Senior Health Can You Know If You Have a Leaky Gut? 2/9/2023 | By Howard LeWine, M.D. A leaky gut can cause a host of problems, but it’s a difficult condition to measure. Dr. Howard LeWine of Harvard explains the condition, possible causes and connections, and remedies. Question: What is meant by a leaky gut and how do you know if you have a leaky gut? Why is it a problem? Answer: It begins at the cellular level. The lining of the intestine is made of millions and millions of cells. These cells join together to create a tight barrier that acts like a security system and decides what gets absorbed into the bloodstream and what stays out. However, when the gut becomes unhealthy, the lining can weaken, so “holes” develop in the barrier. The result is that toxins and bacteria can leak into the bloodstream. This can trigger inflammation in the gut and throughout the body and cause a chain reaction of problems, such as bloating, gas, cramps, food sensitivities, fatigue, headaches, and joint pain, to name a few. How do these “holes” form? Blame genes and diet. Some people may have a weaker barrier because they were born with it, or they follow an unbalanced diet low in fiber and high in sugar and saturated fats, which may be the trigger that weakens the gut lining. Age also plays a role since as you age, cells get damaged more easily and heal slowly, if at all, so the gut becomes more vulnerable. It is still not clear how large a role leaky gut plays in overall health. Digestive conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease share many of the same symptoms as leaky gut, and are all linked with chronic inflammation. But it’s not known how, or if, they are connected. Some research suggests leaky gut is linked with a higher risk of autoimmune diseases (such as lupus and multiple sclerosis) or chronic fatigue syndrome. But this is still just an association, and studies have yet to identify any cause and effect. The challenge is that it’s difficult to measure the strength of a person’s gut barrier, so you can’t know for certain when a leaky gut is really present, or what influence it may have elsewhere in the body. The best way to protect yourself from a leaky gut is to invest more in your overall digestive health. This means being more attentive about following a gut-healthy diet to help reduce inflammation. That means limiting processed foods and high-sugar foods and ingesting sufficient amounts of fiber. For additional consumer health information, please visit www.health.harvard.edu. © 2023 Harvard University. For terms of use, please see https://www.health.harvard.edu/terms-of-use. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Read plenty of health articles on Seniors Guide, like this one! Cochlear Implants vs. Hearing Aids Read More Howard LeWine, M.D. Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, please visit www.health.harvard.edu.