Leaky gut syndrome used to be only something you would hear about, amongst the "alternative" medicine community. But more and more, main stream medicine is finding out this may be the begining of many diseases we see today.
There is truth in the old saying, "Death begins in the intestines. " Your intestines play an important role not only in your digestion, but in many biological functions. Your intestinal tract harbors many different types of bacteria. It is estimated that there is between 300-500 different types of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. When the balance between "good" and "bad" bacteria is lost, this is called dysbiosis. When dysbiosis is present, immune system functions become less efficient, yeast, or candida over growth may occur, inflammation in the intestinal tract may occur, as well as through out your body if the inflammation then leads to a hyper-permeable intestinal wall (leaky gut).
Research has implicated intestinal dysbiosis as contributing to vitamin B12 deficiency(pernicious anemia), irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, colon and breast cancer, psoriasis, eczema, cystic acne, and chronic fatigue syndrome, high cholesterol, food allergies, and more!
Some of the causes of leaky gut syndrome may be,
Antibiotic use
Anti inflammatory drugs (yes even the NSAIDs.. especially the NSAIDs)
Processed foods
Stress
Lack of fiber in the diet
Hypochlorhydria (as you age the strength of your stomach acid declines, causing improper nutritional absorption as well as many other imbalances. Even people that suffer from acid reflux may actually have Hypochlorhydria)
It is not enough just to simply replenish your friendly bacteria, or, intestinal flora with a supplement. Once you have hit the stage of leaky gut, the intestinal walls need to be healed as well. The longer the problem is left untreated, the more severe the damage, and the more difficult it is to correct. Fortunately testing for this is simple, non invasive and inexpensive.

Whether I am seeing a patient for arthritis, yeast infections, weight gain, fibromyalgia, or high cholesterol, I run a metabolic test to determine how well their body is functioning. If your foundation is not strong, it is difficult to obtain lasting results, no matter how great the treatment, drug, diet, or therapy is. Most of us think we are functioning well, if we have no symptoms of disease, but symptoms are often a more advanced sign that an imbalance is in place. Symptoms may also seem unrelated to the imbalance, and then go untreated, hoping it will just "go away on its own." It may go away, but, that does not mean the imbalance has resolved itself.
If you suffer from:
Food allergies (most of these are hidden but add to your inflammation)
Irritable bowel syndrome
Chronic intestinal inflammation
Yeast infections
Fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue
Eczema
Gas, bloat, or flatulence
or
Use antacids
Use antibiotics
Use NSAID or anti inflammatory drugs
You may be at risk for leaky guy syndrome.
When tested, if you find signs of leaky gut syndrome, or Hypochlorhydria, or dysbiosis, you can work with your health care practitioner to correct the problem. The secret to a long life and good health is not in symptom management, it's in keeping your body balanced, and working in optimal condition. To find out more about leaky gut syndrome, or metabolic testing, click here.
If you pay attention to your body, you can have more energy, lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, happier life. It all starts with small adjustments, and little steps.