{"id":16879,"date":"2019-12-06T22:32:26","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T22:32:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=16879"},"modified":"2021-12-16T18:19:20","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T18:19:20","slug":"what-is-leaky-gut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/what-is-leaky-gut\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Leaky Gut? Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"Maybe you’ve heard of it. But what is leaky gut exactly? Jessica Bippen, MS, RD<\/a>, breaks down this mysterious condition, offering signs of leaky gut and helpful tips to support optimal gut health<\/a>.<\/em>\n\nLeaky gut isn\u2019t the most attractive term. Despite its unappealing description, it’s gaining attention in the wellness world. The phenomenon of intestinal permeability may be associated with numerous issues including skin problems, brain fog, migraines, and fatigue. Despite a large amount of research, many Western medical professionals don’t recognize leaky gut as a \u201creal\u201d condition.\n\nHowever, it’s not worth dismissing. While doctors don’t universally accept leaky gut as a condition, there are countless health professionals who do, and help individuals heal their intestinal tract. If you\u2019re suffering from digestive issues and persistent symptoms without being able to pinpoint a cause, you may need to take a deeper look inside your gut.\n

What is Leaky Gut?<\/h2>\nLeaky gut is defined<\/a> as “increased intestinal permeability.” But what does that actually mean? In order to fully understand this condition, let\u2019s take a closer look at the digestive tract. Your digestive system breaks down food<\/a>. Once it reaches the intestinal tract, your body absorbs the nutrients. The digestive system also creates a protective barrier to ward off harmful substances, preventing them from entering the bloodstream. For that reason, it’s extra important to have a properly functioning protective barrier in the intestinal tract.\n\nThe intestinal wall is lined with small gaps called tight junctions. When working properly, these spaces allow water and nutrients to pass through. They also block harmful substances from entering. Intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut) occurs when these tight junctions become loose, which allows bacteria, toxins, and not-fully-digested food particles to enter the bloodstream. The result of leaky gut is widespread inflammation<\/a> in the body, immune response, and changes in gut bacteria. Such reactions may trigger numerous medical conditions and unwanted symptoms<\/a>.\n\nDespite the vast amount of studies on gut permeability, the results are inconclusive<\/a>. It\u2019s difficult to perform tests that determine if this phenomenon is a symptom or underlying cause of chronic disease. Due to the lack of an absolute answer, many mainstream physicians don\u2019t recognize leaky gut as a true medical diagnosis. But fortunately, there’s an increasing number of integrative and functional medicine doctors who support and specialize in leaky gut. They help their patients pinpoint the issues and help restore their gut back to normal.\n

Leaky Gut Symptoms<\/h2>\nSince every individual is unique, the symptoms of leaky gut varies from person to person, thus making diagnosis and research difficult. However, there are common signs of leaky gut<\/a> that are typically triggered by an increase in inflammation and immune reaction in the body. Leaky gut symptoms may include:\n