Leaky Gut Syndrome article - Tina

[Guest guest]

Healing From the Inside Out - The Leaky Gut Syndrome

by: Sherry A. , M.D.

Northeast Center for Environmental Medicine, Syracuse, New York

..If the gut is not healthy, neither is the rest of the body. It is the

point of fuel and nutrient entry that runs the body.

..If healing is at a standstill and you are at an impasse, look at the gut to

see if it is holding you back from getting healthier. Chemical sensitivity,

fibromyalgia, and escalating food allergies are among the many problems

caused by the leaky gut.

..If gas, bloating, abdominal pain, indigestion, alternating constipation and

diarrhea are symptoms, you may be headed for the development of new symptoms

and new diseases.

..If you are taking over-the-counter medications for pain, you may be at high

risk for developing leaky gut syndrome.

The purpose of the gastrointestinal tract, or gut, is multifold. Basically,

it 1) digests foods, (2) absorbs small food particles to be converted into

energy, (3) carries nutrients like vitamins and minerals attached to carrier

proteins across the gut lining into the bloodstream, (4) contains a major

part of the chemical detoxification system of the body, and 5) contains

immunoglobulins or antibodies that act as the first line of defense against

infection.

The leaky gut syndrome or LGS is a poorly recognized, but extremely common

problem. It is rarely tested for. Basically, it represents a

hyperpermeable intestinal lining. In other words, large spaces develop

between the cells of the gut wall and bacteria, toxins and foods leak in.

This might sound good, but it is actually a double edged sword.

How does the gut become leaky? By inflammation. And once the gut lining

becomes inflamed or damaged, - then this impairs the five functions above.

The spaces open up and allow large food antigens, for example, to be

absorbed into the body. Normally the body sees only small, tiny food

antigens. When it sees these new, large ones, they are foreign to the

body's defense system. So the attack results in the production of

antibodies against once harmless foods.

Once you have antibodies to foods, they can do many things, like attach to a

joint space, for example. This then turns on an inflammatory reaction where

you suddenly have arthritis that is induced by ingesting a food that used to

be harmless. Or if antibodies are in the lungs, suddenly you have asthma

and unsuspected food allergy can be one of the triggers.

Food allergy can precipitate symptoms in literally any organ at any time,

once the gut develops these large, leaky spaces. And if that were not

enough, these large spaces allow the absorption of toxins that normally

would not penetrate the protective barrier of the gut. These toxins then

overload the liver so that chemicals cannot be detoxified. Now you have

food and chemical sensitivities.

It might sound good that the gut can become leaky, because it would seem

that the body would be better able to absorb more amino acids, essential

fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. For the body to absorb a mineral, it

does not just slowly diffuse across the gut membrane. It must be attached

to a carrier protein. This protein hooks onto the mineral and actually

carries it across the gut wall into the bloodstream. But when the bowel

lining is damaged through inflammation, these carrier proteins get damaged

as well, so now the victim is vulnerable for developing mineral and vitamin

deficiencies.

What types of things can cause the inflammation that leads to the leaky gut

syndrome? Many things that are very common in the 21st century. Examples

include abnormal flora (bacteria, protozoa, yeasts, like Candida,

parasites), items that irritate the gut (foods, alcohol, food additives),

food allergens, toxins, and genetic enzyme deficiencies (like lactase

deficiency, celiac disease). For example when we take antibiotics we are at

risk of developing an overgrowth of antibiotic resistant yeasts or fungi,

like Candida. Likewise, it has been known for a long time in medicine that

antibiotics can cause the overgrowth of Clostridia difficile, an organism

which can then go on to cause of relentless colitis.

Likewise, a diet high in sweets (sodas, cookies, cakes, pies, candy bars),

alcohol, and caffeine can irritate the gut lining or if a person has a

lactase deficiency and ingests dairy products these can trigger a leaky gut.

