The condition Leaky Gut Syndrome is a point of contention between the medical profession and natural therapists. While both sides see evidence of leaky gut in patients, some members of the medical community doubt whether it causes harm or not.
According to Professor Ian Brighthope, president of the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, a leaky gut can cause issues in both directions.
Valuable nutrients in the bloodstream can leak in to the gut. In the other direction, a leaky gut can allow undigested proteins, toxins, heavy metals and micro organisms to cross from inside the gut to inside the body where they do not belong.
Dr Lindsay Wing, a specialist in allergy and environmental medicine,wasn’t sure the problem existed until he started treating the issue and his patients started to heal. Since 70% of the immune system lives in the gut, he concentrated his efforts on healing the gut to improve immune system function.
While many believe we are what we eat, the issue lies deeper. We are what our body can absorb. With a leaky gut, those who eat an adequate volume of food can still end up malnourished as their gut has no way to absorb micro-nutrients correctly.
Experts on both side of the debate and research agree that aspirin, the over-use of antibiotics, alcohol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and chemotherapy are all capable of increasing gut permeability.
If you suspect you have leaky gut, please contact us at the clinic to make an appointment.
Further reading : Sydney Norming Herald article
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