Collagen and leaky gut
Collagen and leaky gut
What is leaky gut?
Why is gut health so important? The answer is simple: Your gut is the gateway to your health. It's a big part of the digestive system and it's also a key player in your immune system and nervous system.
If your gut health is compromised, it can lead to many problems that you may not know originate in the gut, such as seasonal allergies, hormonal imbalances, an unbalanced mood, or even autoimmune diseases.
Almost every other Swede has had problems with their stomach, and half of them have it every week . Young women are most commonly affected. Almost 1/4 of the entire population suffers from digestive problems: gas, bloating, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation and nausea. In functional medicine, it is believed that these symptoms are often the result of a leaky gut.
The good news is that leaky gut can be both prevented and fixed with a few simple steps outlined later in this article. Let's talk about what is leaky gut, what causes leaky gut, and proven approaches to healing your gut so you can achieve optimal health.
So, what is leaky gut?
Leaky gut is when the tight joints that hold the intestinal wall (the lining of the intestine) together "loose". Your intestine uses villi (intestinal fluff (villi intestinales), which is a type of tissue in the small intestine, consisting of villi around 0.5-0.6 millimeters high, which absorb nutrients) to control substances passing through the intestine and into the bloodstream. These villi look like small fingers covered with "hairs" called microvilli (microvilli (singularis: microvillus) are structures that increase the surface area of cells up to 1,000,000 times in humans, facilitating absorption and excretion. These are very small projections which are made up of actin filaments.). Villi “grab” micronutrients floating in the gut that have been broken down from the food you eat. Villi and microvilli propel these micronutrients towards small openings in the intestinal wall directly into the blood. Then your blood carries this nutrition to all the cells in the body.
"On the mucous membrane there are small protrusions called intestinal fluff. On the surface of the intestinal fluff there is a layer of intestinal cells, which absorb nutrients. The folded surface, the intestinal fluff and the intestinal cells make the surface of the small intestine very large. It is important for the small intestine to be able to absorb enough nutrients from the food."
To better illustrate this process, think of your gut as a valve bridge. Your gut is naturally semipermeable to allow tiny, tiny boats (micronutrients) to pass through the gut wall and into the bloodstream. External factors, including certain foods, infections, toxins and stress, can break apart the joints in the intestinal wall, leaving the valve bridge open. When this happens, you have leaky gut.
When your gut is leaky, much larger boats (toxins, microbes, and undigested food particles) that were never meant to get through the gut wall can escape into the bloodstream. Your immune system marks these foreign invaders as pathogens (a pathogen broadly means something that can cause disease. However, the term is most commonly used synonymously with infectious agent to denote infectious microorganisms such as certain bacteria, viruses and fungi and substances such as prions) and attacks them.
The immune system's response to these invaders can appear in the form of any of the nine leaky gut symptoms we described above.
What causes a leaky gut?
The high prevalence of leaky gut in individuals is a direct result of our modern lifestyle. The toxic and inflammatory foods we eat, medications, infections and chemicals our bodies are exposed to, and the chronic stress many of us experience every day are the cause. Here are some reasons for the emergence of a leaky gut:
Inflammatory foods
Gluten can cause leaky gut because it triggers the release of zonulin in the intestines, a protein that "tells" your intestinal wall to "open up." For some people, gluten contributes to a disease called celiac disease (gluten intolerance). For others, foods with gluten mean inflammatory foods that can overload your immune system. Other inflammatory foods such as red meat, dairy and foods high in saturated fat, sugar, along with alcohol and GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are also important causes of leaky gut.
Intestinal infections
The most common infectious causes of leaky gut are intestinal parasites, SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, which means that the number of intestinal bacteria in the upper part of the small intestine is higher than normal.). Dysbiosis is what happens when bad bacteria, fungi and parasites take over the gut. If this imbalance is not corrected, bacterial biofilms (Biofilms are communities of bacteria that grow on different surfaces and where the bacteria that are included are embedded in a protective matrix, a kind of substance that binds the bacterial cells together. The bacteria in a biofilm communicate and cooperate around different functions, for example to break down "food molecules".) greater chance of attaching to the intestinal cell wall. These groups or microorganisms are protected by a layer of mucus, and when they form, they can be difficult to remove. When left untreated, biofilms increase the risk of developing leaky gut.
Environmental toxins
Environmental toxins such as mercury, pesticides and BPA from plastics can cause a leaky gut. Toxins can come in the form of medications, including NSAIDs such as Iprene and Aspirin, steroids, antibiotics, birth control pills and acid reducing drugs.
Chronic stress
Chronic stress, both emotional and physical, also directly contributes to leaky gut and inflammation in the body. Over time, ongoing stress will weaken your immune system making it harder for your body to fight off bad bacteria and viruses, causing inflammation and a leaky gut.
What are the symptoms of a leaky gut?
Stomach imbalances and a leaky gut have been linked to hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, eczema and rosacea, to name a few.
A well-functioning digestive system (gut) is essential for good health. Problems in the gastrointestinal tract can cause more than just stomach pain, gas, bloating or diarrhea. It can be the root cause of many chronic health problems.
