Diagnosis and Treatment of Leaky Gut: Part II Did you miss my first Leaky Gut Article?! Read more here!
So now you may be wondering if you have leaky gut…
Food allergies, toxins, sugar, antibiotics, parasites and stress can wreak havoc with your gastrointestinal system, upsetting the balance in your intestine as well as allowing harmful substances to enter the system. Gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or abdominal discomfort may be the first clue that something is wrong with the digestive tract, but did you know allergies or even lack of energy and fatigue can often be traced to digestive problems as well?
Normally the gastrointestinal epithelium provides a semi-permeable barrier with allows nutrients to be absorbed while preventing larger molecules from crossing into the bloodstream. When this lining becomes inflamed or damaged, then the barrier becomes “leaky”. The fallout results in larger, undigested food molecules and other “bad stuff” (yeast, toxins, and all other forms of waste) that your body normally doesn’t allow through, to flow freely into your bloodstream.
Causes of increased intestinal hyperpermeability or “leaky gut”:
- Medications (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen and motrin
- Microbial overgrowth or infection
- Parasite infections
- Fungal overgrowth (Candida)
- Ingestion of allergenic foods
- Maldigestion/malabsorption (pancreatic insufficieny or low HCl)
- Radiation therapy or chemotherapy
- Stress
- Aging
- IgA deficiency
- Chronic alcohol intake
- Excessive or strenuous exercise
- Inflammatory bowel disease – Crohn’s or Ulcerative colitis
The small and large intestines contains numerous dietary and bacterial products with toxic properties. These include bacteria, bacterial cell wall (LPS), peptides, and bacterial antigens capable of inducing antibodies which may cross-react with human tissues…. when these antibodies react, they may form systemic immune complexes which can circulate and deposit in tissues far away from the gut.
Abnormalities of the gut lining barrier lead to increased uptake of inflammatory molecules and pathogenic bacteria. With inflammation & injury to the gut lininng, mucosal absorption of normally-excluded substances increases dramatically. Intestinal inflammation enhances the uptake and distribution of potentially injurious bacteria and proteins .
“Leaky Gut” is seen in disorders such as:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s & Colitis)
- Inflammatory joint disease
- Food allergy
- Celiac disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Reiter’s syndrome
- Eczema & psoriasis
- Bipolar, depression and schizophrenia
- Allergies and asthma
- Autoimmune thyroiditis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Autoimmune liver & gallbladder disease
So how do we test for “Leaky Gut”?
Small molecules (glucose or mannitol) readily penetrate cells and passively diffuse through them. Larger molecules such as lactulose are normally are normally not able to diffuse through the cell. If the tight junctions between the cells are functioning properly, they will prevent the lactulose from leaking through. The Intestinal Permeability Test directly measures the ability these two sugar molecules—mannitol and lactulose—to permeate the intestinal mucosa.
Mannitol is readily absorbed and serves as a marker of transcellular uptake. Lactulose is only slightly absorbed and serves as a marker for mucosal integrity (ability of those “tight junctions” to keep out the bad stuff) The test is a 6 hour urine test that compares ratios of the two substances.
For more info:
Genova Diagnostics Intestinal Permeability Assessment
You will need to contact your functional medicine physician in order to order the test.
Now for some treatment options for this leaky gut!
Nutritional Support
- Glutamine, an amino acid, has been shown to reverse intestinal mucosal damage from various insults. Glutamine is the principle fuel used by the upper intestinal tract to repair and heal.
- Agents that stimulate protective mucus secretion may also help with the healing. Some common ones I use are marshmallow root extract and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) extract.
- Probiotics are essential! Lactobacillus casei, bifidobacter species, and saccromyces boulardii, a beneficial type of yeast are all important to restore gut health.
- Fish oil can be very helpful in the treatment of intestinal inflammation by decreasing inflammatory prostaglandins. EPA and DHA should be used in the range of 2-4gm daily
- Quercetin functions as a natural mast cell stabilizer and decrease release of histmine which contributes to inflammation & injury. To be effective, quercetin should be used in powder form and taken 3-6gm daily.
