Are you suffering from Leaky Gut Syndrome? Are you fed up of food intolerances, IBS and inflammation? Are you showing signs of leaky gut symptoms?
Here are Great Tips to Help You Get on to the Road to Recovery
What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Leaky Gut is a synonym for the more formal nutritional term called Intestinal Permeability. Leaky gut occurs when your intestinal lining is damaged causing undigested food molecules, bacteria and pathogens to pass through cells called enterocytes that line your intestinal wall. Ordinarily, a barrier or mucosal lining exists to prevent toxins, bacteria and undigested food particles to pass through cell membranes and enter your blood stream and throughout your body. If toxins or food particles do enter your blood stream, your antibodies and cytokines will be activated. Your cytokines will alert your white blood cells, lymphocytes, to fight the undigested food particles and toxins resulting in inflammation, and irritation, otherwise known as leaky gut.
What causes Leaky Gut?
1. The most common causes of leaky gut include the presence of yeast such as candida albicans, bacteria or parasites. These all have the ability to damage your intestinal wall.
2. Medication including, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen and aspirin and antibiotics. All of these have the ability to damage the mucosal lining.
3. Chemotherapy, alcoholism, deficient SlgA, intestinal infections, dysbiosis, and gastroenteritis can also damage the mucosal lining.
4.Stress may also be a factor as is a diet high in refined foods or sugar all of which can cause damage an inflammation.
5. If you have a gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance and have been eating gluten, this can lead the cells located in your gut to release a protein called zonulin. Zonulin has the ability to damage the intestinal lining by breaking apart the your tight junctions and allowing bacteria, yeast and undigested food molecules to pass through into your blood stream.
What are the symptoms of Leaky gut?
Leaky gut symptoms can include the following:
1. Digestive symptoms such as bloating, pain, IBS, constipation and diarrhea are very common.
2. Fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, swelling, food intolerances, swollen red eyes and rashes are also common.
3. Chronic fatigue, Psoriasis and Candida or a yeast overgrowth are also symptoms.
How can I test for Leaky gut?
There are 3 key tests that will help you with leaky gut syndrome.
1. Food intolerance test
A food intolerance test test will help you understand whether foods may be linked to symptoms. This is a blood test. You will not be able to have a food intolerance test on the NHS – you will need to have this done privately.
2. Stool test
A stool test is very useful to see if parasites or bacteria or yeast are causing any of your symptoms and have contributed to breaking down of tight junctions.
3. Gut Permeability Profile- This test is very useful in detecting whether maldigested food is being absorbed into gut wall and will confirm whether you truly have a leaky gut. Lactulose and mannitol are used to assess intestinal permeability. After you ingest these substances if elevated levels of lactulose and mannitol are readily found this is indicative of leaky gut and increased intestinal permeability.
What supplements should I take to heal leaky gut?
There are a number of supplements that can help heal your gut.
The key supplement that will help improve intestinal function is L-Glutamine and dosages can range from 1-20 grams.
You should also consider taking zinc as well as deglycyrrhized licorice, folic acid and l-arginine and aloe vera.
Antioxidants are key in allieviating inflammation and you may wish to consult a qualified nutritionist to help you find the best dose. Quercetin has anti-inflammatory properties and N-acetly cysteine, superoxide dismutase (SOD), lipoic acid and Co-Q10 are all beneficial in reducing free radical that may be damaging the intestinal tract.
You should also consider replenishing your beneficial flora with some high quality probiotics and if your digestion is poor, you may need to supplement with enzymes.
Food Intolerances and Leaky Gut
If you have leaky gut you will also have food intolerances. Food particles will enter your blood stream through the damaged mucosal membranes and this will cause an inappropriate immune reaction. You will develop inflammation, cell damage and a number of unpleasant symptoms including digestive, head, eyes, muscles or joint skin, or mood disorders.
You should work with a qualified nutritionist to help you remove inflammatory foods and help you understand what the offending foods may be.
About Victoria Tyler BSc Hons MBANT
Victoria Tyler is nutritional therapist specializing in Food Intolerances and digestive disorders. Her clinic in central London and she works with patients online. Victoria helps patient’s worldwide overcome IBS, Thyroid, adrenal issues, food intolerances and weight loss. Victoria is a firm believer in Functional Medicine and her approach is based in trying to understand the real causes of symptoms. She writes nutrition articles regularly and also provides consultancy for high food retailers including Prêt a Manger, helping companies provide healthier foods. Victoria is passionate about nutrition and helping others get to the bottom of their symptoms. For more information please contact her on 0345 1297996
(https://nutritionandvitality.co.uk)
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