What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
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Leaky gut syndrome is a phenomenon that has received quite a bit of attention in recent years and is controversial in the medical field. Doctors who practice Western medicine often do not recognize it as a real condition, while holistic and natural health practitioners are more likely to view the syndrome as a real health issue.
There is an acknowledgment that gut permeability does occur and is associated with a number of other health concerns, but the question is whether it is the cause or the symptom of these associated diseases. There are a few animal studies that indicate that permeability exists prior to the onset of the disease, such as in the case of diabetes.1Meddings, J.B., J. Jarand, S.J. Urbanski, J. Hardin and D.G. Gall. Increased gastrointestinal permeability is an early lesion in the spontaneously diabetic BB rat. American Journal of Physiology. 1999 Apr;276(4):G951-7. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.1999.276.4.G951.
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1. Leaky Gut Syndrome
The digestive tract not only breaks down food, but it also serves as a barrier that prevents toxins, bacteria and other harmful substances from entering the bloodstream and getting transported to organs and other tissues. Water and nutrients pass through the intestinal walls through what is known as tight junctions.
If these tight junctions loosen, more substances are able to slip through. This is what the term “leaky gut” refers to. The excess permeability in the lining enables unwanted substances to enter into the bloodstream. Those who recognize leaky gut as a real disease believe that this can lead to systemic inflammation and, eventually, disease.
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