- Vitamins A and D are critical to supporting secretory IgA function and restoring the mucosal immune system. Ask your doctor for specific doses…
To Decrease Toxic Load:
- Eliminate all known foods that you are sensitive to. This can be determined through a comprehensive elimination diet or IgG/IgE food tests on the blood.
- Avoid alcohol, NSAIDS (ibuprofen, motrin, alleve), and minimize other medications.
- Bentonite clay is a well-known intestinal adsorbent which absorbs numerous toxins, endotoxins and bacteria. Its value in permeability alterations may result from lowering the toxin load in the lumen, thus facilitating repair. I also frequently recommend Upgraded charcoal tabs for the same purpose.
- HCI and digestive enzymes such as plant enzymes, pepsin and pancreatin might help to lessen the antigenic load or toxic molecules being presented on the intestinal lining.
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82 Comments
For the bentonite clay and charcoal tabs…. when and how often should they be used? Thanks!
Hi Breann,
Best to discuss with your physician for dosing guidelines. Usually these are used to treat herxheimer reactions, gas/bloating, or for binding toxins. They will bind other nutrients so should not be taken with other medications or supplements.
warmly
Dr Jill
Dr. Carnahan:
In regards to leaky gut, how much of a causative factor does being homozygous for SHMT1 C1420T(Rs1979277) which I have? It is often referred to the “leaky gut gene”.
I had severe intestinal permeability, Metronidazole resistant blastocystis, dientamoeba fragilis, mercury and lead toxicity and Lyme. I got rid of all of these issues and my gut healed immensely over a year’s time with glutamine, probiotics, prebiotics and a few others. I removed all irritants in my diet and environment too.
I got myself into the healthy range for IP according to my CDSA2.0+P. Then I noticed 6 months later the IP has returned slightly. Is glutamine indicated for long-term for HO SHMT1 C1420T? Other thoughts?
Like your blog! Thanks.
John
Hi John,
I find patients that have had intestinal permeability may always have a predisposition to it and usually have to remain on a clean diet for life. In your case, long-term glutamine supplementation at 3-6grams daily is not a bad idea
warmly
Dr Jill
What about Sialex (mucin) to help with repairing the lining of the gut? Does it help?
Hi Jen, I have never used Sialex
warmly
Dr Jill
I am currently trying to cure leaky gut. I also have silent reflux. Does leaky gut cause the silent reflux and will the process for healing leaky gut help cure the reflux.
Thanks
Kieran
I have 2 children (8 and 9) with vitiligo. I am considering doing a leaky gut diet/supplements to see if this will make a difference with them. My son also has CKD1. Do you still recommend the supplements for him and also do I need to adjust the dosages of these for pediatric patients.
Hi Lonna,
You should consult with a functional medicine pediatrician, especially in the case of your son’s CKD1. I would at least recommend eliminating gluten and diary for 30 days to see if there is any connection with foods and their vitiligo.
warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Jill,
I’m a 47yo female recently diagnosed with hashimotos and MTHFR C677T but my main issues are related to a lifelong battle with eczema and more recently uncontrollable itching fits. I have also suffered with food, pet and environmental allergies for most if my life but I’m more sensitive now than I’ve ever been. So many things point to leaky guy but I have not been diagnosed with this. I’ve been working with a functional medicine doctor who had me do a bunch of blood work and saliva tests and determined that I have low cortisol and adrenal fatigue. I take supplements I can tolerate (B, C, D3, adaptogens, magnesium) and try to follow a paleo diet (very high in protein, fats and Vegs.; NO gluten, dairy, grains) but nothing seems to be working. I also have very HIGH iron levels and no one has been able to determine why that would be. Could too much meat contribute to high levels of iron? I eat lots of protein but always feel hungry. I’m a normal weight but get bloated and will gain weight if I eat too many carbs. Wondering about the iron, how to confirm leaky gut, and what else we may not be looking at that could be the root cause. Thank you in advance for any advice!
