Over the past 3 years, I have written several articles on topics related to the gut, however, none of them has been about the specific topic leaky gut syndrome (LGS). This is a subject that we get many questions about at the pharmacy and one that you will surely be hearing about in the future. In this and the next 2 articles I will go over what leaky gut is, the causes, symptoms and treatment and hopefully, by the end, you will have the knowledge necessary to combat this “under the radar” condition.

LGS is also referred to as hyper-permeable gut and the concept is surprisingly quite simple. Our intestinal tract is a tube that runs through our bodies from our mouth all the way to our backside. This tract, or tube is a closed system where when it is healthy, only the things that our bodies are designed to let in get in. It is a barrier to protect our bodies from things like bacteria, virus’, toxins and undigested food particles. When intact, it is one cell thick and these cells are packed tightly together allowing only small particles or nutrients to be absorbed through and between the cells.

When it becomes damaged due to causes we will discuss next time, the lining of the gut becomes more permeable or porous. We develop gaps in these cells and our gut becomes leaky. Think of a bowl that has now become a sieve. These gaps allow foreign substances to be absorbed and our bodies begin to develop antibodies to these substances. This is the start of an inflammatory process.

It is in this process where the problem becomes amplified with repeated exposed to certain foods, which can make the immune response go crazy. One such food is gluten a protein complex found in wheat, barley, spelt and rye. Many people believe that gluten sensitivity and gluten free diets are is just a fad or a health craze that will soon go away.

There are 3 things to consider when looking at gluten reactions. The first is wheat allergy, which is an IgE reaction and the response follows the standard allergic reaction: mildly reactive with hives and rashes to severe with anaphylaxis. The second is celiac disease, which is caused in genetically predisposed individuals by abnormal intestinal permeability (LGS) and abnormal immune response to gluten. This carries a variety of intense intestinal side effects. The third is gluten sensitivity which is a low level IgG response to gluten, not the severity of the first two but often not looked at because it is a low level inflammatory response this is often times not immediate.

When embarking on a gluten free diet, it takes some time for your system to purge itself of gluten and then to have the inflammation subside after it is gone. This is often the reason people can’t correlate a food sensitivity as the cause of their illness. For example, it you are sensitive to gluten, it is in almost every meal that is in the Standard American Diet and if you don’t remove it over a period of time, you will never rid yourself of the inflammation.

I recommend that patients go on a modified elimination diet if they have a chronic disease. This diet is designed to remove the most allergenic foods: gluten, dairy, eggs, corn and sugar. Many of those patients who adhere to the diet for 2-3 weeks find themselves feeling better that when they were not on the diet.

Hopefully this overview of LGS helps you understand your intestinal tract better as we continue the conversation. In my next article I will review the causes and symptoms of leaky gut. Stop by the pharmacy if you would like more information about leaky gut. Please visit my website at www.irsfeldpharmacy.com to view this and other health related articles in the blog section. Until next time, be vigilant about your health!!