(Galland) This makes the gut more permeable or “leaky”, to allow these immune modulators to get to the scene of the inflammation. (Laurière) When the body attempts to fight off what it perceives as a foreign invader (for example, gliadin, gluten, or another food you have a sensitivity to), it creates an antibody response similar to an autoimmune reaction, enlarging the blood vessels in the gut so that more white blood cells and other immunoglobulins (molecules that fight off infection) can rush to the scene. Even in those who do not have celiac disease, the proteins gluten and gliadin can cause an inflammatory response in the small intestine, and can lead to “leaky gut”. Gluten sensitivity, food intolerances, and allergies seem to be skyrocketing these days, and with them, the incidence of gastrointestinal and autoimmune disorders. With leaky gut and the breakdown of the brush border, all these functions are seriously diminished. (Galland) Normally, the microvilli release lactase and cholecystokinin (CCK), which signals to the pancreas to secrete various digestive enzymes and helps you break your food down, as it should. ![]() This allows unwanted particles to pass through into the bloodstream, and causing widespread inflammation, and also causes foods that area already digested to be malabsorbed, leading to micronutrient deficiencies. (Lipski, 41) With leaky gut, the villi on the brush border of your small intestine begin to break down, along with the structure of the epithelial wall. The enzymes on the brush border allow for the breakdown and assimilation of nutrients, allows “friendly” compounds like ““properly digested fats, proteins, and starches to pass through,” and the epithelial wall keeps foreign invaders like pathogens, bacteria, and larger food particles out. The gut barrier “serves as the gatekeeper that decides what get into our body and what stays out.” (Kresser, 166). In healthy people with well-functioning gastrointestinal tracts, the small intestine functions as the main digestion, absorption, and immune-modulating organ in the body. Want to just skip to the part on how to heal, and what I’m doing about it? Scroll down! So what even IS leaky gut in the first place? Get ready…I’m about to get all science-y on you to explain what leaky gut (aka intestinal permeability) is, and why it happens. (Thanks, celiac! Whomp.) But I’ve come leaps and bounds from where I was using these tips and tricks I’m about to tell you about! Fret not, young grasshopper. Even now, more than two years after learning of my leaky gut “diagnosis” and working on it with various healing diets and lifestyle changes, I still have leaky gut issues. ![]() ![]() To be honest, this blog post title isn’t completely true. ![]() It’s kind of become one of the latest health “trends” along with the rise in “gluten-free” anything and everything, and gluten intolerance (or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which YES, is a real thing). You may have heard a lot about “leaky gut” lately in the news.
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