All Disease Begins in The Gut
Since they play a role in determining things like our individual DNA, inherited traits, disease propensity, body type, and body "set point weight," our microbiomes are frequently referred to as our "genetic imprints." Even outside of our bodies, on practically every surface we touch, and in every aspect of the environment we come into contact with, the bacteria that make up our microbiomes may well be discovered. A single layer of specialized epithelial cells that are connected by proteins known as tight junctions (or TJs) protects the intestines. Leaky gut symptoms are a result of intestinal TJ dysfunction, according to one 2020 review. Your intestines and bloodstream are connected by these TJ proteins. They regulate the substances that are permitted to enter your bloodstream from your digestive system. Today, it is known that more than 40 distinct TJ proteins contribute to gut health. The role of TJ proteins is quite specific. In order to prevent xenobiotics (disease-causing agents, such as toxins and germs) from passing from your digestive system into the rest of your body, they must maintain the delicate balance between enabling essential nutrients to enter your bloodstream and remaining small enough to do so.
Even if you don't exactly show symptoms of a digestive ailment, you very surely have an imbalance, an infection, low levels of digestive enzymes, or poor absorption if you have an autoimmune disease or relatively mild symptoms like chronic fatigue or heartburn.
Our immune system makes up between 60 and 80 percent of our gut, Therefore, Dr. Alessio Fasano's research at Harvard was the first to demonstrate that intestinal permeability was required for someone to have celiac disease and that finding has since been generalized to all autoimmune diseases. We, therefore, assume that some of it are genetic, despite research with identical twins showing that just 25% is genetic and 75% is environmental.
What are these environmental influences, exactly?
One theory is that intestinal permeability is undoubtedly one of the major contributing causes and that autoimmunity requires a leaky gut. The final two components are typically genetics and triggers (such as aging, food, infections, stress, and toxins). These tight junctions connect our gut to our intestines, we absorb our micronutrients by having those tight connections loosen up a little bit in a normal state, after we begin chewing, our meal is broken down in the stomach and intestines, and these teeny, tiny particles are what normally are supposed to get through
These tight connections fall apart when the stomach is leaky, allowing larger particles to enter that weren't intended to. Not just food particles, such as the enormously large proteins casein and gluten, but also viruses and other poisons. Then a substance known as Zonulin emerges and starts to activate and maintain this TJ open. Once huge particles that weren't intended to pass through do so, our immune system perceives them as foreign and starts attacking them. Certain food contaminants, such as gluten and casein, as well as some diseases, resemble our own tissue and mimic our own tissue. Another theory for how autoimmunity arises is; that as our body attempts to attack them( food particles, pathogens, toxins), it may unintentionally destroy our tissues.
Leaky gut, also known as intestinal permeability, can result in many chronic conditions and can produce mild to severe symptoms. Let's look at the minor symptoms first:
1. Food sensitivities/intolerance
2. Persistent Muscle Aches
3. bloating
4. Prolonged Tiredness
5. Indigestion
6. Stress and depression
7. Recurring migraines and headaches
8. Skin Problems
9. Weight Gain or Loss
10. Thyroid Dysfunction
Intestinal permeability, if untreated, can result in:
Autoimmune diseases
Obesity
Diabetes
IBS and IBD
Allergies
Constant irritation
SIBO
Impaired immunity
Hormonal imbalance
Mental issues ADD/ADHD
Here is a list of labs to request:
IgG/IgA: The bloodstream is where these antibodies are made. They develop when the gut lining is damaged, allowing for the entry of undigested food particles into the bloodstream. More of these antibodies are created by the immune system to defend against the invaders in your body when the permeability of the gut rises and these particles and substances enter your bloodstream. When the immune system becomes overly sensitive, it may begin to respond to previously tolerable foods like gluten and dairy products. This might result in a low-grade inflammatory disease that could cause persistent medical issues.
Zonulin: is a protein that regulates the size of the holes between the lining of the gut and the circulation. The openings in a healthy gut will be tiny, just big enough to allow nutrients to pass through. However, these apertures get larger if the zonulin concentrations are too high. A rise in zonulin can be brought on by a number of factors, such as candida yeast, gluten, parasites, and other bacteria. Over time, having high zonulin levels can harm the microvilli in the gut. This may result in nutrient absorption issues and other health issues.
GI Stool Diagram: The amount of beneficial bacteria in your stomach can be determined via stool testing. Additionally, they can assess your general gut health, look for signs of inflammation, and measure how well your intestinal immune system is working. Probiotic levels and the presence of both good and toxic microorganisms can be assessed via stool testing. These tests can also identify the presence of pathogens in the feces, such as yeast, harmful bacteria, or parasites. These microbes can cause chronic illnesses, leaky gut syndrome, and neurological impairment.
Test for Organic Acid: You will have trouble absorbing nutrients if you have leaky gut syndrome, which can result in vitamin and mineral shortages. This happens as a result of the gut's microvilli being destroyed and unable to help with nutrient absorption.
