’Leaky gut syndrome’ gets blamed for a range of vague,
unpleasant symptoms but the jury is still out on what causes it and whether we
should be concerned.
Your gut (intestines) is your body’s first line of defence.
This long tube through which food and waste pass is lined by rows of cells that
prevent unwanted substances from escaping – things like disease-causing
bacteria – while allowing smaller particles, such as nutrients, to pass freely
into your bloodstream.
What do we mean by ‘leaky gut’?
Sometimes the tight junctions between the cells can become
weaker, allowing some nasties to sneak across the intestinal wall, explains gut
health dietitian Dr Megan Rossi, founder of the Gut Health clinic and author of
Eat More, Live Well. Scientists call this ‘increased intestinal
permeability’, or more colloquially, ‘leaky gut’.
‘Leaky gut syndrome’ is a popular diagnosis in the world of
alternative therapies, says Rossi, and the theory goes like this: toxins enter
the bloodstream through gaps, or junctions, between the cells in your gut wall.
This triggers a cascade of inflammation which leads to unpleasant symptoms from
digestive issues like bloating and cramps through to eczema, autoimmune
disorders, migraines, fatigue and depression.
While some of these conditions are associated with chronic
inflammation, the link with leaky gut has not been proven.
Common culprits behind leaky gut are said to include sugar,
gluten and lactose (the natural sugar found in milk), says Rossi, and you may
be told you can heal your gut by cutting out these foods. Scientific studies do
not support these claims.
What we know so far
All of us experience a more permeable gut lining from time
to time, caused by alcohol, certain medications, a high fat meal, and even
stress. Once the trigger is taken away, the junctions between the cells usually
tighten back up, says Rossi. Fortunately, she explains, even if a toxin does
make it through your gut wall, your immune system is there waiting to deal with
it.
Tamara Duker Freuman is a New York-based dietitian
specialising in gut disorders. Writing at fodmapeveryday.com, she says
researchers who study intestinal permeability have observed it in connection
with a small number of conditions, the best-studied of which are the
inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s, and coeliac disease. If you have coeliac
disease, it is gluten that causes the intestinal permeability, which resolves
when you take gluten out of your diet.
How to protect your gut
Duker Freuman warns that the leaky gut diets you will find
online may be further damaging your gut, rather than healing it.
Many of these call for the elimination of so-called
inflammatory foods, such as grains. But this can result in a lower intake of
fibre, she says, which is especially good at nourishing your gut microbiota.
When you deprive your gut bacteria of the fibre they need,
they start to eat away at the mucus lining of the gut. This is a problem, says
Duker Freuman “because a depleted mucus layer lining the gut makes a person
more susceptible to infection by disease-causing bacteria.”
“If you are truly worried about your gut’s leakiness, you
may be better off looking to expand the variety of whole, plant-based foods you
eat-not culling it.”
If you experience any unexplained symptoms, gut-related or
otherwise, do not assume leaky gut is to blame. Start by seeing your doctor,
who can refer you to a dietitian or gastroenterologist if needed.