Leaky Gut: An Assault On Your Gut Barrier

Your gut is the only organ exposed to the outside environment, which is why your intestinal barrier is so important for your health.

Whatever comes through your digestive tract, such as bacteria, viruses, nutrients, and other toxins, can have the potential to cause harm.

Your digestive tract is the main hub for breaking down food and absorbing essential nutrients for your body.

Of course, you need nutrients to be absorbed by your digestive tract.

But other nutrients such as gluten can leave your gut inflamed and have even been linked to thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s.

Picture your gut lining as a protective barrier such as the Great Wall was to China.

Bricks, stones, wood, tampered earth, and other materials made up these strong defensive walls.

But there were also gate towers along the wall which could let allies pass through to the other side.

However, if any of these materials buckled under the pressure of assault from outside invaders, a catastrophe on China awaited.

Without an intact and properly functioning intestinal lining, your gut permeability increases. Meaning harmful pathogens and toxic substances are easily absorbed into your bloodstream and can wreak havoc on your health.

This condition is known as leaky gut syndrome.

And there’s a strong link between autoimmune diseases and leaky gut syndrome. Several autoimmune conditions have a common denominator – leaky gut syndrome – which is a constant and early condition of the disease process.

The Great Wall: Your Gut’s Protection

Your gut allows the absorption of necessary minerals and nutrients through its intestinal walls which are required for basic human function. But it also faces assaults from other environmental factors such as antigens, commensal bacteria, pathogens, and toxins.

This is where the tight junction proteins in your gut lining come into play.

Your gut barrier consists of a single layer of epithelial cells which are linked together by tight junction proteins.

Think of these tight junction proteins which are located in your intestinal epithelial lining as the gate towers along the wall of your gut.

They let macromolecules needed to sustain life pass through small intestines to your bloodstream.

But when these gate towers become unstable, your protection becomes weak letting foreign and harmful invaders into your bloodstream.

Anything affecting the support of your gut lining barriers such as the tight junction proteins, mucins, antimicrobial molecules, immunoglobulins, and cytokines can lead to increased permeability in your gut.

When foreign invaders pass through to your bloodstream – somewhere they shouldn’t be – this may promote both local and systemic immune responses.

What Causes Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Certain pathogenic bacteria byproducts and metabolites have been shown to affect your intestinal barrier functions – causing leaky gut syndrome.

But not all bacteria are bad.

You need your good bacteria to act like soldiers to protect your gut lining – fighting off any bacteria trying to break the barrier. When you have gut dysbiosis, an imbalance of the different types of bacteria, this can leave your gut barrier open to attack.

Certain beneficial bacteria byproducts or postbiotics which are short-chain fatty acids have been shown to actually stimulate proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells in your gut.

This shows the benefit of having healthy bacteria in your gut – they’re your support and defense team.

The following can affect the physical, biochemical, and immunological support of your intestinal barrier which can cause leaky gut syndrome:

• Genetic predisposition
• Poor diet
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
• Gut microbiota dysbiosis
• Alcohol consumption
• Toxins such as pesticides
• Medications (NSAIDs, antacids, and antibiotics)
• Nutrient deficiencies (vitamin A, D, and zinc)
• Stress
• Systemic inflammation

Leaky Gut Syndrome Symptoms

Since leaky gut syndrome can cause both systemic and local immune response, your typical leaky gut syndrome symptoms can overlap other symptoms of a disease.

Those struggling with leaky gut syndrome may experience the following symptoms:

• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Headaches
• Brain fog and memory loss
• Excessive fatigue
• Food allergies

Multiple autoimmune diseases may also arise or be exacerbated by leaky gut syndrome including:

• Inflammatory bowel diseases
• Celiac disease
• Autoimmune hepatitis 1
• Type 1 diabetes
• Multiple sclerosis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Fibromyalgia
• Food sensitivities
• Autism
• Inflammatory joint disease
• Thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto’s
• Rosacea

Certain cancers such as colon cancer have also been linked to intestinal permeability or leaky gut syndrome.

Science-Based Medicine on Leaky Gut

With the doors opening on the research of your gut microbiota and the effect it has on your overall health, leaky gut syndrome research is in its infancy.

Most conventional doctors haven’t recognized leaky gut syndrome as a real condition – yet!

This is why so many people are left confused and questioning “Is leaky gut real?”

If we’re basing this question off of science then the answer is easy – yes, leaky gut syndrome is real.

In 2017, Frontiers of Immunology released a study warning those that gut health specifically leaky gut syndrome can be a danger signal for autoimmune diseases.

With more research like this one uncovering the truth about leaky gut syndrome, healing your gut may be a new target for disease prevention and therapy.

Nurture Your Gut Wall’s Foundation

Healthy gut bacteria means a healthy gut barrier and can prevent leaky gut syndrome and the diseases it may cause. Your gut microbiota protects you by supporting the epithelial lining of your gut.

This prevents environmental toxins, pathogenic bacteria, and other viruses from forcing its way into your bloodstream.

With the prebiotics in Atrantil, you can help feed your good bacteria and help them grow strong. Prebiotics help your bacteria to produce postbiotics which produce short chain fatty acids.

These fatty acids are beneficial to your gut wall because they help strengthen your intestinal barrier.

Because of their increased bioavailability, polyphenols have been shown to increase counts of beneficial bacteria in your gut while reducing harmful bacteria.

The polyphenols in Atrantil can help balance out gut dysbiosis which is one main causes of leaky gut syndrome.