Digestive Wellness: How to Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion (3rd Edition): Completely Revised and Updated Third Edition
Image via WikipediaCAUSES
SYMPTOMS
IMPLICATIONS
TREATMENTS
Silly, isn't it? We both know what this post is going to be about. Before you yawn and click away, stay and see if this ia a newer, different viewpoint that could be of help to you.
The gut is the _seat_ of our immune systems. Yep, pun intended.
Have you ever had a cup of tea? Coffee? Glass of wine? Strong alcohol?
Are you allergic to anything?
Ever had an aspirin, an ibuprofen, a Motrin?
Have you ever had steroids? (I don't know many CFS, FM, MS, RA, or Lupus patients who haven't been given a run of steroids by mouth or IV.)
Have you _ever_ had a single run of antibiotics? (I don't know a soul who hasn't.)
Each of those things alone can cause a syndrome called Leaky Gut. Put a few of those things together and we (you) have a mess. Untreated it only worsens our disease and makes us more susceptible to co-infections. (In fact, co-infections _happen_ because our immune systems have been compromised.)
We all know that the intestines are important to us. Do you know _how_ important?
It can cause:
hypochlorhydria (low hydochloric acid in our gastric juices),
candidiasis (yeast infection),
dysbiosis (disruption of our normal system, espcially between levels of good and bad bacteria),
stress,
allergies,
poor diet,
celiac disease,
parasites,
Dr James A Ferrel MD claims "The Leaky Gut Syndrome may be the cause of many 'etiology unknown' illness. LGS may also explain many of the symptoms patients have that confound and confuse many physicians. In my opinion Leaky Gut Syndrome is grossly under considered as a 'mainstream' medicine diagnosis." ()
The lining of the intestines is a barrier that normally only allows properly digested fats, proteins, and starches pass through and enter the bloodstream. It allows substances to pass in several ways.
Chloride, potassium, magnesium, sodium and free fatty acids diffuse through intestinal cells. Amino acids, fatty acids, glucose, minerals, and vitamins also cross through cells, but they do it by another mechanism called active transport.
There's a third way substances can pass through. The spaces in between the cells that line the intestines are normally sealed. These tight junctions are called desmosomes. When the intestinal lining becomes irritated, the junctions loosen and allow unwanted larger molecules in the intestines to pass through into the blood. These unwanted substances are seen by the immune system as foreign (because they aren't normally present in blood). This triggers an antibody reaction ("allergic" reaction).
70% of our immune system is located around the digestive system. In a normal healthy person the small intestine behaves like a selective sieve allowing only the breakdown products of digestion into the bloodstream. Nutrients and well digested fats, proteins and starches are readily able to enter into the bloodstream while large molecules, microbes and toxins are kept out.
The symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome are many and varied and include: abdominal pain, heartburn, insomnia, bloating, anxiety, gluten intolerance, malnutrition, muscle cramps and pains, poor exercise tolerance, food allergies.
The theory is that leaky gut syndrome (also called increased intestinal permeability), is the result of damage to the intestinal lining (by those medications, coffee, tea and alcohol among other things listed above) making it less able to protect the internal environment as well as to filter needed nutrients and other biological substances.
As a consequence, some bacteria and their toxins, incompletely digested proteins and fats, and waste not normally absorbed may "leak" out of the intestines into the blood stream. This triggers an allergic reaction, which can lead to gastrointestinal problems such as abdominal bloating, excessive gas and cramps, fatigue, food sensitivities, joint pain, skin rashes, and autoimmunity (where the body attacks its own cells). The cause of this syndrome may be chronic inflammation, food sensitivity, damage from taking large amounts of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), cytotoxic drugs and radiation or certain antibiotics, excessive alcohol consumption, or compromised immunity.
Doctors or other health care practitioners who diagnose this syndrome explain that intestinal inflammation which may originate from intestinal dysbiosis (when the normal microbial colony becomes unbalanced) or other sources of irritation, widens the junctions between the cells of the intestinal lining, allowing endotoxins (any toxin secreted by a micorganism and released into the body when it dies) and incompletely digested particles to be partially absorbed. These are targeted by antibodies, forming immune complexes which cause a semi-infectious state and can be carried by the bloodstream to distant sites where they may stimulate the release of cytokines ("Messenger" cells which help regulate our immune system). Low grade fever, transient gut pain, and a sense of inability to absorb nutrients are some reported symptoms in otherwise undiagnosed patients.