If a person has celiac disease and eats wheat, rye, oats, or barley this can

cause an inflammation of the gut lining. Some people are sensitive to

fermented foods such as bread, cheese, alcohol, vinegar, catsup, mayonnaise,

salad dressings, or anything that has been aged, pickled, or fermented and

contains mold allergens. Others are irritated by processed foods and the

chemicals that are contained in them

Some intestinal linings can be inflamed by the use of prednisone and other

steroids and, of course, the gut can become inflamed because of food or

water poisoning with such organisms as Giardia Iamblia, Klebsiella,

Citrobacter, or Helicobactor.

Last, but not least, one of the main causes of the leaky gut syndrome is a

classification of medications called " non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs "

or NSAIDs. This includes a large number of prescription medications which

are used for PMS, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and various types of aches and

pains. There are many over-the-counter non-prescription drugs in this

classification as well. These include Advil, Motrin, ibuprofin, aspirin,

and the new Aleve, which is the old prescription Naprosyn. NSAIDs are a

direct and major cause of the leaky gut syndrome, because they inflame the

intestinal lining and cause a widening of the spaces between cells, i.e. the

leaky gut syndrome.

Let's review the five-fold result of this inflammation of the gut. (1) When

the gut is inflamed it does not absorb nutrients and foods properly and so

fatigue and bloating can occur; (2) As stated above, when large food

particles are absorbed there is the creation of food allergies and new

symptoms with new target organs like arthritis or fibromyalgia; (3) When

the gut is inflamed, as stated above, the carrier proteins are damaged so

nutrient deficiencies occur which can also cause any symptom, like magnesium

deficiency-induced muscle spasm or copper-deficiency-induced high

cholesterol; (4) Likewise, when the detox pathways that line the gut are

compromised, chemical sensitivity can arise. Furthermore the leakage of

toxins overburdens the liver so that the body is less able to handle

everyday chemicals; (5) When the gut lining is inflamed the protective

coating of IgA is adversely affected and the body is not able to ward off

infection and becomes more vulnerable to bacteria, protozoa, viruses and

yeast like candida; (6) When the intestinal lining is inflamed bacteria and

yeast, of which there are hundreds of species in the intestine, are able to

translocate. In other words, they are able to pass from the gut lumen or

cavity, into the bloodstream and set up infection anywhere else in the body.

But, (7) the very worst symptom is the formation of auto-antibodies For

sometimes the antigens that leak across look similar to antigens on our own

tissues. So when an antibody is made to attack it, it also attacks our own

tissues. This is how nasty autoimmune diseases get started. Rheumatoid

arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis and many others are

members of this ever-growing category of " incurable " diseases.

So a common scenario runs something like this: a person might be very

healthy and then have an antibiotic for a sore throat. The antibiotic does

not go only to the throat, but goes through the whole system and in doing so

it kills off many good bacteria that normally inhabit the intestines. When

these bacteria are killed, the normally antibiotic resistant fungi that

remain have no competition and they grow in large numbers and can inflame

the intestinal lining and cause the leaky gut syndrome. From there the

person can develop new food allergies for example, resulting in arthritis,

headaches, asthma, or any symptom. They can start having gas, bloating,

pain, alternating diarrhea and constipation which is often labeled

" irritable bowel syndrome " or " spastic colon. " They can have poor absorption

of minerals which then leads to fatigue, inability to concentrate, multiple

chemical sensitivities, and many other symptoms or they can develop further

infection with these fungi and other organisms as the gut lining becomes

more debilitated and then there is absorption of toxins from these

organisms. These toxins overload the liver detox pathways and suddenly the

person is chemically sensitive.

So, what does a person do who has headache. arthritis, asthma, irritable

bowel, chronic fatigue, brain fog, chemical sensitivities, and much more?

They usually go to various doctors, few of whom will do the test for the

leaky gut or hyperpermeable gut. To diagnose the leaky gut syndrome, one

merely needs to preform the intestinal permeability test. This is an easily

performed urine test.

