With gut health being a super popular topic at the moment, you may have heard of a condition called Leaky Gut Syndrome. Also known as intestinal permeability, a leaky gut can be involved in many seemingly unrelated health problems and make you more likely to develop autoimmune diseases. If you’re unfamiliar with leaky gut, here’s what you need to know about it and why it happens.
What happens with Leaky Gut Syndrome?
One of the gut’s underrated roles is forming a barrier between the intestines and the rest of the body.
The cells in the intestine walls usually help to keep things tight. However, infection and food sensitivities can change this, allowing the intestine walls to be breached much more quickly.
When this happens, the gut is considered “leaky.” Toxins, bacteria, and undigested food particles can pass freely through the intestine walls and into the bloodstream. Here, the immune system sees them as foreign threats and attacks them. This causes inflammation and can produce an immune response. The result? A leaky gut can go hand in hand with many symptoms that aren’t gut-related. From brain fog to low immunity and joint pain, a leaky gut can be hugely debilitating.
What can cause Leaky Gut Syndrome?
A long list of underlying causes can be linked to a leaky gut. A few common factors can include:
An unhealthy gut: If your gut health is already poor and you have a low diversity of gut bacteria, it can make you more likely to experience a leaky gut.
Diet: A poor diet can trigger a leaky gut, and some vitamin deficiencies can increase intestinal permeability. Vitamin A and D are two super essential nutrients for maintaining a healthy gut barrier. In rats, vitamin A deficiency negatively affected the gut barrier. In mice, a lack of vitamin D had similar effects.
Even people who eat a healthy, balanced diet can have a leaky gut, too. Lectins could be a problem. These are proteins found in legumes and grains, which can bind to cells in the intestines and disrupt the gut barrier. According to studies on rats, lectins can affect intestinal permeability. Gluten and dairy can also be culprits. Gluten can raise levels of zonulin protein, essential for maintaining healthy, tight junctions in the intestines. When zonulin levels are high, these tight junctions are more likely to be compromised, and increased gut permeability is more likely. And if you have celiac disease, there’s even more potential for a leaky gut.
Existing health problems: Certain health conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, and cancer, can strongly link to a leaky gut.
In patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, a leaky gut is thought to be a significant culprit for symptoms. It may even be a factor in obesity, with several studies showing a link between obesity and increased gut permeability.
Infections: Candida and H. pylori infections can cause leaky gut. Both can pass through the gut barrier, making a leaky gut more likely.
Medications: Steroids, over-the-counter painkillers, PPIs to reduce stomach acid, and antibiotics are just a few of the medications that can contribute to a leaky gut. Taking these medicines for long periods can make this even more likely. With NSAIDs, the gut can become leakier within 24 hours. Avoiding taking these medications too regularly can help prevent increased gut permeability.
Stress: Research shows that stress can increase the potential for a leaky gut. Studies on rats have also demonstrated a strong link between stress and intestinal permeability. Keeping stress levels under control is essential for reducing the potential for a leaky gut.
Intense exercise: Regular exercise can be super important for keeping your gut healthy, but there’s also the issue of a delicate balance. Strenuous exercise can have the opposite effect and increase the potential for a leaky gut.
Several studies have shown a link between intense exercise and increased intestinal permeability, even for athletes. In a study involving cyclists, exercising at 70% maximum capacity led to a “leakier” gut and more food proteins entering the bloodstream. Moderate exercise is excellent for a healthy gut barrier—don’t overdo it!