Leaky Gut Syndrome

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The leaky gut syndrome ( German syndrome of the permeable intestine ) is a pathogenetic concept (the pathogenesis , i.e. the development of a disease) from alternative medicine . According to this, the barrier function of the intestinal mucosa in the area of ​​the small intestine is said to be disturbed, so that bacteria and toxins from the intestinal contents enter the bloodstream and trigger various chronic diseases, such as arthritis , migraines , autism , ADHD , multiple sclerosis , chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), skin problems and many more. The factual background is the observation that inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease increase the permeability of the intestinal wall. Numerous diets and food supplements are recommended as treatment measures in the non-medical area .

Similar pathogenetic concepts are common in autoimmune medicine . However, no scientific research or evidence has been presented for leaky gut syndrome.

causes

Numerous causes are said to favor the leaky gut syndrome, for example fungi , food intolerance , diseases of the digestive tract, viruses , bacteria , parasites , stress , medication or alcohol consumption .

These factors are said to lead, among other things, to an imbalance in the intestinal flora and an increase in the permeability of the intestinal mucosa . The proponents of this concept assume that the permeability of the tight junctions (from Latin zonulae occludentes , `` tight connections '' ) in the intestinal mucosa is increased in patients with leaky gut syndrome. Substances could enter the bloodstream that would otherwise be excreted in the stool . Examples are toxins , fungi or undigested particles. An immune reaction is the result. Antibodies and inflammatory substances would be formed in order to render the foreign bodies harmless. It is then possible that these antibodies also attack the body's own cells.

Symptoms

In the digestive tract , the leaky gut syndrome is said to manifest itself through symptoms such as flatulence , diarrhea or constipation . An indicated autoimmune reaction is said to cause complaints to the entire body. Various skin diseases , food intolerances and diseases of the musculoskeletal system , such as rheumatism or arthritis, are mentioned . Furthermore, asthma , chronic fatigue , migraines or mood swings up to depression should also occur.

Diagnosis

Alternative doctors offer blood and urine tests to diagnose leaky gut syndrome. In the lactulose-mannitol test , the patient takes a solution that contains the double sugar lactulose and the sugar alcohol mannitol . After a certain period of time, the urine will be examined for these components. An unusual amount of the two substances indicates the presence of leaky gut syndrome. Another way to diagnose leaky gut syndrome is with the zonulin test . Zonulin is a protein that is secreted by the intestinal mucosa in response to certain stimuli and increases its permeability. A serum test determines the amount of zonulin in the blood. An increased value could indicate a leaky gut syndrome.

treatment

The treatment of leaky gut syndrome is done with the aim of regeneration of the intestinal mucosa. Avoiding intolerable foods, medication and stress, as well as changing your diet should help restore a healthy intestinal flora. In particular, foods that are said to have a positive effect on the intestinal environment are recommended. These include flaxseed , digestive teas , whole grains from oats and barley , as well as probiotic and prebiotic foods and food additives. Drug therapy is only given if fungi are present in the intestine. In this case, an antifungal agent can be used as a supplement. How long it takes for the intestinal flora to regenerate depends on the individual case.

literature

Alternative medicine
  • Ax, Josh. Eat Dirt: Why Leaky Gut May Be the Root Cause of Your Health Problems and 5 Surprising Steps to Cure it . HarperCollins Publishers, 2016.
  • Heepen, Günther. Chaos in the intestines: help from nature with leaky gut syndrome, intestinal fungus, irritable stomach, allergies and constipation . Gräfe and Unzer Verlag, 2017.
  • Schaenzler, Nicole. Stomach & intestines: treat naturally . Gräfe and Unzer Verlag, 2016, p. 26.
  • Smith, Melanie. Leaky Gut Syndrome STOP !: A Complete Guide To Leaky Gut Syndrome Causes, Symptoms, Treatments & A Holistic System To Eliminate LGS Naturally & Permanently . Enlightened Publishing, 2015.
medicine
  • Obrenovich, MEM: Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain? In: Microorganisms . Volume 6, Number 4, December 2018, Article Number: 107, doi : 10.3390 / microorganisms6040107 (free full text) (Review).

Sources and individual references

  1. ↑ Seth C. Kalichman : Denying AIDS: Conspiracy Theories, Pseudoscience, and Human Tragedy . Springer Science & Business Media, January 16, 2009, ISBN 978-0-387-79476-1 , p. 167.
  2. ↑ James R. Gray / Canadian Society of Intestinal Research (2013): Debunking the Myth of 'Leaky Gut Syndrome'.
  3. ↑ Günther Heepen: Help from nature with leaky gut syndrome, intestinal fungi, irritable stomach, allergies and constipation . Gräfe and Unzer Verlag, August 7, 2017, ISBN 978-3-833-86294-6 , p. 107.
  4. ↑ Biovis Diagnostik MVZ GmbH (2018): Fachinformationen 9/2018: Leaky Gut - The increased permeability of the intestine.
  5. ↑ T. Vanuytsel, S. Vermeire, I. Cleynen: The role of haptoglobin and its related protein, zonulin, in inflammatory bowel disease. In: Tissue barriers. Volume 1, number 5, December 2013, p. E27321, doi : 10.4161 / tisb.27321 , PMID 24868498 , PMC 3943850 (free full text) (review).
  6. ^ Q. Mu, J. Kirby, CM Reilly, XM Luo: Leaky Gut As a Danger Signal for Autoimmune Diseases. In: Front Immunol. Volume 8, May 2017, Article Number 598, doi : 10.3389 / fimmu.2017.00598 , PMID 28588585 , PMC 5440529 (free full text) (review).

See also

Web links