Leaky Gut: Causes and Treatments

An increasing number of Americans are experiencing the results of choosing a poor diet, toxic overload, chronic stress, and bacterial imbalance (microbiome). Now the prevalence of leaky gut has increased to levels that are epidemic. However, conventional western medicine is just now beginning to acknowledge the condition despite the fact that “intestinal permeability” has been discussed in the medical literature for more than 100 years.

Why is this important? Because a leaky gut is a red flag that you may have or develop an autoimmune disease.

What is leaky gut syndrome?

Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.” Over 2,000 years later, scientific research has proven that he was prescient in his assessment.

For over 30 years, several thousand studies have been published to date that discuss the growing field of knowledge about immunity, gut function, and how modern diets and lifestyles negatively contribute to overall health by damaging the digestive system. In medical literature, leaky gut is also referred to as “increased intestinal hyperpermeability.”

What happens when you have leaky gut?

The intestines are protected by a single layer of specialized epithelial cells that are linked together by tight junction (or TJ) proteins. Leaky gut symptoms are a consequence of intestinal TJ malfunction.