Hi Royce
You should have your doctor check for the gene for hemochromatosis, which may cause high iron levels, infections and may contribute to liver failure. Just eating meat is not usually enough to cause elevation in iron.
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Jill,
Thanks for your quick response and thank you so much for all the information you share in your articles! They checked and I don’t have hemochromatosis. I also just got results back saying the iron levels now look fine. Not sure why they would have changed so much in a couple of months but I guess that’s good news. Is there a way to diagnose leaky gut and does it sound like I should look into this?
Some of my symptoms: eczema, hives, food sensitivities, hashimotos, fatigue, constipation, allergies, brain fog, bouts of vertigo (these are the main issues).
Thank you!
Royce
Hi Royce,
You have many symptoms that suggest problems in the gut. I suggest getting Genova GI Effects and NutrEval to assess.
warmly
Dr Jill
Dr. Jill, my lovely wife has been through so many tests and has been passed from one Dr. To another and they have confirmed with repeat testing that she is APS primary which is rare. She suffers from high blood pressure, migraines, heart rhythm issues, extreme fatigue, breathlessness, has had a blood clot and on xaralto blood thinner.she has gained 30 lbs in this past year and she is only 45 years of age and she cries to sleep because it seems Dr’s give up and are not helping and the bills are piling up I am now getting involved to help my wife out as I can’t see her suffer anymore and I want my wife back. Please tell me exactly what steps to take, what Dr’s to see and testing to take and foods to eat. I pray you make contact with me and help me help my wife through better or worse as I promised when we married. We live in Olathe Kansas and I have no issue traveling to see you if I can get my wife back. God bless philip
Hi Philip,
I am so sorry to hear about your wife’s suffering. Sadly it’s becoming more and more common as our conventional “disease-care” system just doesn’t do a great job of determining underlying cause of illness. I suggest searching by zip code for a functional medicine trained doctor near you at http://www.funtionalmedicine.org. If you have any questions about my office, you can contact us through the “contact” link on website.
warmly
Dr Jill
In what way is diverticulitis related to this topic?
Diverticulitis is inflammation in out-pouchings in the mucosal lining. Any inflammatory process may contribute to leaky gut
Do you sell products to help correct leaky gut syndrome?
Hi Allie,
Yes, we sell nutraceuticals for healing leaky gut and treating dysbiosis. Do you have any specific questions?
warmly
Dr. Jill
Hi Dr Carnahan,
Last year, my 11-year old niece was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS/RSD) in her leg. Her treatment consists of a standard gluten-free diet (she gets free prescriptions of gluten-free pasta, cookies and pizza bases each month thanks to the UK National Health Service), and she also takes Gabapentin and Amitriptyline for her pain. She is about to embark on an intensive daily physiotherapy program for 2 or 3 weeks to try to improve her leg. From a functional medicine perspective, do you have any advice? Would a Paleo AIP diet help? Would you recommend any lab testing/further investigations? Could a leaky gut be at the root of her CRPS?
Many Thanks
Andrew
Dear Andrew,
Yes, indeed! There are many articles linking SIBO, fungal dysbiosis and LPS to chronic pain syndromes. I would recommend finding a good functional medicine doctor and get urinary organic acid testing, stool testing, breath test for SIBO. In the meantime, she would do very well to follow Autoimmune paleo and avoid all sugar and grains.
warmly
Dr Jill
Dear Dr. Jill,
Bless you for the passionate work you do with such a caring heart which is clearly your life’s purpose. I recently took an ALCAT test and wondered how you feel about it. I have been on a journey to heal my leaky gut and conditions it has caused for 20 years. I already follow a gluten, dairy, soy, egg, grain free diet and even quinoa free as indicated on a Cyrex cross reaction test a year ago.
The results were staggering. No more of my favorite things like garlic, onion, avocados, cauliflower, celery, beets…..the list goes on for many many months or even some for a year. I usually took Cura Med and Reservatol but it seems that anything I eat a lot of I become sensitive to. The limitations grow and grow. I am on glutamine and many other products that aim to heal the gut. I wonder, too, if ALL of the supplements I take overall present an issue with my gut being able to heal.
