Did you know that more than 100 trillion bacteria live within you? That’s approximately 3.3lbs of bacteria! We should not underestimate gut health, especially since almost every disease starts there.
Whatever you eat needs to be broken down and absorbed correctly to get nutrients to the tissues, while also allowing unwanted items to be excreted through the gastrointestinal system. Not only what we eat is important, but also what our body is able to absorb. Of course some foods, such as gluten or dairy, can cause more allergic reactions and induce more of an immune response than others.
The body needs to permit food particles to enter without triggering an excessive immune response to any food antigens that might be present.
However, if alongside these food particles, harmful pathogens try to invade the small intestine or later the large intestine then the immune system must be prepared to eliminate them. The gut mucosal immune system is strategically positioned at this point of food intake to protect the body’s interior.
Gut homeostasis ensures the stability and integrity of the gut and is crucial for our health. A key factor here is the community of microorganisms known as the microbiota (or microbiome, when considering the genetic aspect).
It is now well-established that there are complex interactions between the microbiome, the gut and the brain. Additionally, the microbiome has bidirectional interactions with the immune system through layers of mucus and cells. In this intricate system a single layer of cells serves as the frontline defense against the vast array of microorganisms within the microbiome.
So what does this really all mean? A compromised digestion and/or an increase in the entry of undigested food can challenge your immune system and absorption of nutrients. This can cause not only digestive issues, like bloating and constipation, but can also affect mood, cause muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, brain fog and chronic fatigue.
There is a syndrome commonly known as “leaky gut syndrome”, or “intestinal permeability.” Here, the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, allowing undigested food particles, toxic waste products and bacteria to “leak” through the intestines into the bloodstream. This process could cause an autoimmune response, but it can be multifactorial.
Obvious factors that might cause this include consuming food that is hard to digest, such as fatty foods, too many carbohydrates, processed sugars, and highly processed packaged foods which can all cause inflammation.
There are also medications that can cause problems, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen. And antibiotics can disrupt the gut flora and damage the gut lining too.
In addition, chronic stress can impair the gut’s ability to function properly and maintain a healthy lining, and infections and toxins that compromise gut health can also result from bacterial imbalances or environmental toxins.
So an unhealthy diet, infections, stress, excessive use of antibiotics and other drugs, and alcohol can all contribute to increased intestinal permeability, which can lead to leaky gut. This condition results in intestinal hyper-permeability, which disrupts the tight junctions in the gut, allowing toxic agents to enter the bloodstream and cause dysfunction in various organs and systems.
Effective therapy for leaky gut syndrome should include dietary modifications that avoid fats, sugars, additives, and ultra-processed foods. In addition, many people have had success with L-glutamine, prebiotics, L-arginine and low FODMAP’s diet (“Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols”).
Various studies have demonstrated that these components can modulate intestinal immunity, regulate the intestinal epithelial barrier, improve mucosal health, and promote the growth of epithelial cells.
Of course, as always, prevention is the first step. However in part two of this series I will give detailed and actionable steps as to how you can improve gut health and prevent complications.
Although if you do already have most of the symptoms then please do not take any probiotics and over the counter supplements before asking your health care provider. This is very important because there are many variations of leaky gut syndrome and what helps for one can actually worsen the symptoms of another.
References:
Personalize Lifestyle Medicine Institute. “The Gut Mucosal Immune System: Where Microbiome Meets Immunity”. https://plminstitute.org/plmi-blog/the-gut-mucosal-immune-system-where-microbiome-meets-immunity/
National Library of Medicine. “Leaky Gut and the Ingredients That Help Treat It: A Review”. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9862683/
National Library of Medicine. “The Leaky Gut: Mechanisms, Measurement and Clinical Implications in Humans”. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6790068/
NHS (UK National Health Service). “NSAIDs”. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nsaids/
Cleveland Clinic. “Low FODMAP Diet”. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22466-low-fodmap-diet
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Ayda Ersoy is a nutritionist (Dip.C.N., Dip.S.N.); master trainer (CPT ACE, NCSF, CanfitPro); registered yoga teacher; founder, Health Angel Nutrition, Fitness and Wellness; and founder, SMS (Stability, Mobility Strength) Intuitive Training System.
