that may indicate foreign invaders are breaking through your gut wall.

If your intestinal wall has been compromised, you could experience these signs, symptoms and diagnoses:

• Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Food allergies or food intolerances

• Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, or ADHD

• Mood imbalances such as depression and anxiety

• Skin issues such as acne, rosacea or eczema

• Seasonal allergies or asthma

• Hormonal imbalances such as irregular periods, PMS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

• Diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s, psoriasis, or celiac disease

• Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia

Testing for leaky gut syndrome

It’s not easy to establish whether you have a leaky gut or not, as symptoms are often linked to other health conditions. There are a couple of ways however to test for leaky gut though.

Firstly, zonulin is a protein that signals the tight junctions of your intestinal wall to open up, creating leaky gut.

Higher than normal levels of zonulin is an indicator of a leaky gut, and there are tests you can do via a functional health practitioner to measure your zonulin levels.

It’s something I arrange for my clients (where appropriate) either as a measure by itself, or as part of a comprehensive gut health test to help assess, restore and optimise gut function.

Dr. Alessio Fasano, an acclaimed Harvard researcher has proven that zonulin breaks open the tight junctions of the gut wall, allowing large particles to pass through and cause inflammation.

He also proved that certain infections and a component of wheat called gliadin stimulate the production of zonulin. Finally, he was able to show a link between the opening of the gut wall, chronic inflammation, and autoimmunity. Where would we be without these clever researchers.

Another way to test for leaky gut is to discover whether you have any food sensitivities or intolerances (same thing). The best way to identify food sensitivities is to complete an elimination diet.

An elimination diet is designed to highlight exactly what foods are causing the symptoms you’re experiencing and it's done for a short-term period only.

Leaky gut and your immune system

When you have a leaky gut more and more invaders are able to escape into your bloodstream. Your immune system reacts with inflammatory attacks causing it to become overstressed and less effective, which can ultimately lead to more widespread symptoms like those mentioned earlier.

If leaky gut syndrome is left to its own devices it can eventually develop into autoimmunity.

Your immune system also starts to make antibodies against the substances that have escaped into your bloodstream. Many of these foreign invaders - e.g. gluten and dairy in particular look very similar to your own body’s cells.

Under constant pressure, your immune system can get confused and accidentally attack your tissues. This process of mistaken identity is another way that leaky gut syndrome can trigger autoimmunity.

Once you have an autoimmune condition, leaving your symptoms untreated can cause your condition to progress. This unfortunately increases the likelihood of developing other autoimmune conditions too.

Healing leaky gut syndrome

So how can you heal leaky gut syndrome? This 4 step process is the best way to work towards healing leaky gut syndrome:

1. Remove inflammatory and toxic irritants

Remove all inflammatory foods that can contribute to leaky gut such as gluten, dairy and eggs. You’ll also need to ditch toxic foods like sugar, alcohol and caffeine. And eliminate any gut infections you may have, whether caused by parasites, candida overgrowth, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), as well as toxins.

2. Replace the bad with the good

Add in leaky gut supplements to help support optimal digestion and nutrient absorption, as well as assist your body’s inflammation responses and ability to repair the intestine.

3. Reinoculate your microbiome

Restore the beneficial bacteria in your gut with the right blend of probiotics to re-establish a healthy microbiome.

4. Repair your gut lining

Provide your gut with the essential nutrients it needs to repair itself. You want to be taking supplements that nourish and soothe your gut cells as well as restore your gut’s natural mucosal lining. Aloe, slippery elm and marshmallow root are powerful gut healing ingredients.

The key to addressing leaky gut syndrome is to find out what your particular triggers and causes are. My priority with clients is to always uncover the root drivers via my in-person clinic and online consultations worldwide.

Goodbye leaky gut!

If you found this post helpful or would like to share your experience, do comment below. I love to hear from you.

Nicola x