I have read various opinions about the ALCAT and wondered if you even use it in your practice. Before this, I have had blood testing like the RAST to reveal sensitivities.
Heartfelt thanks,
Lorraine
Hi Loraine,
I generally do not use the ALCAT in practice as I find there are too many false positives. In addition, the foods are not the enemy, this just shows you have severe intestinal permeability and need to work on eradicating any infections or pathogens and restoring gut health.
blessings
Dr Jill
My daughter had Crohn’s initially 5 years ago in her jejunum with two feet removed. She recently had her first flare in her lower large intestine that lasted 6 months. We had her on VSL#3, Glutagenics, Omega 3s and B-complex methylated vitamins (yes, she has compound heterozygous MTHFR as well.) Also a low-FODMAP diet. What seemed to finally stop the bleeding flare was a two week dose of flagyl. Her stool samples showed no bacteria, parasites, etc., but her original surgeon (not Gastro or FM doctor) recommended it. I don’t understand why it worked. Wondering your thoughts, and if you have any feelings looking forward.
She quite likely has either SIBO (see my blog article here or other dysbiosis. If you look carefully and understand how to interpret stool testing properly, there are probably abnormal markers or levels of dysbiotic organisms or commencials
warmly
Dr Jill
I recently watched the documentary “The Truth About Cancer” and one of the doctors interviewed said that Glutamine feeds cancer. (along with sugar) But yet Glutamine heals leaky gut. So if you take it for leaky gut it could add to cancer risk. I also recently saw an interview of a young man with a brain tumor who was supposed to be terminal but used a ketogenic diet and other natural things to reverse his condition. He also mentioned Glutamine feeds cancer. Do you have an opinion on this? I’m not happy about taking it for leaky gut if it could increase my cancer risk.
Hi Brenda
There is no one-size fits all. Almost any nutrient in excess can be harmful and some quite toxic. These things must be individualized after appropriate testing. Just because your a friend does well on glutamine doesn’t mean you will. I use glutamine frequently but certainly not in all patients. I do not know of any studies supporting glutamine as a cancer-causing agent.
warmly
Dr. Jill
Dr. Jill,
What’s your recommendation for the best probiotic?
Hi Kim
I like Klaire Lab Detox Support (order from Prothera direct with code: 618) and Xymogen ProbioMax DF (which you can order from Xymogen with code: DrJill and last name: Carnahan)
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
I have been struggling with chronic pain and significant fatigue for years. I initially had back pain and sciatica but has since progressed to multiple tendonitis issues (both elbows, plantar fascitis), neck and upper back pain and daily headaches. Tests have shown low vitamin B12, vitamin D and low-normal ferritin levels. have also had depression, difficulty concentrating, weight gain, GERD, gas/bloating, constipation (was on opioids until 10 days ago)
I started following an elimination diet 8 weeks ago (gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nightshade vegetables, corn, caffeine, and refined sugar). Also have been taking S. bolardi and other probiotics, magnesium and calcium, vitamin D, curcumin and drinking bone broth most days. I have lost 20# and GERD has improved but unfortunately the fatigue and pain issues have not. I’m not sure where to go from here. Do I need to eliminate all grains, legumes and nuts/seeds? Or do I just need to give it more time? how long does it take for leaky gut to heal typically? Thank you!
Hi Crickett,
You need to find a functional doctor to do further testing and treat any dysbiosis, like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth before you can heal a leaky gut.
warmly
Dr Jill
We now know that trauma especially to the brain (concussion) also leads to intestinal permeability and alarmingly rather quickly.
Thank you Dr. Jill. Do you know any good functional medicine MDs in Wisconsin? I’ve been to the IFM practitioner search but want to see someone who is as knowledgeable as you are. I wish I lived in CO and could just come see you!
Hi, best supplements for hypothyroid and psorasis? Currently treating myself for leakygut thank you.
