Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky gut syndrome is a term describing the effects of irritation in the small intestine. The small intestine can be irritated by excessive amounts of undigested food, or by excessive numbers of toxin-producing bacteria and yeasts. The two often go together, since bacterial irritants cause many of the cells which line the small intestine to become inflamed and die, thus reducing the intestines’ ability to produce the enzymes needed for the final stages of sugar and starch digestion. At the same time, the intestines’ nutrient absorption capacity is reduced, which can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Healthy intestines are highly discriminating about what they will allow through their walls into the bloodstream and what they will not. Once they become irritated, histamine is produced, and causes tiny gaps to develop between the cells that form the intestinal walls. These gaps allows small particles of undigested food to leak into the blood. The white cells of the immune system soon attach antibodies to these particles, forming circulating immune complexes (CICs) with the aim of marking them for destruction. Meanwhile these CICs can land in any tissue of the body – kidneys, brain, and so on, where they attract inflammation.

Food intolerances

This inflammation is thought to be how so-called ‘food intolerances’ can cause many ‘mysterious’ diseases such as nephrotic syndrome, asthma, arthritis and migraine. People with leaky gut syndrome also tend to suffer from bloating and intestinal gas due to the inflammation-related swelling of their intestines, and to poor digestion. Undigested carbohydrates provide food for undesirable bacteria and yeasts, which ferment them, producing copious quantities of gas.

Undigested particles of gluten and milk protein in the bloodstream seem to have undesirable effects on the nervous system, and have been linked with motor neurone disease and autism.

Dysbiosis

Dysbiosis is said to occur when proportions of undesirable bacteria or yeasts in the small intestine rise to a level that begins to affect health adversely. It is usually caused by taking antiobiotic medicines, since these are highly poisonous to the ‘good’ intestinal bacteria which normally keep the ‘bad’ ones under control.

Yeasts in particular tend to colonize the small intestine after a course of antibiotics, and even form a coating over its absorption surface. Candida albicans is the most common of these yeasts. For healthy individuals it causes no problems, but if uncontrolled it can multiply into a white overgrowth in the mouth, vagina or intestines. Candida overgrowth in the mouth or vagina is known as thrush or yeast infection. In the intestines it is known as ‘candidiasis’. Toxins such as acetaldehyde and tartaric acid produced by the Candida yeast are extremely toxic and carcinogenic.

People with dysbiosis feel increasingly more ill and tired, but, because a conventional doctor is looking for a disease rather than a functional problem, his/her tests may be limited, and he may not be able to find anything wrong. The patient often spends years going from doctor to doctor, becoming more and more frustrated that no-one seems to understand why he/she feels so unwell. Prescribed medications such as painkillers, anti-depressants and anti-inflammatories never seem to get to the root of the problem.

Liver stress

The most common health problems suffered by people with candidiasis are digestive problems, bloating, gas and chronic fatigue. Dysbiosis tends to be a vicious circle. As the damaged gut becomes more and more leaky, the patient absorbs larger quantities of bacterial toxins and undigested food particles into the bloodstream. These have to be processed by the liver. In time, liver enzyme deficits can develop, resulting in bad reactions to chemicals, fumes or smoke. Food intolerances may also worsen, and in severe cases the patient seems to react to numerous foods and may exist on a very limited diet.

Most people with leaky gut syndrome, and dysbiosis / candidiasis still suffer badly despite conventional medical help, reading lots of self-help books and trying all the ‘usual’ remedies: yoghurt, probiotics, Acidophilus capsules and so on.

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