Compromised intestinal barrier function can also cause disease directly, by immunological mechanisms. Increased permeability stimulates classic hypersensitivity responses to foods and to components of the normal gut flora; bacterial endotoxins, cell wall polymers and dietary gluten may cause "non-specific" activation of inflammatory pathways mediated by complement and cytokines. In experimental animals, chronic low-grade endotoxemia causes the appearance of auto-immune disorders.
Leaky Gut Syndromes are clinical disorders associated with increased intestinal permeability. They include
Celiac Disease,
Multiple Sclerosis,
Fibromyalgia,
Autism,
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Irritable Bowel Syndrome,
Eczema,
Dermatitis,
Ulcerative Colitis
inflammatory and infectious bowel diseases [14-19],
chronic inflammatory arthritis,
cryptogenic skin conditions like acne, psoriasis and dermatitis herpetiformis (or Duhring's Disease, is a chronic blistering skin condition, characterised by blisters filled with a watery fluid),
many diseases triggered by food allergy or specific food intolerance, including eczema, urticaria, and irritable bowel syndrome
AIDS,chronic fatigue syndromes [Rigden, Cheney, Lapp, Galland, unpublished results],
chronic hepatitis, chronic pancreatitis,
cystic fibrosis, and pancreatic carcinoma.
CAUSES
Causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome / Intestinal Permeability
Chronic stress
Intestinal infections
Small intestine bacterial overgrowth
Environmental contaminants
Excess alcohol
Poor diet
NSAIDS and other medications
antibiotics we take
antibiotics given to the animals whose meat we eat
antacids, like Zantac, Tagamet, Prilosec, etc.
NSAIDs, like Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin, Motrin, etc.
other prescription and over the counter medications
white sugar
carbonated drinks
antihistamines
chlorinated water
fluoridated water
coffee
Symptoms of Leaky gut syndrome / Intestinal permeability
abdominal pain,
asthma,
chronic joint pain,
chronic muscle pain,
confusion, fuzzy or foggy thinking,
gas, indigestion,
mood swings, nervousness,
poor immunity,
recurrent vaginal infections and thrush,
skin rashes,
diarrhea,
bed-wetting,
recurrent bladder infections,
poor memory,
shortness of breath,
constipation,
bloating,
aggressive behavior,
anxiety,
fatigue,
feeling toxic.
Leaky gut syndrome is associated with the following conditions:
Celiac disease
Crohn's disease
Environmental illness
Hives
Acne
Allergies
Inflammatory joint disease / arthritis
Intestinal infections
Pancreatic insufficiency
Ulcerative colitis
Giardia
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Eczema
Psoriasis
Food allergies and sensitivities
Liver dysfunction
Rheumatoid arthritis
Irritable bowel syndrome
SYMPTOMS
Abdominal pain (chronic)
Insomnia
Bloating
Excessive flatulence
Anaphylactoid reactions
Shortness of breath
Anxiety
Fevers of unknown origin
Gluten intolerance (celiac disease)
Hemorrhoids
Heartburn
Malnutrition
Migraines
Muscle
cramps
Multiple
chemical sensitivities
Muscle
pain
Myofascial
pain
Mood
swings
Poor exercise tolerance
Poor immunity
Constipated? Diarrhea? Irritable Bowel Syndrome? All symptoms of Leaky Gut.
Hyperpermeability may play a primary etiologic role in the evolution of each disease, or may be a secondary consequence of it which causes immune activation, hepatic dysfunction, and pancreatic insufficiency, creating a vicious cycle.
Unless specifically investigated, the role of altered intestinal permeability in patients with Leaky Gut Syndromes often goes unrecognized. The availability of safe, non-invasive, and inexpensive methods for measuring small intestinal permeability make it possible for clinicians to look for the presence of altered intestinal permeability in their patients and to objectively assess the efficacy of treatments. Monitoring the intestinal permeability of chronically ill patients with Leaky Gut Syndromes can help improve clinical outcomes.clinical disorders associated with increased intestinal permeability.
Leaky gut syndrome theories inspired several dietary treatments, including gluten-free diets, casein-free diets, antifungal diets, low-sugar diets, as well as supplements that include nystatin, B12, and probiotics. These treatments are cumbersome and not proven to be efficacious.
Please start taking better care of your gut. Do probiotics or antifungals or both.
I found that by taking care of my gut back in '97, my Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and all my Fibromyalgia tender points were cured very easily and very quickly. I also dropped 60 pounds with little effort.
I can only hope that your efforts provide you with improved quality of life!
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