Leaky gut, also known as intestinal permeability, occurs when the lining of the gut becomes compromised, allowing toxins, bacteria and partially digested food to pass into the bloodstream. This can trigger inflammation, disrupt immune function and contribute to a wide range of symptoms beyond digestion. Leaky gut is increasingly recognised as an important factor in conditions such as food sensitivities, fatigue, skin issues and hormone imbalances. Understanding what causes leaky gut and how to support gut lining repair is a key step in improving overall gut health and restoring balance in the body.

The gut is considered in traditional Naturopathic philosophy, as the seat of all health. Therefore, managing the health of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a key step in managing almost all other body systems.

What is Leaky Gut (Intestinal Permeability)?

You might’ve heard a term ‘leaky gut’ but aren’t sure what is it and how it affects your digestive and overall health. Let me explain.

Definition: What is Leaky Gut?

Leaky gut, also known as intestinal permeability or hyperpermeability, occurs when the lining of the small intestine becomes compromised, allowing toxins, microbes and partially digested food to pass into the bloodstream.

Leaky gut syndrome (a cluster of gut issues) isn’t currently fully recognised by conventional doctors but it has been long known to exist in naturopathic medicine. Evidence is accumulating that it’s a real condition /syndrome with many health ramifications being widely recognised in scientific research. Gut wall lining integrity is key to overall gut health.

The primary function of the small intestine is to act as a selective barrier by allowing some particles into the body (i.e. nutrients and water) while keeping others out (bad bacteria or partly digested food particles). Leaky gut is caused by damage to the intestinal lining causing loosening of the tight junctions between the cells lining the walls of small intestine, resulting in a loss of integrity of gut wall leading to increased permeability. This allows bacteria, toxins and incompletely digested foods such as proteins, fats, and waste not normally absorbed, “leak” out of the intestines into the blood stream (just imagine a garden hose with holes in it).

The intestinal lining can then become damaged by the passage of these substances, which cause it to become inflamed. This in turn affects the normal absorption of all nutrients and overall digestive health.

Another key impact is compromised immune defence or mucosal immunity. This is likely as around 70% of the immune system is located in the abdomen area around the bowels. Leaking toxins can also damage the liver, which can become overworked which leads to allergies, sensitivities and food intolerances.

Leaky gut can also cause or contribute to a wide variety of symptoms throughout many body systems. To date, increased intestinal permeability has been implicated in a number of conditions including:

Also, as seen in clinical practice, the vast majority of autistic children have leaky guts, suggesting the involvement of toxins coming from the gut in the brain dysfunction.

Identifying problematic foods that a person has developed intolerances to, is key to start repairing gut walls. Understand how food sensitivities/intolerances affect the immune system and the gut lining in my article here.

Overall, leaky gut contributes to the development of chronic inflammation that leads to chronic diseases.

As a whole, if you have IBS (bloating, gas, cramping, reflux, indigestion) or other digestive symptoms or disorders, it’s highly likely that you have a leaky gut. Ideally, the gut contains roughly 80% “good” probiotic bacteria and 20% “bad” pathogenic bacteria, this is what a healthy gut looks like. Unfortunately, this ratio is reversed in most people, who don’t have nearly enough friendly bacteria, and too many disease-causing bacteria inhabiting the microbiome.

What causes leaky gut?

There are many different causes of intestinal permeability. In summary, these are:

Common Symptoms of Leaky Gut

There a number of potential symptoms of the leaky gut syndrome across a number of body systems including:

Leaky gut has also been linked with people that suffer from Crohn’s disease and Celiac disease.

How to Support Gut Lining Repair Naturally

In my experience and from reviewing current research, there are three main steps to improve/repair leaky gut:

  • Nutrition modifications – identifying and removing inflammatory foods such as gluten containing grains, diary products, nuts or eggs, among others. Adding beneficial foods such as fermented foods and bone broths.
  • Lifestyle changes – improved sleep, moderate exercise, regular stress release, regular sun exposure daily, minimising alcohol and coffee consumption
  • Supplements – probiotics and prebiotics to rebalance the microbiome, glutamine to rebuild the gut wall, slippery elm, vitamin D, among others
  • Microbiome status modification – its diversity also declines when leaky gut is present. Learn how to rebuild your gut microbiome in my article: How to improve gut health naturally.
Identifying food intolerances and eliminating problematic foods is also a key step in resolving leaky gut, which may take 3-6 months to accomplish. For all clients presenting with leaky gut symptoms, I recommend performing a food intolerances blood test. Find out more details HERE.

Importantly, any therapies should be personalised for each individual, and nutrition coaching is key to implement and maintain diet and lifestyle changes required. Apart from resolving digestive symptoms, correcting leaky gut syndrome can often result in feeling less stressed, sleeping better, feeling calmer and having enhanced energy levels.

→ Return to the foundational gut health post: Gut Health and the Microbiome Foundational Guide.

FAQs

What causes leaky gut?

Leaky gut can be caused by stress, poor diet, infections, medications and chronic inflammation.

Is leaky gut a real condition?

While not always recognised as a formal diagnosis, intestinal permeability is well documented in research and clinical practice.

What are the symptoms of leaky gut?

Common symptoms include bloating, food sensitivities, fatigue, skin issues and digestive discomfort.

How do you fix leaky gut?

Supporting gut lining repair involves improving diet, reducing inflammation, managing stress and addressing underlying imbalances.

Can leaky gut affect hormones?

Yes, gut health plays a role in hormone regulation, particularly through inflammation and microbiome balance.

Next steps

When gut lining integrity is compromised, it can affect multiple systems in the body. Addressing the underlying causes is key to restoring balance and long-term health.

If you’d like help with addressing leaky gut and overall gut health utilising natural remedies and methods, pleas contact me. For convenience and easier access to natural gut repair therapies, I offer either Zoom or telephone consultations for Australia-based individuals only. I’m afraid I’m not able to offer any specific treatments or advice to individuals based in other countries at this time.

To book a consultation, click on the button below. I also offer a free 20-minute initial discussion to talk about your circumstances and how I can help.

Book free call now

I look forward to connecting with you and to assisting in your ongoing health journey.

Bonus: Interesting research on the microbiome

Dr Leo Galland, a well-known integrative medicine practitioner, gave a talk  titled “Planet You” on the discovery of microbes and the crucial role of microbes in human healing. He believes that we can learn from the inner ecosystem to better understand our relationship with our outer ecosystem, and this understanding has the potential to transform modern medicine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZtpXJP3Dyg

Suffice to say, naturopaths have long focused on healing leaky gut and dysbiosis (microbial imbalances) as a treatment priority, and now the importance of such approach is being confirmed by numerous research and studies.

Since the gut flora aka the ‘good and bad bacteria’ was renamed the ‘microbiome’ by the medical community, it became a very important ‘news’ and area of research for scientists and some doctors. Well, better late than never!

Best of Health
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Joanna Sochan
Wholistic Health and Lifestyle Therapist
Natural and Lifestyle Therapies for Abundant Health and Wellbeing

Additional resources

Disclaimer: The above material is for informational and/or educational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, prescription or recommendation. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should not make any changes in their health regimen or diet before first consulting a doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions they may have regarding a medical condition or their particular circumstances.

Joanna Sochan is a Natural Therapist and founder of Naturimedica Wholistic Wellcare. She has a passion for helping clients transform their lives by becoming healthy and well naturally. Joanna has 15+ years experience in clinical practice and has special interest in solving complex cases, gut health, food sensitivities, hormone imbalances, and weight loss. She helps clients individually (mostly online) Australia-wide and also offers online therapeutic programs, eCourses and self-help eBooks. View full bio.