Here are 9 leaky gut symptoms:
- Digestive problems such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Food allergies or food intolerances
- Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, ADD or ADHD
- Mood imbalances such as depression and anxiety
- Skin problems such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis or eczema
- Seasonal allergies or asthma
- Hormonal imbalances such as irregular periods, premenstrual syndrome or PCO (polycystic ovary syndrome)
- Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, lupus (SLE - systemic lupus erythematosus), psoriasis or celiac disease
- Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia
If you experience any of these symptoms, a leaky gut MAY be the root cause.
Do you think you have a leaky gut?
The gut is the gateway to your health. It's where almost 80% of your immune system lives and where up to 95% of your serotonin (the neurotransmitter responsible for your mood) is produced.
If your gut is healthy, chances are you're in good health. If not, it can lead to a lot of problems.
If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune or thyroid condition, or are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you likely have some degree of leaky gut.
Can you heal a leaky gut?
Research has shown that there is a connection between the "opening" in the intestinal wall, chronic inflammation and autoimmunity.
Leaky gut leads to inflammation that can cause a range of health problems from stomach problems, acne and dandruff, and even autoimmune diseases such as lupus (SLE) and MS (multiple sclerosis).
Instead of treating the symptoms that occur in connection with a leaky gut, you need to start by repairing the gut.
Eliminate: The goal is to get rid of things that contribute to gut inflammation like inflammatory foods, infections, and irritants like alcohol, caffeine, or medications. Inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy and sugar can lead to food sensitivities.
Restore: Bring back the essential substances for proper digestion and absorption that may have been depleted by diet, medications, disease or aging. This includes digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid and bile acids required for proper digestion.
Restore: Restoring beneficial bacteria to restore a healthy balance of good bacteria is critical. This can be accomplished by taking a prebiotic or probiotic supplement that contains prebiotics or beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacillus species.
Repair: Providing the nutrients necessary to reduce intestinal inflammation is important. Take a leaky gut healing supplement that contains powerful gut-repairing ingredients like L-glutamine, collagen, and prebiotics.
COLLAGEN PREBIOTCS + L-GLUTAMINE helps repair a leaky gut
Collagen prebiotics + L-glutamine is an optimal food supplement with collagen, prebiotics (inulin), L-glutamine and vitamin C to repair a leaky gut. It is packed with a high concentration of gut-repairing amino acids that repair your gut cells and restore the gut's natural lining.
Let's look at the ingredients of Collagen prebiotics + L-glutamine and their benefits:
The collagen
Collagen contributes with the building blocks to keep the gut healthy. Collagen "seals and heals" a leaky gut, and the biggest benefit of collagen for leaky gut is its ability to repair the gut's delicate intestinal lining. Your intestinal lining is made up of a single layer of cells held together by tight junctions that regulate what passes through your intestinal lining and into your bloodstream.
L-glutamine
L-glutamine is one of the most important nutrients, along with collagen and prebiotics, to restore gut health thanks to the way it supports cell regeneration. This amino acid helps to repair the broken joints in the intestinal wall so that they can function normally. L-glutamine can also be used as a preventative nutrient, minimizing the damage caused by food, toxins, infections and stress that can lead to leaky gut in the first place.
Prebiotics
Prebiotics are foods that your good bacteria (probiotics) can eat. In other words, they fuel the good bacteria that live inside your gut and help them grow strong.
If there is a lack of prebiotic fibers, these bacteria look for an alternative carbohydrate source: the intestinal cell wall. In addition, this alternative fuel causes your bacteria to stop producing the compounds that support gut function.
If your good bacteria don't get enough fuel in the form of prebiotic fiber (prebiotics), they don't have the energy to fight the bad bacteria either. They become powerless and exhausted and simply let the bad bacteria take over and cause serious damage to the gut.
As we described earlier, leaky gut occurs when our intestinal mucosa (which is the barrier between our gut and our bloodstream) becomes too permeable/leaky. That is, just like a bad strainer, it allows things to move through the intestinal wall and into our bloodstream that they shouldn't - e.g. large undigested food particles, bad bacteria or other microorganisms, toxins, etc.
Collagen prebiotics + L-glutamine is a dietary supplement for anyone who thinks they have a leaky gut or autoimmune disease.
Providing your body with the nutrients it needs to heal your gut is critical to optimal health. If you are dealing with a leaky gut and you want to restore gut health, Collagen prebiotics + L-glutamine is a must!
Frequently asked questions about leaky gut
What is leaky gut? leaky gut?
Leaky gut is when the tight junctions that hold the intestinal wall together loosen. When your gut is leaky, toxins, microbes and undigested food particles can enter your bloodstream.
What causes leaky gut?
Toxic and inflammatory foods, gut infections such as Candida overgrowth and SIBO, environmental toxins and chronic stress can all be causes of a leaky gut.
What are the signs of a leaky gut?
Leaky gut symptoms include digestive problems such as gas, bloating or IBS; food allergies or intolerances; hormonal imbalances such as irregular periods or PCOS, skin problems, mood imbalances, and diagnosis of an autoimmune disease.
How to repair a leaky gut?
It is important to get to the root cause of leaky gut by removing toxic and inflammatory foods, restoring essential vitamins and nutrients in your diet, restoring the good gut bacteria and repairing the gut with the help of Collagen prebiotics + L-glutamine.