I had leaky gut for many years (I was working as an engineer at the time. Looking back, I am 100% sure that’s what I had and was not aware of it) and ended up with Small Intestines Overgrowth(SIBO). Have you ever met anybody who had a leaky gut, or you may call “intestinal permeability”, and diagnosed by their physicians? After treating many patients who come to see me after they went to see their PCP, many specialists, even functional medicine doctors in this area (I am in Boston, MA), it is rare to see they were diagnosed properly by the practitioners.
But I am telling you the fact that your gut is “leaky” may be the root of many diseases these days. Please check the HIDDEN CAUSE page on my site for more details. Leaky Gut causes so many symptoms you might not be aware of. A recurrent migraine headache, food sensitivity, eye pains, chronic neck stiffness, chronic joint pain, chronic sinus infections, insomnia, ringing in the ear, anxiety, short temper, depression, brain fog, hemorrhoid, eczema, irregular cycles, poor immunity, frequent UTI, and adult acne and more… If you have a family history of stomach related diseases like I do, you may give the more targeted treatment for our stomach by making your own “heal my leaky gut cocktail” in the morning and take it with each meal for three months and re-evaluate.
- Eat Okura! Yes, Okura. Okura is especially great when your stomach is hurting. The sliminess of okra “patch” the inflamed the mucosal lining in the stomach. Any slimy food work – from slippery elm, marshmallow root, and aloe vera.
- 6 grams of L-Glutamine Powder 2x/ day
- Slippery Elm Herbal Extract
- 1 capsule High Potency of Probiotics (I pick the specific probiotic and prebiotic supplement based on my patient’s symptoms)
- 3 drops of Fulvic Minerals
- 2 oz of Aloe Vela (This is the purest Aloe Vela I recommend)
- Zinc Carsinone capsule twice per day – this type of zinc is the best suited to heal the inflamed mucosal lining and leaky gut.
If you are taking HCL capsules with the meal and you do not want to take it forever and/or would like to know how much your gut really need HCL, this is the good test “The HCL Challenge Test“. You will see the big differences before and after doing pathogen purge (detox) for a month or two to get rid of any pathogens you have (small to large parasites, bacterial overgrowth in small intestines, H. Pylori bacteria in stomach, yeast overgrowth, fungus overgrowth, chronic constipation, to irregular bowel movements- IBS). When you heal your gut, you will get your health back but a lot of patients I met in my clinic were doing wrong sequences.
Gluten Sensitivity and Leaky Gut Connection:
- This is the most recent NIH study
- Dr. Ruscio’s take on how to determine gluten is the cause of leaky gut in your case.
- How acid-blocking medications can cause food allergies by Tom Malterre
- How bacteria form biofilm? (short YouTube video)
- This is the 2 min cartoon video explains what leaky gut is. Please take a look.
- Learn about “bacteria” – Short cartoon video “How your gut microbiome influences your mental and physical health“.
Leaky Gut and Thyroid Connection:
- Gut-Thyroid Connection – Dr. Aviva Romm
Important Test Marker on stool test (I use GI-MAP stool test)
Secretory IgA (SigA) is a mucosal antibody on the surface of mucosa in the gut, eyes, nose, and throat. It is the first line of immune defense on the surface of the mucosal lining.
- Why your low secretory IgA levels are causing immune and digestive issues
- When your mucosal defenses are down: Secretory IgA and treating SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth)
- Heal digestive problems by balancing secretory IgA
Beta-glucuronidase is an enzyme produced by unfriendly gut bacteria. The lower the marker healthier you are.
- High Beta-Glucuronidase and How it affects Estrogen and Detoxification
- The intestinal bacterial beta-glucuronidase activity of patients with colon cancer – PubMed
- Maintaining a proper balance of beta-glucuronidase for disease and cancer prevention
Elastase-1 is Pancreatic Elastase which is a protein-digesting enzyme produced by the pancreas to evaluate the pancreatic digestive function. The higher the marker, your pancreas functioning.
- Fecal elastase 1 level explained
Calprotectin is one of the diagnosis evaluation markers of patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The lower the marker, the less inflammation is occurring in your intestine.
- The value of Calprotectin in IBD – Christian Reinhard, Ph.D.
- Fecal Calprotectin Test – GI Society of Canada
- Calprotectin in stool – Quest Diagnostics
Zonulin is a protein that regulates the bond, called tight junction, between cells that make up the lining of the gut. When the tight junctions loosen up, it opens the gate for unwanted protein particles to get into the bloodstream which is the beginning of leaky gut and autoimmune disease. The lower the maker is, the less leaky gut you have. This is the explanation of High Zonulin at Dunwoody Labs: “High plasma zonulin is associated with intestinal permeability. Zonulin is a protein that leads to the breakdown of tight gap junctions in the GI lining. These junctions are critical for a healthy barrier against the outside world. When the gut barrier is weakened, a person is more vulnerable to food antigens, toxins, and unfriendly microbes. A leaky gut tears down the body’s defenses and opens up the system to increased inflammation. Increased levels of zonulin may be a contributing factor in the development of the celiac disease, autoimmune disorders, insulin-dependent diabetes, multiples sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Higher zonulin levels have been reported in patients with active celiac disease compared to non-celiac disease patients. Zonulin levels elevate 2.4 years before diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and allergies. Zonulin may, therefore, be an early marker of disease processes.”- Down woody Labs
- The founder of Zonulin Alessio Fasano M.D.’s interview with Chris Kresser (podcast and transcript)
- Zonulin in the chart – Scientific American
- Intestinal permeability and it’s regulation by zonulin – PubMed
- The root of the leaky gut: exploring IBS, Allergies – body ecology
Leaky Gut related links:
- Is Heartburn Caused by “Leaky Esophagus”? by Chris Kresser
- The leaky gut protocol by David Jockers
- L-Glutamine for Leaky Gut – Dr. Dan Pompa
- The dangers of the leaky gut by David Jockers
- Is your gut causing you to have anxiety and acne? by David Jockers
- Is your gut bacteria making you fat? by David Jockers
- 9 signs you have leaky gut by Josh Axe
- Modern life depletes gut microbes (short video) by Joseph Mercola
- Heal the gut no matter what by Cassie Bjork
- Butyrate, Inflammation, and Leaky Gut by Body Ecology
- 22 benefits of Butyrate by self-hacked
- Healing leaky gut in 5 simple steps by Doni Wilson
- Top 5 causes of IBS and how they related to the leaky gut by Doni Wilson
- 5 more causes of IBS and how they relate to the leaky gut by Doni Wilson
- Unexplained weight gain – could it be leaky gut? by Doni Wilson
- How leaky gut can lead to depression, anxiety and migraine headache by Doni Wilson
- Leaky gut – what is it and what can you do about it by Doni Wilson
- Testing for the leaky gut – Putting the pieces together by Doni Wilson
- Healing leaking gut by Doni Wilson
- Leaky Gut and heartburn, acid reflux and ulcer by Doni Wilson
- Leaky Gut and Autoimmune Diseases – What’s the connection? by Doni Wilson
- HCL Challenge Testing Method by clear medicine.com
More about Leaky Gut Articles posted HERE!
Click HERE for Lab Testing Information
IBS & IBD
The first thing I suggest is getting this free app “Cara” on your phone if you have an iPhone to trace the trigger (possibly food) and the quality of the stool.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is an umbrella diagnosis that includes SIBO (small intestines bacterial overgrowth) and SIFO (small intestines fungus overgrowth).
- The IBS within the IBD (Gary Weiner ND, Lac)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease comes with more pain includes Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease.
- Where the rubber meets the road: treating IBD (Gary Weiner ND, Lac)