Intestinal permeability occurs when the lining of the digestive tract becomes permeable (leaky) to toxins that cause chronic inflammation. Intestinal permeability allows toxins to leak out of the digestive tract and into the bloodstream. This triggers an autoimmune reaction that can create pain and inflammation in any of the body’s tissues. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, antibiotics, antihistamines, caffeine, alcohol, and other prescription and nonprescription drugs renders the intestinal mucosa permeable to toxins and undigested food particles.
Intestinal permeability is associated with such illnesses as
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Food allergies
• Crohn’s disease
• Eczema
• CFS
• IBS
• Cystic fibrosis
• Chronic hepatitis
• Autoimmune diseases
Studies show that most individuals with CFS are plagued with intestinal permeability. A treatment program for patients with CFS that reduced allergic foods and used nutritional supplements to increase liver detoxification pathways (phase I and phase II) yielded an 81.2% reduction in symptoms.
Testing and Treating Intestinal Permeability and Malabsorption
Intestinal permeability can be measured by using a special functional medicine test available from Great Smokies Laboratory. To order this test call 1-888-884-9577.
Intestinal Permeability Protocol
If you suspect you have malabsorption syndrome, intestinal permeability, or irritable bowel syndrome, take the following steps:
Take 3 probiotics a day on an empty stomach for 2 months.
• Start supplementing digestive enzymes.
• Treat and eliminate any parasite or yeast overgrowth. You should do this while you’re on the intestinal permeability elimination diet (see below).
• Immediately begin an elimination diet to pinpoint any food allergies. Pay particular attention to gluten, a protein found in most grains, because it can be very irritating to the intestinal lining.
• Make sure you’re taking fish oil, 1,000–2,000 mg. daily. The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil help repair the intestinal tract. They also help reduce inflammation associated with leaky gut. One study showed that 2.7 grams daily put Crohn’s disease patients into remission.
The CFS/Fibromyalgia Formula contains 2,000mg of fish oil. If you’re taking this formula then there is no need to add additional fish oil supplements.
I place my patients on a special Leaky Gut formula.
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Leaky
Gut Formula
I use a product especially developed for intestinal
permeability known as Leaky Gut Formula. It has all the essential nutrients to
help correct intestinal permeability.
Large amounts (6,000 mg.) of the amino acid glutamine, the
primary fuel for intestinal cell function, are included to
meet the high energy demands of the GI tract, liver, and
immune system during periods of physiological stress.
Glutamine also transports potentially toxic ammonia
concentrations to the kidneys for excretion. Intestinal
uptake of glutamine accounts for 40% of total body uptake.
Chronic intestinal insults from Xenotoxins (NSAIDs,
antibiotics, etc.) create a shortage of glutamine.
Acacia contributes soluble, non-bulking fiber that is
readily fermentable into acetic, butyric, and propionic
short-chain fatty acids that create a supportive
environment for growth of beneficial Lactobacillus
bacteria, assist water absorption, and support colonic cell
function.
Nutraflora FOS supplies non-digestible
fructooligosacharides to further encourage growth of
beneficial microorganisms.
N-acetyl-D-glucosamine is used as a structural component of
intestinal mucous secretions that protect intestinal
tissues and help food pass through the GI tract.
Dosage: 6 capsules daily. Best taken between meals in
divided doses. Can take along with probiotics.
The
Intestinal Permeability Elimination Diet
If you suspect you have yeast overgrowth then I recommend
you do the Elimination Diet at the same time you start the
Yeast Overgrowth Diet. Please see the yeast diet in the
chapter on yeast overgrowth. You should avoid all known and
suspected food allergens. For two weeks, you should avoid
all gluten-containing foods: wheat, barley, oats, millet,
spelt, sourdough, and rye. This includes wheat flour,
breads, taco shells, muffins, cereals, pastries, cakes,
pizza, crackers, pasta, oatmeal, pretzels, and other flour
based products. You should also avoid all dairy products,
including milk, ice cream, cream, yogurt, and cheese.
Butter is allowed. No sodas (Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, etc.).
Reduce all caffeine consumption, including tea
(green/herbal tea is allowed), coffee, chocolate, and
cocoa. The less caffeine intake, the better. To help
prevent withdrawal symptoms (headaches, mood disturbances,
fatigue) slowly wean off caffeine. Start by eliminating one
quarter of daily caffeine consumption.
For example: each serving of coffee, soda, diet soda, tea,
and each chocolate bar equals one caffeine serving. If you
consume four cups of coffee in the morning, three glasses
of tea at lunch, and a diet Coke before dinner, you consume
a total of eight servings of caffeine daily. You should
begin by reducing your caffeine servings by one quarter (2
servings). This would still allow 6 servings a day. After 7
days, you should reduce your caffeine servings by another
quarter (in this case, 1.5 servings). After another five
days, you should reduce daily caffeine servings by half and
then slowly discontinue all caffeine over a manageable
period of time. It is not necessary for every patient to go
off all caffeine; patients help themselves by reducing
their intake to no more than one or two caffeine servings a
day.
Reintroduction
of Eliminated Food Groups
After one month start to reintroduce one item from the
eliminated food group at a time. The day of the challenge,
eat a few servings of the eliminated food group (Wheat:
pasta, toast, crackers, bread, etc.) then wait three days
and reintroduce another food group (Dairy: milk, cheese,
ice cream, etc.) and again, eat a few servings. If after
three days of challenging a food group, there’s no
associated negative reaction (headaches, stomach pain,
bloating, runny nose, congestion, muscle or joint pain, low
moods, fatigue, heaviness, etc.) then start to slowly add
these items back into the regular diet.
If you experience a negative reaction to any food within
three days of challenging a specific group, you should
discontinue that particular food group for another month
and then repeat the process.
It’s best to stay on the elimination diet, probiotics and
the Leaky Gut Formula for 1-2 months.
If you suspect you may have yeast overgrowth
you should treat it during
this time.
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