Large molecules, such as gluten, are let to pass through the gut lining when these microvilli aren't functioning properly, whereas smaller molecules that ought to flow through are inhibited. This results in inadequate nutrition absorption and hinders the immune system's ability to detoxify antigens in the face of escalating inflammation. In addition to measuring vitamin and mineral deficits, this test will also check for amino acid shortages, which can happen if microvilli are damaged. This test also provides information about your body's metabolism of lipids, proteins, and carbs as well as levels of bacteria and antioxidants.
Mannitol and Lactulose:
The amount that these two sugars penetrate the gut lining is determined by this urine leaky gut test. Lactulose is a larger molecule and not as quickly absorbed as mannitol, which is a smaller molecule, you are given a combination of these sugars before the test, and the level of these sugars in your urine is then determined, this will show how permeable your gut is based on the amounts found in your pee. Actually, you may obtain a leaky gut test kit from your physician and perform the test in the privacy and comfort of your own home before sending the sample for testing. There could be some issues with this test. One hypothesis is that it could exacerbate SIBO symptoms by feeding the bacteria, which is one of the causes of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). This test's inability to assess the transit of big antigenic molecules is another drawback. These chemicals have the ability to get past the epithelial barrier and start an immunological reaction. As a result, the test may show whether or not sugar molecules are fleeing the intestine, but since these molecules don't activate the immune system, it's possible that it won't be a reliable indicator of a risky degree of gut permeability or leaky gut syndrome. Due to the fact that lactulose molecules are much smaller than the majority of food molecules, measuring lactulose does not provide any information regarding whether food particles pass through the epithelial barrier.
The presence of these endotoxins can be detected using lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which has been proposed as a method to detect leaky gut syndrome. Large molecules known as LPS are present in gram-negative bacteria. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are released when your body contains LPS. Therefore, if you test positive for antibodies to these endotoxins, it may indicate that these macromolecules are getting into your bloodstream through the intestinal lining.
Researchers and medical professionals can evaluate the presence of large molecules as large as food particles by using a Large Molecule Intestinal Permeability Identification (LMIPI). This leaky gut lab test has the advantage of quickly determining the degree and origin of leaky gut. Finding big molecules that may be present in the body when they shouldn't be is another advantage of the LMIPI. Results from the LMIPI analysis also provide a better understanding of any intestinal immune system abnormalities. But there are problems with this testing. LPS only has two to four-minute half-life in blood, which is a severe downside. It can be challenging to find LPS antibodies in the blood unless there are really high levels of them. Steroids could not be taken for up to 60 days previous to testing and also have a bad impact on the evaluation of these antibodies. Additionally, the use of this test in children and young adolescents is severely constrained by the fact that current lab values are exclusively based on adults.
Occludin:
A significant peptide that contributes to the formation of the junctions between the epithelial cells lining the colon, is associated with leaky gut. If occludin antibodies are discovered during testing, the leaky gut syndrome may be to blame for these tight junctions' failure
Actomyosin Network:
This protein complex aids in maintaining the flexibility of the gut lining's tight connections between epithelial cells. If testing reveals antibodies to this protein, this points to cellular infiltration-induced dysregulation of the intestinal lining.
Intestinal Permeability (Leaky Gut) Causes:
Poor Diet: The majority of people do not eat a healthy diet and consume excessive amounts of sodium, saturated fat, refined sugar, conventional gluten, and dairy, increasing their risk of chronic diseases.
Chronic Stress: This can weaken your immune system, and your body's ability to fight infections, bacteria, and viruses will deteriorate.
Microbiome imbalance (gut dysbiosis)
Toxin Overload: Every day, we come into contact with over 80.000 chemicals and other substances.
PPI, aspirin, NSAIDS, ibuprofen, and other medications
Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation...
Trauma or brain injuries
Consumption of Alcohol
As a Gut Expert, I always address any gut issues with every client as the first step to consistent results. If you've been following me for a while, you know how I don't like testing and I find some useless as they will just confirm what you have based on your symptoms. In addition, when you are sick, your blood work will change for the worse quickly, so if you give me blood works that were done three months ago or longer, for me, they are EXPIRED.
Each holistic practitioner has a different approach to treating diseases, and my approach involves treating the disease after listening to your symptoms and addressing The Root Cause similar to the homeopathic concept. My method is the same as old ways to detect any body imbalances, and as I've mentioned, I always address every organ in your body and restore it to get the best result that lasts forever.
Solutions:
https://www.seedsofchangemk.com/store101/p/parasites-free-gut
https://www.seedsofchangemk.com/store101/p/time-to-detox
https://www.seedsofchangemk.com/store101/p/12-top-supplements-and-herbs-to-treat-leaky-gut
RESOURCES:
https://www.nature.com/nrneurol/
2022. Malika Katrouche. All Rights Reserved.
