Leaky gut syndrome can come from a number of different causes. Basically, leaky gut comes from the tight contacts of the intestinal lining that are semipermiable, breaking apart from the release of zonulin, that makes the opening wider. That allows toxins, food particles and other items to escape your intestines and go into your blood stream. It plays havoc with your body. Some of the causes are infection, stress, age and toxins, however food can be a big problem, too, especially dairy, sugar and excess alcohol. Sometimes supplements for leaky gut can help.

Leaky gut can cause a number of symptoms.

If foreign bodies enter your bloodstream, no matter where they came from, the body sets up an immune response. That can create a number of conditions ranging from autoimmune disease—including celiac disease—to gas, IBS and bloating. Hormonal imbalances, allergies, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, asthma, acne and eczema, candida overgrowth and food allergies or intolerances may be attributed to leaky gut. So can depression, ADD, ADHD and anxiety.

Finding the irritant is top priority.

Irritation of the digestive tract is the primary cause. Before you can heal the leaky gut, you must find what caused the irritation in the first place. One way is to go on an elimination diet that removes common irritating foods and gradually reintroduces them one at a time to isolate the cause. However, things like stress and even over the counter pain relievers can also produce leaky gut.

Replace the necessary bacteria and nutrients in your diet.

Lack of digestive bacteria can be a cause that supplements can help. Since leaky gut can come from aging or after a bout with illness that required antibiotics, it makes sense that you might need to replace or boost the level of beneficial bacteria. Adding back digestive enzymes, such as hydrochloric acid and bile acids, also can boost your digestive abilities and eliminate leaky gut, but not if you’re still involved in consuming the offending factor or succumbing to the cause. You may also need additional supplements to repair the damage that’s already occurred. L-glutamine is one amino acid that can help rebuild the lining. To help with damage from stress, you can eliminate stress by working out regularly. I had one client that helped to relieve a chronic stomach problem by starting a workout program. It seems stress was the biggest cause.

• Eating healthy and avoiding sugary products also helps solve the problem of leaky gut. So does cessation of excessive alcohol.
• A diet high in fiber can help your beneficial bacteria to live. Make sure you include it in your diet.
• Licorice root can help maintain the mucosal gut lining, especially if the problem comes from emotional stress.
• Bone broth, which is good for hair, teeth and a wide variety of other bodily functions, also aids in gut health. It contains collagen and collagen that has essential amino acids and glycine. These help rebuild the intestinal lining.