Hi,
I’ve been having severe bloating and distention for the past few months. I saw a gastroenterologist and he dismissed it. The bloating is both straight out and to the sides. And I’m 115 pounds so it’s very scary. It seems to get worse every time I eat which made me wonder if it could be food allergies but it’s so bad it looks like I’m several months pregnant. But I don’t know if food allergies alone can do that? Or if this could be leaky gut? Or what could be going on? I found a new doctor and she doesn’t know what it is besides possibly food allergies but she is willing to run any tests I would like. Is there anything you would ask to be tested for? Thank you!
Hi Jen, I recommend a comprehensive digestive stool test, urinary organic acids and IgG food testing.
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill!
I am majorly losing my hair and eyelashes. I wipe my eye and 4 eyelashes come out at once. I have been to a dermatologist and it’s not alopecia the autoimmune disease. Doctors have found very low ferritin, 4 but that appears to be the only thing they can find. Can very low ferritin cause this much hair loss or is there something else I’m missing that it could be?
Hi Morgan,
This could be related to hypothyroid or autoimmune disease
warmly
Dr Jill
Also not only are my eyelashes falling out, but they’re not as thick or long as they used to be and my hair is nowhere close to as thick as it used to be.
Hi Dr. Jill,
I have iron deficiency anemia from malabsorption, Candida/SIFO. My hemoglobin and ferritin are not in the danger range but they’re low enough that I’m feeling pretty crappy and I have every symptom of iron deficiency anemia except one. I struggle to take iron supplements because of the stomach issues they cause. I’m wondering if I should just start addressing the malabsorption and killing the Candida/SIFO with Fluconazole? But I don’t know if the absorption will be insant or if it takes time to start absorbing again. And I don’t know if I’m strong enough to handle killing off yeast. Would you recommend addressing the iron or malabsorption first? Thank you.
Hi Haley,
The low ferritin is due to malabsorption so better to treat the root cause instead of just giving iron.
warmly
Dr Jill
Hi, I’m having major hair loss and I have an autoimmune thyroid condition. Doctors have tested me and said for sure I don’t have alopecia areata. I saw a functional medicine doctor and she said my hair loss could be nutritional because all my vitamin levels are low, thyroid, as well as autoimmune from the thyroid antibodies. I thought thyroid antibodies are specific to the thyroid and don’t cause hair loss, that it’s the resulting hypothyroid that can cause hair loss as well as nutritional deficiencies. But my doctor specifically said antibodies can cause hair loss so I’m confused.
There are many reasons for hair loss… work with your doctor to see which is the case for you
Hi Dr. Jill,
Can taking Advil every month for painful period cramps cause leaky gut? If so, is there something else I can do for the cramps? I’m not functional on my period if I don’t take Advil every month.
Advil may contribute to leaky gut….
I’m not sure if this makes a difference, but I take the liquid version so it won’t be as strong and I take about 1 and a half teaspoons about 4-5 times on my period.
Hi Dr. Jill,
When I was younger up until around age 10, I had dirty blonde hair. Then when I turned 13, I had dark brown hair and it stayed that way up until the time I started having health problems. I’m in my early 20’s now and it’s a light brown watered down tea color with a slight reddish tint at times. I was just wondering if any health problems can cause this? I’ve been experiencing leaky gut, malabsorption of nutrients, yeast overgrowth, and thyroid. Thank you!
Mineral abnormalities, like high copper can cause hair color changes…
Hi Dr. Jill,
I noticed food allergies as a cause of leaky gut and this confuses me. Aren’t food allergies a result of leaky gut? I thought that for most people when they heal their leaky gut, the food allergies go away. I always thought you can never develop a food allergy unless you have a leaky gut because if the food doesn’t get into the bloodstream, then your body can’t detect it and create antibodies to those foods. Is this not the case?
Hi Morgan
It is a two-way street. Leaky gut contributes to development of food sensitivities but eating foods that one has sensitivities to, especially gluten will contribute to ongoing inflammation that makes leaky gut worse.
warmly
Dr Jill
Would you recommend Genova, BioHealth, Doctor’s Data, or another company for comprehensive stool testing? Which one have you found to be the best and most accurate?