Removing the cause means getting off non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs,

caffeine and alcohol. Then change the diet so that you are not eating foods

that you are allergic to. The rare food diagnostic diet is a tool to help

you identify foods you are sensitive to. Sometimes the treatment involves

taking anti-fungals or anti-microbials to kill organisms that have

overgrown, infected and inflamed the gut. These can be diagnosed through a

comprehensive digestive and stool analysis.

Next, you must improve the function of the gut. This is done by thorough

chewing of food, increasing fiber, using probiotics such as acidophilus and

bifidus organisms which have many beneficial properties in the gut, and by using

digestive enzymes to help improve the breaking

down of food into smaller, less antigenic particles.

Lastly, the gut must be healed and there are many entities which are useful for

this. Fructo-oligo saccharides, better known as FOS, are a special class of

sugars which do not foster yeast growth but which the intestinal lining can

preferentially use to heal. Likewise, an amino acid L-glutamine is important in

healing the gut wall. Short chain fatty acids, aloe vera gel, flax teas,

permeability factors, anti-oxidants, kudzu, bioflavonoids,pycnogenol, detox

herbs, correcting nutrient deficiencies, and many more

things are beneficial. And often, just like anything that is sick or

ailing, sometimes the best thing to do is just rest the gut or fast. A major

step, however, in the right direction is first to even know that you

have the leaky gut syndrome. For without understanding that it exists,

there is no chance in healing it and keeping it healed.

In summary, the leaky gut syndrome is prevalent because of the 21st century

lifestyle. And it can lead to the development of any number of symptoms and

diseases. Unfortunately it is rarely looked for. So if you are at an

impasse with any symptom and cannot seem to rally, you may find you need to

heal from the inside out.

[Guest guest]

Carol,

Thanks! Great article.

TIna

>

> Healing From the Inside Out - The Leaky Gut Syndrome

> by: Sherry A. , M.D.

> Northeast Center for Environmental Medicine, Syracuse, New York

> .If the gut is not healthy, neither is the rest of the body. It is

the

> point of fuel and nutrient entry that runs the body.

>

> .If healing is at a standstill and you are at an impasse, look at

the gut to

> see if it is holding you back from getting healthier. Chemical

sensitivity,

> fibromyalgia, and escalating food allergies are among the many

problems

> caused by the leaky gut.

>

> .If gas, bloating, abdominal pain, indigestion, alternating

constipation and

> diarrhea are symptoms, you may be headed for the development of new

symptoms

> and new diseases.

>

> .If you are taking over-the-counter medications for pain, you may

be at high

> risk for developing leaky gut syndrome.

>

> The purpose of the gastrointestinal tract, or gut, is multifold.

Basically,

> it 1) digests foods, (2) absorbs small food particles to be

converted into

> energy, (3) carries nutrients like vitamins and minerals attached

to carrier

> proteins across the gut lining into the bloodstream, (4) contains a

major

> part of the chemical detoxification system of the body, and 5)

contains

> immunoglobulins or antibodies that act as the first line of defense

against

> infection.

>

> The leaky gut syndrome or LGS is a poorly recognized, but extremely

common

> problem. It is rarely tested for. Basically, it represents a

> hyperpermeable intestinal lining. In other words, large spaces

develop

> between the cells of the gut wall and bacteria, toxins and foods

leak in.

> This might sound good, but it is actually a double edged sword.

>

> How does the gut become leaky? By inflammation. And once the gut

lining

> becomes inflamed or damaged, - then this impairs the five functions

above.

> The spaces open up and allow large food antigens, for example, to be

> absorbed into the body. Normally the body sees only small, tiny

food

> antigens. When it sees these new, large ones, they are foreign to

the

> body's defense system. So the attack results in the production of

> antibodies against once harmless foods.

>

> Once you have antibodies to foods, they can do many things, like

attach to a

> joint space, for example. This then turns on an inflammatory

reaction where

> you suddenly have arthritis that is induced by ingesting a food

that used to

> be harmless. Or if antibodies are in the lungs, suddenly you have

asthma

> and unsuspected food allergy can be one of the triggers.

