Conditions Treated

Leaky Gut Syndrome

“All Disease Begins in the Gut” – Hippocrates

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Leaky Gut Syndrome is a term used to describe a host of disorders that stem from a small intestine that has become overly porous. To understand the pathology and treatment of Leaky Gut, it is important to first have a basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the disorder from a western medical perspective.

The small intestine is the area of the digestive system where nutrients are absorbed after they have been sufficiently broken down in the stomach. The epithelium, or inner layer of the small intestine, has tightly packed cells creating tiny cell junctions. This allows for a selectively permeable barrier designed to permit only specific nutrients to cross and enter into the bloodstream.

In Leaky Gut Syndrome, the epithelium of the small intestine becomes inflamed and irritated allowing bacteria, fungi/yeasts, metabolic waste, microbial toxins, undigested food, hormones, etc. to seep into circulation creating a cascade of systemic damage to the body.

They carry out countless functions that maintain a healthy metabolism and immune response such as- destroying pathogenic microbes (bad bacteria) and preventing colonization of parasites, synthesizing vitamins, digesting food and facilitating digestion, stimulating antibody and lymphocyte formation, and secreting enzymes to help transform and neutralize microbial and metabolic wastes before they are excreted from the body.

Pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria on the other hand, can have a nearly limitless negative impact on the body- deactivating digestive enzymes like trypsin and chymotrypsin, consuming B12, producing ammonia and increasing digestive tract pH which promotes fungal growth, preventing breakdown of bile acids and estrogens, activating carcinogens, creating antibody-antigen complexes leading to autoimmune diseases, etc.

Not only do antibiotics let pathogenic and opportunistic pathogens gain a hold by eliminating their beneficial competitors, but they also promote the growth of Candida Albicans and other pathogenic fungi/yeasts. Candida secretes a particular chemical which shrinks the epithelial cells of the small intestine. This increases the space between the normally tight cell gap junctions leading to a porous gut.

While antibiotics and medications often cause LGS, it is important to note here the contributing factor of food allergies and intolerances in perpetuating an inflamed digestive tract. There is a vicious cycle put into place when food particles that have not yet been sufficiently broken down are absorbed and allowed to enter the bloodstream. Food particles this large are not recognized by the immune system and are therefore viewed as antigens by the body. Antibodies are created to tag these particles as foreign irritants so that the immune system can reliably recognize them. Going forward, any time the small intestine epithelia comes into contact with that food, an inflammatory response will be mounted by the immune system, creating irritation and further damage. 

Over time, this drains the immune system as well as the adrenal reserves, which help drive metabolism, blood pressure, inflammatory reactions and the body’s ability to cope with stress. Many patients with LGS present in clinic with food sensitivities, often ones that they were completely unaware of. Intolerances can be innate, but a large portion of associated allergies tend to be acquired and a result of LGS itself.

What Conditions Can Directly Result from Leaky Gut?

How is Leaky Gut Treated?

We use exclusively acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine with some western nutritional supplementation to treat Leaky Gut, and treat using the wisdom of Chinese medical theory. This unique treatment approach is not only effective, but essential. There is no such thing as a universal treatment for LGS. It is an extremely complex and nuanced disorder that manifests with infinite diversity, depending on a patient’s constitutional weaknesses and unique real life exposures. Treatment requires an individual diagnosis paired with medicine strong enough to address the complaints, yet gentle enough not to further weaken the body. Emphasis is placed on alleviating a patient’s symptoms quickly, but more importantly, resolving the root issue holding a disease pattern in place.

Initial treatment is organized by removing the ongoing irritants to the small intestine epithelium. This is done by eliminating the intake of antibiotics, NSAID’s and food irritants while eradicating overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria and yeasts. Second, the intestinal lining is repaired using specific nutrients and herbal therapy. Third, the liver and lymphatics are detoxified and regulated, as both systems become sluggish after being overloaded by LGS byproducts. Next, the immune system and endocrine systems are supported and balanced as LGS keeps them in a state of constant activation. Finally, the digestive system needs to be regulated and rehabilitated, as it is almost always weak after prolonged Leaky Gut.