I use all of these labs for stool testing….
Hi Dr. Jill,
I had a food sensitivity test done that showed I’m allergic to all the foods on the test. I thought it had to be an error so my doctor ran another one from a different company and same result. I’m freaking out! I can’t just stop eating. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. My doctor is at a loss and she said once your body has flagged a food and you have an allergy to it, it’s likely that you’ll always be allergic to it. But food allergies are a cause of leaky gut and I have an autoimmune disease so I’ll never be able to reverse it if I don’t heal my gut. I don’t know what to do.
Start with an elimination diet eliminating the most allergenic foods, like gluten, corn, soy, wheat, dairy, Alcohol, sugar, and peanuts. You may need to include the highest sensitive foods that showed up on testing. Once you are off the foods 2-3 months, you can work on healing your gut. Many patients remain off gluten, dairy and sugar for life but can add back the other foods they were once sensitive to after healing the gut and treating any dysbiosis
Hello Dr Jill,
I have been diagnosed with EOE, took an allergy test (skin test) came back for dairy, eggs, soy and peanuts. All four items were heavily in my diet.
Due to that I believe the issue is leaky gut. Have you seen a connection between EOE/leaky gut and has repairing leaky gut led to recovery from EOE?
Thank you for your time.
Hi Brandon,
Yes, there is definitely a connection between EOE and hyper-permeabiltiy – you might also find this article on MCAS interesting.
warmly
Dr Jill
Hello Dr. Jill,
I’m almost 24 and when I was about 20, I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. Very low ferritin and the full iron panel showed anemia despite my hemoglobin being normal. My hemoglobin isn’t low or even close to being low so I assume this means no internal bleeding or anything? At the time, I did not have a Vitamin D deficiency and although my B12 wasn’t optimal (around 560), it wasn’t super low either. Doctors treated me with iron supplements with Vitamin C and they’re not working. Now I have very low Vitamin D levels and low B12. And my ferritin is even lower than it was before. I’m having even more difficulty absorbing nutrients. The only thing doctors say is Celiac but they have tested me twice for that with the blood antibody test and it was negative both times and I do eat plenty of gluten (not healthy I know) so I would think if I had Celiac, it would have showed a positive result. So then I’ve been asking people on support groups if they know what the problem could be and they say the MTHFR gene. I don’t have the money to get tested for this. Isn’t that something you’re born with? I don’t understand how I could have started experiencing anemia at 20 if I had the gene since I was born. That doesn’t make any sense to me. I would think all these nutritional deficiencies would have shown up a lot sooner. I was wondering what your thoughts are? Thank you.
Hi Tara,
Many autoimmune, inflammatory and malabsorption syndromes can cause low ferritin. Don’t focus on the low ferritin, focus on healing the gut and immune system and ferritin will normalize
warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
What are some common causes of a muffin top? I’m 114 pounds and I have a muffin top. It looks so bad it is distorting my whole appearance, my stomach, my butt, my thighs. I have never had a muffin top before. I look like I’ve had 10 kids. It’s really embarrassing and none of my clothes are looking good.
Hi Hannah
Excess cortisol or sugar, which causes high insulin may contribute to central weight gain. You might try going off gluten, dairy, sugar and alcohol for a few months and dealing with stress.
warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
What can cause severe bloating immediately after eating? Like 15 minutes or so after eating? I don’t think this would even be enough time for the food to make it to the small intestine. So it can’t be anything like SIBO or food allergies right? I don’t even get to finish my meal. I’m severely bloated after eating only half of it in about 15 minutes. Thanks in advance!
You may have hypochlorhydria or pancreatic insufficiency
Hi,
My dad recently started a vegan diet and then became low in iron and B12. The B12 makes sense to me since B12 is a water soluble vitamin that has to be replenished every day. But iron is stored. And once your iron stores are up at 70-100, how can they drop from a vegan diet? I would think they just wouldn’t go any higher or any lower and would stay stationary. I know women who are vegans and their iron went down, but they also have a period bringing their iron down every month. Don’t you have to have blood loss to bring it down? Iron is a stored mineral so I don’t understand how anyone could have a drop in iron levels after going vegan unless they’ve had blood loss somehow to bring their numbers down. How does it work when it comes to iron levels going down? Thanks in advance!
