The common causes behind Leaky Gut Syndrome and how to heal it naturally. Natural remedies for healing a leaky gut.

The first time I heard of the term ‘leaky gut’ was when I was in Fiji with my family on holiday.

I was reading the book GAPS: Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride whilst lying on the beach. It was a huge eye-opener into the world of gut health, and one of the catalysts that led me to start my own research into the digestive system and the gut, how it all works, and how much of an impact this vital system has on our health.

A few years down the track, I discovered that I had leaky gut myself.

My naturopath did an eye test for me, where she took a close-up photo of both of my eyes and focused in on the iris. Both had small “holes,” making the iris look as if it were rotting away. My naturopath explained to me that the eyes are like a window into the body, and different parts of the eye are linked to different organs. The part of my eye linked to my gut showed severe signs of deterioration, indicating a leaky gut, while another part showed signs of liver damage.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Leaky gut, or intestinal hyperpermeability, is when the intestinal lining of the gut has become more porous. The gut wall essentially develops holes in it, interfering with its ability to filter what is absorbed, and what isn’t.

This results in larger, undigested food molecules and toxins like yeast, bacteria, pathogens, and waste – that should NOT be entering the bloodstream – passing freely through the gut wall and travelling around the body.

The intestinal lining is the immune system’s first line of defence. The outer layers of intestinal cells (known as epithelial) are connected by structures called tight junctions. At the tops of these are the microvilli, which absorb nutrients and carry them through the epithelial cell and into the bloodstream.

During healthy digestion, the tight junctions stay firmly closed preventing anything unwanted from passing through. Anything allowed to pass into the bloodstream must go through the mucosa cells (they’re like the “security guards” out the front of a bar).

However, when these tight junctions become permeable (open), unchecked substances are allowed to pass through.

According to Dr. Axe, leaky gut, if left untreated, may lead to more severe health issues like ‘inflammatory bowel disease or IBS, arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, depression, anxiety, migraine headaches, muscle pain, and chronic fatigue.’

Some of the Causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome

In an article by Dr. Axe, it’s mentioned that some of the underlying causes of leaky gut include genetic predisposition, poor diet, chronic stress, excessive alcohol consumption, an overuse of antibiotics and NSAIDs, a toxin overload, a bacterial imbalance in the gut, and/or underlying conditions like Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, which cause chronic inflammation in the gut.

The Signs and Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome

Here are a few of the signs and symptoms that point to an unhealthy gut:

• Food allergies or sensitivities: The immune systems of those with leaky gut will often be on overdrive, trying to produce different antibodies in the hope of eliminating the various toxins currently flooding the body. However, this may make the body more susceptible to antigens (harmful substances) in certain foods (particularly gluten and dairy).
• Nutritional deficiencies: This arises from the body’s inability to absorb nutrients during digestion effectively, due to extensive damage and inflammation of the gut.
• Skin issues: The skin is one of the first places to show signs that something’s wrong with the gut (there is a powerful bond between the gut and the skin, known as the gut-skin connection). Acne and psoriasis, in particular, are usually connected with leaky gut syndrome. So, simply using creams and drugs to cover up skin conditions may not effectively solve these issues. You’ll need to address the root cause, not just the outward symptoms.
• Digestive issues and IBS: According to Mind Body Green, ‘a 2015 study in the Intestinal Research journal found a direct correlation between intestinal barrier damage and the progression of irritable bowel disease (IBD).’
• Autoimmune conditions: When the lining of the gut becomes compromised, undigested food particles, toxins, and other pathogens can freely enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation. This can lead to an immune system overreaction where the body begins attacking its own tissues by mistake.
• Hormonal imbalance and thyroid problems: The gut microbiome plays a significant role in regulating oestrogen levels in the body. When the gut is impaired, this disrupts natural hormonal balance within the body, which can result in weight gain and other issues. Hashimoto’s disease (chronic thyroiditis) is one of the autoimmune diseases that leaky gut syndrome may directly affect.
• Joint pain and arthritis: According to Mind Body Green, ‘a 2014 study in the  FEBS Letters journal found that rheumatoid arthritis (when your joints are persistently swollen and painful) is linked to dysbiosis in the gut microbiome.’
• Neurocognitive conditions and Autism: In an article by Dr. Axe, he shares that ‘according to a study published in the journal Neuroendocrinology Letters, leaky gut has been shown to cause various neurocognitive disorders. For example, the inflammatory response characteristic of intestinal hyperpermeability triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other chemicals that are thought to induce depression.’

As Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride shares in her book GAPS: Gut and Psychology Syndrome, the GAPS theory is that a leaky gut allows chemicals, bacteria, waste, and other toxins to enter the bloodstream, which would normally have been prevented. These foreign particles then travel around the body, making their way up to the brain which can affect its function and development, causing conditions like “brain fog” and even autism.

In a Dr. Axe article, it goes on to say, ‘autism may be connected to problems in the gut microbiome, particularly within the first year of life.’

The Leaky Gut Diet Protocol

To help heal my leaky gut, I followed the GAPS diet outlined in the book, GAPS: Gut and Psychology Syndrome. I continued with the diet until my leaky gut had healed (it took many months of strict eating to help heal my gut), which after I incorporated some of the key components of the diet to continue to follow moving forward, such as eating probiotic-rich foods, bone broth and meat stock, and included more high-fat, low-carb foods into my diet to help reduce the amount of sugar and starchy foods I was eating.

Following the GAPS diet protocol can help to support healing of the gut, as it promotes the consumption of foods that are easy to digest, that assist in repairing the lining of the intestines, and which are anti-inflammatory and free from allergens.

Dr. Josh Axe shares a full Leaky Gut Diet and Treatment Plan here, explaining what foods to include more of in the diet, and which inflammatory foods to avoid.

He also shares a range of supplements to introduce, such as probiotics, L-glutamine, and more.

This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. The use of information on this blog or materials linked from this blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.

Have you or someone you know had leaky gut syndrome? What were some of the things that helped? Share below.

Lots of love,

Vanessa