Download “treatments” for “leaky gut syndrome”

The GI condition commonly known as “leaky gut syndrome” has been gaining a
lot of attention lately for several reasons:
A growing body of research has linked leaky gut to a number of “seemingly
unrelated” health concerns and chronic diseases.
As more Americans are affected by poor diet choices, chronic stress, toxic
overload and bacterial imbalance it appears that the prevalence of leaky gut has
reached epidemic proportions.
The medical profession is just now agreeing this condition even exists!
This last point is especially shocking to me because “intestinal permeability” has
been discussed in the medical literature for over 100 years!
Leaky Gut Symptoms List
You would be surprised at how many health conditions are a result of having
leaky gut. The father of modern medicine Hippocrates said “All disease begins in
the Gut” and research is now proven he was absolutely right.
Essentially, leaky gut syndrome (“intestinal hyperpermeability”) is a condition that
happens as a consequence of intestinal tight junction malfunction.
These “tight junctions” are the gateway between your intestines and what is
allowed to pass into the blood stream. Your tight junctions keep things out like
toxins, microbes and undigested food particles.
But having leaky gut is essentially like having the gates broken from your
intestines to your blood stream so many of these particles that should never have
been able to enter have now gotten through. When this happens it causes
inflammation throughout your body leading to a variety of diseases.
Pg 2
According to a study published in a Norwegian medical journal this process “is
implicated in the onset of disease include several acute and chronic pediatric
conditions that are likely to have their origin during infancy” and has been linked
to:












Allergies
Asthma
Autism
Autoimmune disease
Eczema and psoriasis
Fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Inflammatory bowel disease
Overweight (spare tire)
Rheumatoid arthritis
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
Type 1 diabetes
So how do you know if you have a leaky gut? Keep a watch out for these 7 leaky
gut symptoms.
The 7 Signs You Have Leaky Gut
1. Food Sensitivities – People affected by food sensitivities oftentimes find that
leaky gut is to blame. Because of the onslaught of toxins that enter the
bloodstream, the immune systems of people with intestinal hyper permeability
are on overdrive mass-producing various antibodies, which makes their bodies
more susceptible to antigens in certain foods (especially gluten and dairy).
Pg 3
2. Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Researchers from Hungary have recently
uncovered that elevated gut permeability is oftentimes localized to the colon in
people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis.
Another study suggests that, for Crohn’s disease patients, leaky guy is prevalent in
a majority cases and even up to 10% – 20% of their “clinically healthy relatives,”
which suggests a potential genetic component. Zinc supplementation has been
found to be quite effective at tightening up the intestinal tight junctions in these
cases.
3. Autoimmune Disease – The key to understanding how leaky gut can cause an
autoimmune disease is through the research done on a protein known as
“zonulin.” According to a 2011 article published in the journal Physiologic
Reviews,
Zonulin is the only physiological modulator of intercellular tight junctions
described so far that is involved in trafficking of macromolecules and, therefore,
in tolerance/immune response balance. When the finely tuned zonulin pathway is
deregulated in genetically susceptible individuals, both intestinal and
extraintestinal autoimmune, inflammatory, and neoplastic disorders can occur.”
Eating gluten can oftentimes trigger this dangerous cascade. University of
Maryland, School of Medicine researchers have uncovered that gluten “activates
zonulin signaling irrespective of the genetic expression of autoimmunity, leading
to increased intestinal permeability to macromolecules.”
4. Thyroid Problems – One of the autoimmune diseases that leaky gut syndrome
may directly affect is Hashimoto’s disease. Also known as “chronic thyroiditis,”
this disorder can lead to hypothyroidism, impaired metabolism, fatigue,
depression, weight gain, and a host of other concerns.
Pg 4
5. Malabsorption – Various nutritional deficiencies result from leaky gut include
vitamin B12, magnesium and key enzymes that help digest food. It is
recommended that people with leaky gut supplement with a whole foods based
multi-vitamin and live probiotic to not only help digest the food that they eat, but
to make sure that they get the vital nutrition that they need.
6. Inflammatory Skin Conditions – First described over 70 years ago, the gut-skin
connection theory has described how intestinal hyper-permeability can cause a
slew of skin conditions; particularly acne and psoriasis. Generally, dangerous
creams and drugs are prescribed for these skin disorders, yet they can oftentimes
be fixed by healing the gut!
7. Mood Issues and Autism – According to a study published in the journal Neuro
Endocrinology Letters, leaky gut has been shown to cause various neurocognitive
disorders. For example, the inflammatory response characteristic of intestinal
hyper permeability triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other
chemicals that induce depression.
Regarding autism, a study was just published this past January in the journal
Nutritional Neuroscience describing the “vicious circle between immune system
impairment and increasing dysbiosis that leads to leaky gut and neurochemical
compounds and/or neurotoxic xenobiotics production and absorption.” The idea
is that the “metabolic pathways impaired in autistic children can be affected by
genetic alterations or by environment-xenobiotics interference.”
What the Medical Community Has to Say About Leaky Gut Syndrome
Pg 5
WebMD refers to leaky gut as “something of a medical mystery.” No wonder,
because it isn’t even taught as a diagnosis in medical school!