>

> Food allergy can precipitate symptoms in literally any organ at any

time,

> once the gut develops these large, leaky spaces. And if that were

not

> enough, these large spaces allow the absorption of toxins that

normally

> would not penetrate the protective barrier of the gut. These

toxins then

> overload the liver so that chemicals cannot be detoxified. Now you

have

> food and chemical sensitivities.

>

> It might sound good that the gut can become leaky, because it would

seem

> that the body would be better able to absorb more amino acids,

essential

> fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. For the body to absorb a

mineral, it

> does not just slowly diffuse across the gut membrane. It must be

attached

> to a carrier protein. This protein hooks onto the mineral and

actually

> carries it across the gut wall into the bloodstream. But when the

bowel

> lining is damaged through inflammation, these carrier proteins get

damaged

> as well, so now the victim is vulnerable for developing mineral and

vitamin

> deficiencies.

>

> What types of things can cause the inflammation that leads to the

leaky gut

> syndrome? Many things that are very common in the 21st century.

Examples

> include abnormal flora (bacteria, protozoa, yeasts, like Candida,

> parasites), items that irritate the gut (foods, alcohol, food

additives),

> food allergens, toxins, and genetic enzyme deficiencies (like

lactase

> deficiency, celiac disease). For example when we take antibiotics

we are at

> risk of developing an overgrowth of antibiotic resistant yeasts or

fungi,

> like Candida. Likewise, it has been known for a long time in

medicine that

> antibiotics can cause the overgrowth of Clostridia difficile, an

organism

> which can then go on to cause of relentless colitis.

>

> Likewise, a diet high in sweets (sodas, cookies, cakes, pies, candy

bars),

> alcohol, and caffeine can irritate the gut lining or if a person

has a

> lactase deficiency and ingests dairy products these can trigger a

leaky gut.

> If a person has celiac disease and eats wheat, rye, oats, or barley

this can

> cause an inflammation of the gut lining. Some people are sensitive

to

> fermented foods such as bread, cheese, alcohol, vinegar, catsup,

mayonnaise,

> salad dressings, or anything that has been aged, pickled, or

fermented and

> contains mold allergens. Others are irritated by processed foods

and the

> chemicals that are contained in them

>

> Some intestinal linings can be inflamed by the use of prednisone

and other

> steroids and, of course, the gut can become inflamed because of

food or

> water poisoning with such organisms as Giardia Iamblia, Klebsiella,

> Citrobacter, or Helicobactor.

>

> Last, but not least, one of the main causes of the leaky gut

syndrome is a

> classification of medications called " non steroidal anti-

inflammatory drugs "

> or NSAIDs. This includes a large number of prescription

medications which

> are used for PMS, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and various types of

aches and

> pains. There are many over-the-counter non-prescription drugs in

this

> classification as well. These include Advil, Motrin, ibuprofin,

aspirin,

> and the new Aleve, which is the old prescription Naprosyn. NSAIDs

are a

> direct and major cause of the leaky gut syndrome, because they

inflame the

> intestinal lining and cause a widening of the spaces between cells,

i.e. the

> leaky gut syndrome.

>

> Let's review the five-fold result of this inflammation of the gut.

(1) When

> the gut is inflamed it does not absorb nutrients and foods properly

and so

> fatigue and bloating can occur; (2) As stated above, when large

food

> particles are absorbed there is the creation of food allergies and

new

> symptoms with new target organs like arthritis or fibromyalgia;

(3) When

> the gut is inflamed, as stated above, the carrier proteins are

damaged so

> nutrient deficiencies occur which can also cause any symptom, like

magnesium

> deficiency-induced muscle spasm or copper-deficiency-induced high

> cholesterol; (4) Likewise, when the detox pathways that line the

gut are

> compromised, chemical sensitivity can arise. Furthermore the

leakage of

> toxins overburdens the liver so that the body is less able to handle

> everyday chemicals; (5) When the gut lining is inflamed the

protective

> coating of IgA is adversely affected and the body is not able to

ward off

> infection and becomes more vulnerable to bacteria, protozoa,

viruses and

> yeast like candida; (6) When the intestinal lining is inflamed

bacteria and

> yeast, of which there are hundreds of species in the intestine, are

able to

> translocate. In other words, they are able to pass from the gut

lumen or

> cavity, into the bloodstream and set up infection anywhere else in

the body.

