Leaky Gut Syndrome in Sioux Falls SD

Leaky Gut Syndrome in Sioux Falls SD… You may have heard of it, but you probably have no idea what it is.  According to S.K. Dash, Ph.D. in his book "The Consumer's Guide to Probiotics:  Leaky Gut Syndrome" he writes leaky gut syndrome is "a serious condition and probably far more widespread than we might realize; even if you are clinically healthy today and don't know you have leaky gut, it could well put you at risk for a serious disease."

What I learned from Dash's book in Sioux Falls SD

The term leaky gut means just that - it is a gut that has leaks in it.  Normally, the intestinal lining is filled with all sorts of beneficial bacteria that are so plentiful they form a barrier over the intestinal mucosa.  This extra layer has numerous benefits, but one of the foremost tasks is to prevent absorption of damaging organisms and/or substances.  If there are diminished numbers of good bacteria, voids in the "barrier" can allow "leaking" which can lead to increased risk of infection and illness.  As Dash states in his book The Consumer's Guide to Probiotics: inflammation secondary to Leaky Gut Syndrome is thought to be "a key to many different disease states, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis and diabetes."  Additionally, inflammation further damages the cells in the lining causing even more permeability and large spaces between the cells perpetuating the effects.

It is believed that many allergies and food sensitivities are related to this improper balance in bacterial flora.  This may be due to the fact that food particles, which normally do not enter the bloodstream until broken down, are able to pass through freely.  This causes the immune system to treat the particles as foreign and increase their inflammatory response to the area.  This can lead to all kinds of symptoms, especially pain, gas and diarrhea.

Another common digestive issue is lactose intolerance.  Lactose intolerance (which results from a lack of lactase enzyme to break down the sugar lactose) can be caused by a lack of Lactobacilli bacteria, which naturally produces lactase in the duodenum (part of the small intestine).  The lactose can be absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine, but if it passes into the colon it has missed its chance to be absorbed and at this point breakdown results in formation of gas and various abdominal symptoms.

What types of things can cause Leaky Gut, you may ask?  Two very big culprits are antibiotics and food processing.  Many people know antibiotics are notorious for wiping out the good bacteria with the bad.  That is why a good medical doctor will recommend replenishing the gut after each round of antibiotics.  Food processing, however, is another lesser known adversary.  Before refrigeration, fermentation was commonly used as a natural preservative.  As our need for fermentation has decreased, the amount of beneficial microorganisms we ingest has also decreased.  In addition, many more foods are exposed to chemicals or high heat to prevent proliferation of microorganisms.  This leads to less bad bacteria being ingested, but unfortunately it also leads to less GOOD bacteria as well.  Additionally, drinks containing alcohol or caffeine, contaminated foods, consumption of foods high in refined carbohydrates and use of corticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can affect the amounts of healthy bacteria as well.

For more information on Leaky Gut Syndrome or probiotics like our Lact-Enz at the clinic, Make an Appointment at Bridges Chiropractic today!