“From an MD’s standpoint, it’s a very gray area,” says gastroenterologist Donald
Kirby, MD – Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic –
“Physicians don’t know enough about the gut, which is our biggest immune
system organ.”
And to make matters worse, Government agencies have also contributed to the
confusion. According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS),
There is little evidence to support this theory, and no evidence that so-called
“treatments” for “leaky gut syndrome”, such as nutritional supplements and a
gluten-free diet, have any beneficial effect for most of the conditions they are
claimed to help.
Yet, not everyone agrees. In the words of Linda A. Lee, MD – gastroenterologist
and Director of the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center –
“We don’t know a lot but we know that it exists.” Nevertheless, “In the absence
of evidence, we don’t know what it means or what therapies can directly address
it.”
This is an important point to keep in mind.
In the medical world, if there are no standard diagnostic criteria for a disease,
there are no specific therapies or treatments. Moreover, if there are no “proven”
treatment models, then most MD’s are left with no other choice than to travel
Pg 6
along the “safe path” and prescribe drugs; which, in this case, are oftentimes
Prevacid or generic ant-acids like Tums.
Because most of the medical community denies its very existence, it’s critical that
you understand what leaky gut is and what to look out for in case you or a lovedone is affected by it. This way, even though your doctor may not pick up on the
clues, you’ll be armed with the knowledge that you need to make the necessary
lifestyle and dietary changes.
How Do You Repair Leaky Gut?
If you think that you might have leaky gut after reading this article, then I have
two very important things to tell you:
You don’t have to suffer any more because there is hope!
If you follow these 4 steps to heal leaky gut, you can put your body in the position
where it can very well heal itself.
I’m not saying that it’s a cure-all, but these 4 steps to heal leaky gut have helped
countless people over years and I believe that it can help YOU as well!
Pg 7
Top 5 Supplements for Healing Leaky Gut
There are many supplements that support your digestive health, but I believe the
most beneficial leaky gut supplements are l-glutamine, probiotics, digestive
enzymes, aloe vera juice, quercetin, NAG and licorice root.
#1 Probiotics are the most important supplement to take because it helps
replenish good bacteria and crowds out bad bacteria. I recommend getting
probiotics in both food and supplement form. I see people all the time only follow
part of the protocol in healing their leaky gut syndrome by removing the
damaging irritants. But the part they often leave out is re-inoculating their gut
with beneficial bacteria that will keep bad bacteria at bay.
So load up on BOTH probiotic-rich foods and take AT LEAST 50 billion units of
probiotics daily from a high-quality brand.
#2 Digestive enzymes (one or two capsules at the beginning of each meal) ensure
that foods are fully digested, decreasing the chance that partially digested foods
particles and proteins are damaging your gut wall.
#3 L-Glutamine is critical for any program designed to heal leaky gut. Glutamine is
an essential amino acid supplement that is anti-inflammatory and necessary for
the growth and repair of your intestinal lining. L-glutamine benefits include acting
as a protector: coating your cell walls and acting as a repellent to irritants. Take
2–5 grams twice daily.
#4 Licorice Root (DGL) is an adaptogenic herb that helps balance cortisol levels
and improves acid production in the stomach. DGL supports the body’s natural
processes for maintaining the mucosal lining of the stomach and duodenum. This
Pg 8
herb is especially beneficial if someone’s leaky gut is being caused by emotional
stress. Take 500 milligrams twice daily.
#5 Quercetin has also been shown to improve gut barrier function by sealing the
gut because it supports creation of tight junction proteins. It also stabilizes mast
cells and reduces the release of histamine, which is common in food intolerance.
New studies have also shown its effectiveness in healing ulcerative colitis. Take
500 milligrams three times daily with meals.
The Leaky Gut Diet and 5 Healing Foods
If you suffer from leaky gut syndrome, you’re overdue to consider
adopting a leaky gut diet. Here are the five foods and supplements to heal your
leaky gut.
#1 Bone Broth – broth contains collagen and the amino acids proline and glycine
that can help heal your damaged cell walls. I’ve had many of my patients do a
bone broth fast for three days to help heal leaky gut and cure autoimmune
disease.
#2 Raw Cultured Dairy – contains both probiotics and SCFA’s that can help heal
the gut. Pastured kefir, yogurt, amasai, butter and raw cheese are some of the
best.
#3 Fermented Vegetables – contain organic acids that balance intestinal pH and
probiotics to support the gut. Sauerkraut, kimchi and kvass are excellent sources.
Pg 9
#4 Coconut Products – all coconut products are especially good for your gut. The
MCFA’s in coconut are easier to digest than other fats so they work well for leaky
gut. Also, coconut kefir contains probiotics that support your digestive system.
#5 Sprouted Seeds – chia seeds, flaxseeds and hemp seeds that have been
sprouted are great sources of fiber that can help support the growth of beneficial
bacteria. But if you have severe leaky gut, you may need to start out getting your
fiber from steamed vegetables and fruit.
Also, consuming foods that have omega-3 fats are beneficial — anti-inflammatory
foods like grass-fed beef, lamb and wild-caught fish like salmon.