Leaky Gut Syndrome
A Functional Medicine Approach to Leaky Gut Syndrome
Leaky Gut is also commonly known as gut hyperpermeability, involves a malfunction of the filtering system of the small intestine. The small intestine is comprised of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum, and spans from the stomach to the large intestine, or bowel.
A healthy small intestine allows absorption of nutrients while also preventing the absorption of undigested food particles, bacteria, fungi and toxins. When a person’s gut lining becomes damaged gut lining, small tears, like you would see in a cheese cloth allows increasing amounts of toxic substances into the body. setting up an immune system response, which can result in inflammation in different parts of the body. Consequently, foreign particles to the body can get into tissues triggering a host of symptoms that can appear in many body systems that may seem to be distinct from the digestive tract.
Leaky Gut Causes
- Antiobiotics overuse
- Gut infections (SIBO, Candida, Parasites)
- Overuse of meds including PPIs
- Excessive Stress
- Inflammatory Diet
- Exessive Alcohol
A leaky gut process can involve pathogenic microorganisms within the digestive tract that ferment on undigested food which produces toxic by-products, and when they die, fragments of their cell walls (known as LPS or lipopolysaccharide) are released and absorbed into the bloodstream. Endotoxins/lipopolysaccharide can cause inflammation causing an immune response and are the cause of much of the damage that arises from a Leaky Gut.
Leaky Gut Associated Conditions
Leaky Gut has been shown to be associated with many medical conditions and far reaching and numerous. The process of leaky gut is very inflammatory in nature and affects immune system function
Skin Condtions
Ezcema, Acne, Psoriasis
Cardiovascular System
heart disease, hypertension
Digestive Issues
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), (IBD), Crohn’s disease, Acid Reflux
Thyroid Conditions
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Graves
Central Nervous System
Chronic fatigue syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Depression
Endocrine
Adrenal fatigue. iaibetes, Low Libido
Musculoskeletal system:
Joint Pain, Fibromyalgia, Muscle Pain
Respiratory system
Asthma, COPD,
Reproductive System
PCOS, Endometrosis
Leaky Gut Treatment
Treatment protocols used to heal the digestive lining will look at what is driving the leaky gut and can involve treating food sensitivities, and restoring a healthy gut microbiome with its foundations involving diet, lifestyle modification, and nutritional supplements being an essential component of a holistic program for this condition. We can put these into 4 stages
- Remove.- The goal is to get rid of anything that is contributing to an imbalance of the digestive tract such as intestinal infections and inflammatory foods.We do this through gut health testing and gut microbiome testing to find the offending pathogens
- Replace - Replace the essential enzymes and nutrients for proper digestion and absorption, such as digestive enzymes hydrochloric acid and bile acids.
- Reinoculate - It’s critical to restore terrain in the GI tract making the environment more favourable for the good bacteria to be able to flourish that helps restore immunity and reduce inflammation.
- Repair - Provide the right nutrients to help the repair of the gut lining, so that leaky gut is reduced which in turn lowers inflammation.
Leaky Gut Approach
Optimal Nutrition
Your practitioner may recommend a diet that will help optimize absorption and help reduce inflammation.
Supplement Support
Specific enzymes, minerals and supplements can be recommended to help with increasing digestive enzymes secretion and healing the gut lining.
Testing
Our practitioners can recommend specific testing related to the drivers of the condition which can include food intolerances and food allergy testing, The best gut health tests will depend on what the presenting symptoms are. We can look to do Sibo breath testing with other gut health tests including candida testing and parasite testing to investigate potential gut infections that may be present.
Targeted Treatments
Our practitioners can recommendations additional treatment or lifestyle interventions that have proven effects to help you overcome a specific digestive condition.
Our Client's Feedback
Why Choose the London Centre for Functional Medicine?
Support
Once you reach out to us, the team will guide you through the collaborative process with a practitioner, We will gather the information we need to understand you better and help support and motivate you along your health journey.
Experience
We take the complex and try to make it simple. Many patients have gone to multiple doctors before they reach us. By taking a functional medicine approach, we can focus on the core imbalance and what needs to be addressed to improve your health picture.
Custom Approach
There is no one size fits approach as each patient is unique. Thus, no plan or protocol is the same. Everything about you including symptoms, lifestyle, diet, genetics and capacity to heal is different and will require a personalized approach.
london center for functional medicine