Leaky Gut Symptoms, Causes and Tests

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What are Leaky Gut symptoms? Is there a Leaky Gut test? Why is this important?

Leaky Gut Syndrome, also known as Intestinal Permeability,  may be the cause of multiple chronic health problems. Especially Autoimmune disorders.

To hear this Primal Diet – Modern Health podcast on Leaky Gut, please go here. Or use the player at the top of the page.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

The mucus lining of the small intestine provides a barrier between the insides of our intestine and what lies outside it (blood, organs, muscles). A healthy gut wall keeps undigested food, fecal matter, bacteria and toxins IN the gut (to be digested or eliminated).

If the gut wall is damaged, these toxic foreign particles might pass through. The Functional Medicine view is that this can cause allergies, immune activity and inflammation.

Is Leaky Gut a Medical Diagnosis?

According to the Cleveland Clinic and other medical sites, Intestinal Permeability can occur as a result of NSAID excess and other known medical issues.

But the condition is spoken of as “hypothetical”. It is difficult to diagnose actual views of microscopic gut lining damage.

Leaky Gut Syndrome and Inflammation

Our immune system watches for foreign particles. It marks them as safe or as invaders.

If a bacteria, undigested food particle or other toxins are marked as invaders, the immune system may attack them.

This immune activation of inflammatory cytokines causes inflammation can cause inflammation in the brain, joints, heart, skin, blood vessels and more.

Bottom Line: If you’re talking inflammation, you’re talking Leaky Gut.

8 Leaky Gut Symptoms

• Fatigue, fibromyalgia, body pains, bloating and brain fog may be caused by inflammatory cytokines.
• Gut pain is NOT a symptom: A leaky gut itself does not “hurt” as the mucosal lining of the gut has no nerve fibers. But a bloated belly, diarrhea and irritated bowel caused by a Leaky Gut can be painful.
• Toxins are linked to the extreme rise of autoimmune, inflammatory and intestinal disorders in the last 50 years.
• Systemic inflammation such as elevated C-Reactive Protein and autoimmune disorders
• Food intolerances, joint pain and poor muscle recovery are linked to these foreign substances in the blood.
• Anxiety and depression (by way of inflammation of nervous system and the reduced output of healthy neurotransmitters) can be leaky gut symptoms.
• Toxic liver load: the liver tries to dismantle and detoxify these large “leaked” food fragments. This toxic load may cause headaches and difficulty handling environmental toxins.
• Almost any chronic symptom may be a leaky gut symptom. There is no definite list!

Leaky Gut Without Intestinal Symptoms

If you eat an anti-inflammatory diet and avoid foods that cause bloating or loose stool, you may have no GUT symptoms of Leaky Gut at all.

Causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome

1). Lectins: in certain foods, Lectins damage the gut wall, especially grains, gluten, dairy and processed foods. Eating anything you are intolerant to causes more inflammation and more intolerances….

2). Gut infections: Infections can break down the mucosal wall. Then antibiotics destroy the good bacteria that help protect the wall.

3). NSAID’s and acid blockers. These damage the gut barrier if taken too frequently or at higher doses.

4). Autoimmune disorders: Multiple AI disorders can affect the gut wall. Celiac Disease is one example.

5).  Disrupted gut flora.  GMO foods, hybridized foods, pesticides, antibiotics, sugar and Candida all affect the Microbiome. These two herbal products in my online store are helpful for treating Candida:  Morinda Supreme and #4 FungDX.

6). Stress. Chronic stress releases damaging stress hormones (such as cortisol) and stomach acids. These suppress the immune system.

7). Gluten and most Dairy. Gluten and dairy (except butter and ghee) can be big reasons for Leaky Gut symptoms, along with high sugar and starch diets causing dysbiosis. I ask clients to avoid grains, and all dairy except ghee and butter. We did not evolve eating these foods. My DVD/Video “The Diet For Human Beings” explains what to eat and why.

Testing for Leaky Gut

There are multiple breath, blood, stool and urine tests which may indicate a permeable gut. They all have merits but also drawbacks.

1. Lactulose and Mannitol Sugars test: May be useful and is clinically accepted but can be misleading.
2. Zonulin tests: Here is what Chris Kresser says about the Zonulin test. He adds that Zonulin testing has some benefits but can be unreliable and not easily reproduced on retesting.

In 2000, researcher Alessio Fasano and his team discovered zonulin, a protein that modulates tight junction integrity. Upon insult to the intestine, zonulin is released from epithelial cells, where it can act locally on receptors on the apical (lumen-facing) membrane of nearby cells. This starts a signaling cascade that leads to tight junction disassembly. Gliadin, a protein found in wheat, and bacterial exposure are particularly potent stimulators of zonulin release

3). Zonulin Antibody Test: Cyrex Labs “Array 2” is the best test. I run this unique blood test on Clients needing to see test results to fully change their diet and lifestyle. And to understand what may be the underlying cause of autoimmune problems and their Leaky Gut symptoms.

Can an Allergy Test Diagnose Leaky Gut?

Allergy and Food Sensitivity tests may show antibodies to foods that you’re not actually allergic to – it’s just the trail of evidence that your immune system has attacked undigested food particles passing through the gut wall. I’ve seen “allergy tests” improve dramatically after healing the gut mucosal wall.

Can you see Leaky Gut in a colonoscopy or endoscopy?

No, this damage to the gut wall is not visible except by extreme microscopy.

Damage to the intestinal villi can be seen during a colonoscopy, but not damage to the mucosal surface unless it’s an active lesion of some type.

Foods and Supplements for Leaky Gut

There’s a lot involved in repairing any part of your body. Sometimes it’s what you stop doing rather than something you add. There’s more info on how to fix leaky gut in my article titled “5 Steps I Took to Heal Leaky Gut”.

For starters, long-term use of Systemic Formula’s LGUT, as well as Glutamine (on an empty stomach). Bone broth or Collagen Peptides (Gelatin)  may be helpful if they don’t cause a Herpes flare. Passion Flower to help calm stress hormones. Good probiotics are essential (like this one) as well as properly fermented foods like the kraut from this company which I can find at Whole Foods.