What a Leaky Gut Means for Your Stomach Health

What Is Leaky Gut?

It’s safe to say that the digestive system has a mind of its own, it knows what needs to enter your body and what needs to be thrown out. It does so through gaps in the intestinal wall, allowing nutrients to pass through and blocking toxins from entering the bloodstream. When these gaps become loose, toxins can enter the bloodstream. This condition is known as ‘intestinal permeability’ or ‘leaky gut syndrome.’

What Causes Leaky Gut?

There is no clear reason as to what causes leaky gut. However, there is a protein called “zonulin” that regulates intestinal permeability. Common symptoms of the leaky gut syndrome include bloating, food sensitivities, fatigue, digestive issues, and skin problems. There are certain lifestyle choices and diseases that affect the production of zonulin which in turn causes a leaky gut. 

For instance, excessive sugar intake can harm the health of the digestive wall, thus allowing more toxins to seep through. Similarly, studies have shown that those patients suffering from celiac disease have higher intestinal permeability.

How Does It Affect You?

It’s safe to say that having a leaky gut isn’t an ideal situation. If you do have a leaky gut it is quite possibly an indicator of your stomach health. Leaky gut is often associated to be a cause or a symptom of some diseases like celiac disease and more. Studies have shown that those suffering from celiac disease and those who follow a gluten-free diet have shown reduced signs of intestinal permeability. A leaky gut can indicate various irregularities within your body, most of them relating to your stomach and digestion.

While there isn’t enough evidence to prove ‘leaky gut’ as the direct cause for many diseases, there is a correlation between stomach health and a leaky gut. For instance, leaky gut can also point to gluten indigestion and other stomach-related irregularities. While medical science does its research regarding the existence of leaky gut, it’s safe to say that it can be avoided or controlled by maintaining a healthy diet and taking care of the overall health of one’s stomach and food intake.

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