The Street Articles

Leaky Gut Syndrome Explained Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN & Amy Coates, RHN, BSc. What is Leaky Gut Syndrome? Leaky gut syndrome is the technical name for increased intestinal permeability. As its name signifies, this condition is characterizes by a gut (intestinal tract) that allows far too many substances into the bloodstream. Normally, the intestinal walls form a semi-permeable barrier, only allowing properly digesting nutrients into the bloodstream, while preventing the uptake of toxins and undigested food particles. Such nutrients are able to pass into the blood through pores located in the intestinal wall. Under ideal circumstances, these pores are small enough to prevent undigested food particles and other large toxins from escaping the intestinal tract and causing damage in the bloodstream. However, in the case of leaky gut syndrome, these pores widen, which allows anything and everything to pass through the (now very permeable) intestinal walls and into the b