Should You Worry About a Leaky Gut?

’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.