Gut Imbalances

The gut microbiome is discussed all over in the wellness space recently and has become an important focus for health. We often hear about something called leaky gut that can wreak havoc on healthy digestion.  What exactly is leaky gut?  It is a general term that sounds just like what it is.  It occurs when the gut barrier, or intestinal lining has leaks or holes in it, also called intestinal permeability, usually because of gut dysbiosis.  Dysbiosis in the gastrointestinal tract refers to imbalances or alterations in the gut microbiome that contribute to poor gut function and can result in systemic inflammation and disease.  Generally, a healthy gut microbiome contains a wide variety and abundance of beneficial bacteria that protect the intestinal lining and it provides a source of energy to the cells of the intestinal lining, called enterocytes.   The enterocytes consist of a single layer of cells that are held together by tight junctions that keep foreign or other toxic substances from passing through into the body.  When there is dysbiosis and gut inflammation, the tight junctions loosen which allows foreign or toxic substances to enter systemic circulation. This activates the immune system and leads to chronic, systemic inflammation and generally, inflammatory disease or, specifically, autoimmune disease.  Intestinal permeability usually manifests its symptoms as food allergies or food hypersensitivities, or inflammation. All of these factors can lead to activation of the immune system and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.  It can also result in significant nutrient deficiencies which may lead to dysfunction in other physiologic processes. Healthy gut flora is needed to balance the immune system and produce anti-inflammatory chemical messengers, called cytokines, to create a beneficial modulating response. 

What Causes Dysbiosis?

Dysbiosis can arise from many factors.  As an initial matter, our current environment gives rise to dysbiosis as a result of excessive hygiene to which our immune systems have adapted and led to less diversity and abundance in the gut microbiome.  Loss of microbiome diversity and abundance can be due to use of antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizer and even clean water.  Other contributors to dysbiosis can be medications, like antibiotics, low nutrient density diets and environmental pollutants.  Dysbiosis may result from infection, stress, lack of sleep and lack of physical activity, all of which is prevalent in society today.   Dysbiosis can lead to the loss of tolerance to certain foods and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract in several ways.  For example, it can cause:

• increased gut inflammation
• increased intestinal permeability
• loss of production of short chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, that provides energy to enterocytes and improves the pH in the colon 
• loss of immune system regulation
• loss of production of vitamins B and K, which are needed for proper mitochondrial function (which produces energy), 
• loss of detoxification response and it creates an opportunity for pathogens to enter the body  

In my next post, I will go over nutritional approaches to heal leaky gut or dysbiosis. Stay tuned!  If you would like to explore whether I can assist you in addressing any gut dysfunction you may be experiencing, reach out to me!