Stop Chronic Fatigue

Posts Tagged ‘Leaky Gut Syndrome’

The holes aren’t big enough for the balloon to empty immediately or burst, but over time drops of water would form on the surface as the balloon leaked. With leaky gut syndrome, the intestine is like that balloon, its walls slowly deteriorating and allowing the contents of the intestine to literally leak through.

Tiny spaces between the cells of small intestine allow the bacteria, undigested food and other contest of the intestines to leach into the person’s bloodstream. This then causes the body to fight those foreign substances in the bloodstream which cause symptoms like swelling, fever and allergic reactions.

Bacteria and other toxins leaking into the bloodstream is only part of the problem with leaky gut syndrome. Because the intestinal walls are damaged, the tiny finger-like protrusions on those walls that normally absorb nutrients from food are damaged an unable to work properly. Normally those little protrusions called microvilli produce a substance called an enzyme that helps break down food and absorb nutrients from it. Since they can’t function properly, food isn’t digested properly. And that can cause a whole new host of problems.

Leaky gut syndrome (LGS) is believed to play a part in many other conditions that have causes the medical community hasn’t quite pinned down yet. Chronic fatigue syndrome, inflammatory bowel, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),  fibromyalgia, lupus and a number of other auto-immune, inflammatory and digestive disorders may be caused at least in part by LGS.

Like some auto-immune disease, leaky gut syndrome is believed to be caused by eating certain foods that cause an allergic reaction. Celiac Disease, for instance, is an auto-immune disease that causes malabsorption among other symptoms, and is caused by a person having an allergic reaction to wheat gluten in food. LGS can’t be pinned down to gluten or any one food, however, so someone eating a food his body responds to poorly, no matter what the food, could be a candidate for LGS. And there are believed to be other conditions and causes that can be responsible besides food allergies.

Poor overall diet could be a factor, as could poor digestion. Either of these could be hard on the small intestines and potentially cause the damage that results in LGS. Parasites could easily damage the walls of the small intestines, and some medications like certain antibiotics and even common medicines like ibuprofen and aspirin can upset the balance of bacteria in the small intestine, possibly doing damage.

Leaky gut syndrome used to be only something you would hear about, amongst the “alternative” medicine community. But more and more, main stream medicine is finding out this may be the begining of many diseases we see today.

There is truth in the old saying, “Death begins in the intestines. ” Your intestines play an important role not only in your digestion, but in many biological functions. Your intestinal tract harbors many different types of bacteria. It is estimated that there is between 300-500 different types of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. When the balance between “good” and “bad” bacteria is lost, this is called dysbiosis. When dysbiosis is present, immune system functions become less efficient, yeast, or candida over growth may occur, inflammation in the intestinal tract may occur, as well as through out your body if the inflammation then leads to a hyper-permeable intestinal wall (leaky gut).

Research has implicated intestinal dysbiosis as contributing to vitamin B12 deficiency(pernicious anemia), irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, colon and breast cancer, psoriasis, eczema, cystic acne, and chronic fatigue syndrome, high cholesterol, food allergies, and more!

Some of the causes of leaky gut syndrome may be,

Antibiotic use

Anti inflammatory drugs (yes even the NSAIDs.. especially the NSAIDs)

Processed foods

Stress

Lack of fiber in the diet

Hypochlorhydria (as you age the strength of your stomach acid declines, causing improper nutritional absorption as well as many other imbalances. Even people that suffer from acid reflux may actually have Hypochlorhydria)

It is not enough just to simply replenish your friendly bacteria, or, intestinal flora with a supplement. Once you have hit the stage of leaky gut, the intestinal walls need to be healed as well. The longer the problem is left untreated, the more severe the damage, and the more difficult it is to correct. Fortunately testing for this is simple, non invasive and inexpensive.

Whether I am seeing a patient for arthritis, yeast infections, weight gain, fibromyalgia, or high cholesterol, I run a metabolic test to determine how well their body is functioning. If your foundation is not strong, it is difficult to obtain lasting results, no matter how great the treatment, drug, diet, or therapy is. Most of us think we are functioning well, if we have no symptoms of disease, but symptoms are often a more advanced sign that an imbalance is in place. Symptoms may also seem unrelated to the imbalance, and then go untreated, hoping it will just “go away on its own.” It may go away, but, that does not mean the imbalance has resolved itself.

If you suffer from:

Food allergies (most of these are hidden but add to your inflammation)

Irritable bowel syndrome

Chronic intestinal inflammation

Yeast infections

Fibromyalgia

Chronic fatigue

Eczema

Gas, bloat, or flatulence or

Use antacids

Use antibiotics

Use NSAID or anti inflammatory drugs

You may be at risk for leaky guy syndrome.

When tested, if you find signs of leaky gut syndrome, or Hypochlorhydria, or dysbiosis, you can work with your health care practitioner to correct the problem. The secret to a long life and good health is not in symptom management, it’s in keeping your body balanced, and working in optimal condition. To find out more about leaky gut syndrome, or metabolic testing, click here.

If you pay attention to your body, you can have more energy, lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, happier life. It all starts with small adjustments, and little steps.