Leaky Gut

Leaky gut and increased intestinal permeability are terms used to describe defects in the intestinal barrier leading to bowel hypermeability.

Intestinal cells line the digestion tract forming a protective tight junction which prevents unwanted substances such as microbes, toxins and waste products to pass through to the body.  Disruption of this protective tight junction, where such unwanted substances pass through unchecked, is called leaky gut.  Leaky gut is a mechanism proposed to explain its causal relationship with certain acute and chronic diseases such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, allergies, eczema and asthma, etc.

Based on this hypothesis the leaky gut is caused by gut’s exposure to toxins, poor diet, parasites, infection, medications etc.  This in turn allows substances, such as toxins, microbes, undigested food, waste, or larger than normal macromolecules, to leak through an abnormally permeable gut wall. It has been suggested that these out-of-place substances adversely affect the body directly or initiate an immune reaction.  Leaky gut has been observed to play a central role in the pathophysiology of IBD, gastrointestinal diseases, cardiovascular disease, skin diseases, acute and chronic pediatric and other recognized diseases.

Treatment of Leaky Gut consists of 4 “R”s: Remove, Replace, Re-inoculate and Repair.