> But, (7) the very worst symptom is the formation of auto-

antibodies For

> sometimes the antigens that leak across look similar to antigens on

our own

> tissues. So when an antibody is made to attack it, it also attacks

our own

> tissues. This is how nasty autoimmune diseases get started.

Rheumatoid

> arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis and many others

are

> members of this ever-growing category of " incurable " diseases.

>

> So a common scenario runs something like this: a person might be

very

> healthy and then have an antibiotic for a sore throat. The

antibiotic does

> not go only to the throat, but goes through the whole system and in

doing so

> it kills off many good bacteria that normally inhabit the

intestines. When

> these bacteria are killed, the normally antibiotic resistant fungi

that

> remain have no competition and they grow in large numbers and can

inflame

> the intestinal lining and cause the leaky gut syndrome. From there

the

> person can develop new food allergies for example, resulting in

arthritis,

> headaches, asthma, or any symptom. They can start having gas,

bloating,

> pain, alternating diarrhea and constipation which is often labeled

> " irritable bowel syndrome " or " spastic colon. " They can have poor

absorption

> of minerals which then leads to fatigue, inability to concentrate,

multiple

> chemical sensitivities, and many other symptoms or they can develop

further

> infection with these fungi and other organisms as the gut lining

becomes

> more debilitated and then there is absorption of toxins from these

> organisms. These toxins overload the liver detox pathways and

suddenly the

> person is chemically sensitive.

>

> So, what does a person do who has headache. arthritis, asthma,

irritable

> bowel, chronic fatigue, brain fog, chemical sensitivities, and much

more?

> They usually go to various doctors, few of whom will do the test

for the

> leaky gut or hyperpermeable gut. To diagnose the leaky gut

syndrome, one

> merely needs to preform the intestinal permeability test. This is

an easily

> performed urine test.

>

> Removing the cause means getting off non-steroidal anti

inflammatory drugs,

> caffeine and alcohol. Then change the diet so that you are not

eating foods

> that you are allergic to. The rare food diagnostic diet is a tool

to help

> you identify foods you are sensitive to. Sometimes the treatment

involves

> taking anti-fungals or anti-microbials to kill organisms that have

> overgrown, infected and inflamed the gut. These can be diagnosed

through a

> comprehensive digestive and stool analysis.

>

> Next, you must improve the function of the gut. This is done by

thorough chewing of food, increasing fiber, using probiotics such as

acidophilus and bifidus organisms which have many beneficial

properties in the gut, and by using

> digestive enzymes to help improve the breaking

> down of food into smaller, less antigenic particles.

>

> Lastly, the gut must be healed and there are many entities which

are useful for this. Fructo-oligo saccharides, better known as FOS,

are a special class of sugars which do not foster yeast growth but

which the intestinal lining can preferentially use to heal.

Likewise, an amino acid L-glutamine is important in healing the gut

wall. Short chain fatty acids, aloe vera gel, flax teas,

permeability factors, anti-oxidants, kudzu, bioflavonoids,pycnogenol,

detox herbs, correcting nutrient deficiencies, and many more

> things are beneficial. And often, just like anything that is sick

or

> ailing, sometimes the best thing to do is just rest the gut or

fast. A major step, however, in the right direction is first to even

know that you

> have the leaky gut syndrome. For without understanding that it

exists,

> there is no chance in healing it and keeping it healed.

>

> In summary, the leaky gut syndrome is prevalent because of the 21st

century

> lifestyle. And it can lead to the development of any number of

symptoms and

> diseases. Unfortunately it is rarely looked for. So if you are at

an

> impasse with any symptom and cannot seem to rally, you may find you

need to

> heal from the inside out.

>

>

>