Leaky gut - The Link Between Food, Fatigue and Your Gut Lining

If you’ve been dealing with bloating, food sensitivities, skin issues, and unexplained fatigue, you might have come across the term leaky gut. Maybe you’ve even had it brushed off by a doctor, leaving you confused and a little disheartened.

Here is an excerpt from my upcoming book on fatigue and burnout, where I explain what leaky gut really is and why it might be quietly contributing to your symptoms. It’s a starting point for understanding what’s going on in your gut and how to begin healing it.

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Are you eating something that is irritating your gut lining and causing a leaky gut?

You might’ve heard me mention the term leaky gut and found yourself wondering, “What on earth is a leaky gut? How do I know if I have one? What can I do about it?” Or maybe you’ve brought it up with your doctor and had the whole idea dismissed or even laughed at.

The more technical terms for leaky gut are increased intestinal permeability or intestinal hyperpermeability. Although it’s been talked about in natural health circles for a long time, it’s only in the past several years, since around 2014, that more solid research has begun to back it up in mainstream medicine, linking it to things like inflammation, autoimmune issues, and fatigue.

I’m going to share a little geeky science now, not to overwhelm you but to help you picture what’s going on in your gut if you have increased permeability. Once you understand it, it will feel much easier to let go of the foods that may be making things worse.

A Look Inside Your Gut

When you start looking closely at your body, you’ll be fascinated by its innate intelligence. Everything seems to have been created for a reason.

For example, the surface area of your gut is surprisingly big, around 400m². It’s covered in tiny folds and projections that help absorb nutrients and is designed to protect you, letting in what your body needs and keeping the rest out.

If you look closely at this lining, you’ll discover it’s a single layer of cells that absorb nutrients from your food and pass them into the bloodstream. These cells are lined by a thin layer of mucous and friendly microbes. Interconnecting the cells are tiny gatekeepers called tight junctions and they carefully control what gets through. If these tight junctions are damaged leaky gut develops.

We’re still learning what damages these tight junctions, but a few things have been linked to problems. These include:

• an imbalanced gut flora (called dysbiosis)

• eating foods that contain gliadin (like gluten)

• gut infections from parasites or fungi

• high levels of ongoing stress

• serious physical trauma, like severe burns

• ageing.

What can you do about a leaky gut? 

You can test for leaky gut, but the tests are often expensive and, in most cases, I don’t think they’re necessary because the steps you’d take to heal a leaky gut are the same ones I outline in this book:

• Stop eating foods known to damage the tight junctions

• Treat any underlying gut infections

• Gently rebuild your gut microbiome.

And if you do suspect leaky gut, please don’t lose heart. The cells that make up your gut lining renew themselves every 3 to 5 days, which means that with the right support, you can start creating a healthier gut in just a few weeks.

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This excerpt is just one piece of a much bigger picture. If you're curious to learn more, make sure you're subscribed to my blog and I'll let you know as soon as the full book is available. And if you’re wanting to explore the emotional and mental weight of fatigue - the hidden stories we carry in our bodies - you might enjoy this little piece from my book: Beautiful People Do Not Just Happen

In the meantime, keep listening to your body. It’s wiser than you think!