We apologize for that weird word in the topic of our blog post, but ‘leaky gut’ is something important in the world of medicine. It is not a disease. It is a collection of a few particular as well as some general symptoms. So what makes one say that your gut leaks? What actually ‘leaks’ out of your gut?

Well, let’s make it simple. The lining of your intestinal wall contains tight junctions so that the food molecules do not escape quickly. These fixed junctions inside the gut are made up of specialized proteins and are important in regulating the permeability of your intestinal wall. When this same barrier becomes ineffective in guarding the escape of molecules through the intestine, the condition is then termed as ‘leaky gut syndrome’.

What causes this condition is still a mystery. However, several scientific studies propose that the major ailments prevailing in today’s era, such as diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, and multiple sclerosis are caused due to this unknown mysterious syndrome.

Several parasites, bacteria, and viruses have been discovered that affect these skilled junctions of the gut, which eventually results in declined wall permeability. Many toxic substances, as well as drugs, can also cast the same effect. Food allergies also stand to be a great cause of making the gut wall leaky.

How would you know if you have a leaky gut?

Well, there are certain signs which although are not specific for this syndrome, but do signify that something is wrong inside the digestive system.

Frequent Cramping

Nothing can be as annoying as a stomach that aches frequently. One cannot even stand straight with a cramping stomach. Ever wondered what makes one hold their abdomen tight often? The reasons are ample, but one of them could be ‘leaky gut syndrome’. Stomach pain signifies a lot of diseases, which range from those as simple as gases to complex cases such as tumors.

Frequent fatigue

Are you sick of being tired and lazy whole time? Do even the tiniest of tasks make you drowsy? Well, this is a sign of an internal body anomaly, which can belong to any system. Many people with gut ailments remain fatigued all day long. It is quite an obvious fact that unless your digestive system is not active enough to provide energy to body cells, you won’t work effectively. Hence, one of the causes behind early and easy fatigue could be the ‘leaky gut syndrome’.

Frequent diarrhea

Diarrhea simply indicates intestinal infection, which could be due to bacterial, viral, or parasitic causes. However, frequent loose stools without an obvious cause point out the possible prevalence of a ‘leaky gut’. You must consult a gastroenterologist so as to rule out the reasons for frequent diarrhea.

Frequent constipation

Constipation in many cases is congenital. It also happens in cases where there is too much dehydration. Many medicines also produce stools of hard consistency. Frequent constipation without an obvious cause must be consulted with a doctor, so as to figure out the actual determinant of the symptom. However, one of the probable causes could be a ‘leaky gut’.

Frequent nausea

The constant urge to throw up is too bothersome. Many times, the main reason for constant nausea remains a mystery. However, it is also a common symptom produced by a gut that has comprised permeability.

Frequent changes in bowel habits

Alternating bowel habits is not a normal thing. For instance, a week of loose stools followed by another few days of constipation, and the repeat of this cycle over and over again indicates an underlying gut pathology. Frequent change in bowel habits is also an important sign of ‘leaky gut’.

What to do if you have a ‘leaky gut’?

Unless the exact pathology is figured out, treatment cannot be provided to fix a leaking intestinal wall. What would you do if one day all of a sudden, you discover that you have a leaky gut? Your doctor calls you in for advice and you do not know what’s so wrong. Do not panic! Having a leaky gut is no big deal. Living with this syndrome is not hazardous at all unless it is allowed to grow and prosper, in the case of which the disease shall predispose you to various chronic ailments such as diabetes and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Firstly, those foods that provoke your gut to call upon an inflammatory reaction must be immediately ceased. For instance, there is a certain amount of population in this world who has this disease called as ‘Celiac disease.’ In this disease, the gut is highly sensitive to a food ingredient called ‘gluten.‘ Upon the intake of gluten-containing products, such individuals face grave consequences of digestive system inflammation.

Hence, be sure to discuss with your doctor about all the food allergies you might be having. Ask him to provide you a diet plan so to keep up the health of your bowel, in case you are affected with ‘leaky gut syndrome.’