Low iron in some over 50 is reason to screen for colon cancer… suggest colonoscopy to rule out GI bleed
Is there something that can cause bloating and distention after eating anything? Like it doesn’t matter what you eat, you get majorly bloated and distended. I don’t have pain with the bloating and distention and no diarrhea. And no constipation either. I have a bowel movement every day. I’m experiencing bloating and distention with everything I eat along with a lot of passing wind. I look like I’m 5-6 months pregnant at times.
Hi, what can cause low B12 and ferritin levels despite eating a diet rich in these nutrients and also taking a multivitamin?
Hi Sara,
Malabsorption can make these levels low
warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
What causes malabsorption? Thank you!
Hi Sara
Malabsorption can be caused by many things… villous atrophy from celiac disease, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, fungal overgrowth, parasite infections, toxic exposures, poor diet, stress, etc…
warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill. If you can render an option on my cranky tummy? In 2004 I had a Laminectomy. Since that time I have had 4-10 episodes of non-painful diarrhea per day. Today I take Zofran 8mg per day and a couple Imodium and sort of have a balance. I also have Hashimotos, Vitiligo and Alopecia Universalis (yea me, I hit the jackpot!) When I saw GI they R/O Mast Cell Colitis, IBS, et al. “”It’s probably something autoimmune but we don’t know what.” Other sxs? Morning joint pain, back and shoulder, and profound fatigue, even tho I’m still working full time as an ER nurse.
Hi Tanya
There is likely something going on either infectious or inflammatory. Getting to root cause with organic acid and stool testing may resolve your symptoms
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr Jill,
Can I take coffee while having Leaky Gut?
or small dose of nescafe classic coffee (no creamer)?
You may try organic coffee
Hi Dr. Jill,
I have Hashimoto’s and I’m experiencing something weird. I just thought I would mention the Hashimoto’s. It could be totally unrelated to that. But when I go out in the sun, I get tons of sunspots. I’m not outside very long and I come in with a lot of them. And some of them are on areas that were exposed to the sun (although not for long, no more than 30 minutes) but some of them are on areas that the sun did not touch at all like the palm of my hand and my butt. These areas were completely shielded from the sun yet I still got sunspots there just from going outside. It’s weird. I never used to have this problem. Do you know what could be causing this?
Autoimmune diseases may cause skin discoloration changes in some cases
Hi Dr. Jill,
I eliminated gluten from my diet and have seen a remarkable improvement in bloating and swelling. It has gone down significantly and it’s only been 5 days. I believe gluten is one of the main contributors of my leaky gut. Now that I’ve cut it out, am I ok to wait a few months and let my gut heal on its own? Or will I have to add stuff like l’glutamine and both broth to help it heal? Thank you!
Hi Shannon
You may have to eliminate gluten permanently but you can also try healing the gut and reintroduce gluten in 4-6 months to see if your symptoms return.
warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
How long does it take to heal the gut from 24 years of eating gluten 3-4 times a day? I’ve been on a gluten free diet for 2 months.
It may take 6 months to notice the effects of a gluten-free diet
Hello!
I have Hashimoto’s and am gluten and dairy free. Prior to gluten and dairy free, I had severe bloating (looked like I had a tumor). My TPO antibodies have went down significantly on gluten and dairy free. But I keep developing more food allergies. It doesn’t stop. I’m becoming allergic and having reactions to lots of other foods now. And those food reactions are causing bloating, just like gluten and dairy did. Obviously my leaky gut isn’t healing. I’ve been tested for infections and it keeps coming up negative. I don’t drink alcohol, never have. How do you get this food allergy process to stop? I have to eat, but I keep becoming allergic to more and more foods.
thanks for sharing
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