How To Heal From Leaky Gut

Written By Luke Moja

In our previous two posts we discussed the condition of increased intestinal permeability, aka “leaky gut”. We reviewed what leaky gut is as well as what factors contribute to the development of this increased permeability in the gut lining. Today we will conclude this series by discussing what we can do to heal from increased intestinal permeability.  

Lifestyle factors to help leaky gut 

There are many ways we can incorporate lifestyle habits to improve gut health and aid in healing the intestinal lining. Here are some of the most important: 

  • Healthy diet – Removing processed, inflammatory foods such as refined sugar, refined flour, and industrially processed vegetable/seed oils from the diet is a great first step to improving gut health. Focusing on nutrient-rich whole foods such as quality proteins, healthy fats, and colorful fruits and vegetables will help reduce inflammation and promote healing. However, diet is very individualized, and some people may need to go on a more restrictive nutrition plan for a period of time. This may include removing foods like gluten and dairy or trying something like a low-FODMAP diet. Working with a knowledgeable functional medicine practitioner can help you identify what type of diet works best for your individual needs. 

  • Treat gut infections – Gut infections caused by harmful pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, or parasites can cause intestinal dysbiosis and leaky gut. If you are working hard on your diet and lifestyle but not seeing results, a gut infection could be the root cause of your struggles. A functional medicine practitioner can utilize testing to identify the specific microbes causing your gut symptoms. There are many herbal and natural antimicrobials that are effective in treating these pathogens and reducing inflammation in the gut.  

  • Sleep and stress management – Quality sleep is very important in the healing and recovery process for the body. Shoot for 7-9 hours of sleep per night and practice good sleep hygiene like maintaining a regular sleep schedule and reducing screen exposure at night or wearing blue-blocking glasses when the sun goes down. It is also important to manage stress, as chronic stress has been shown to be a cause of leaky gut. Prayer, meditation, deep breathing, and time in nature are some effective ways to reduce stress levels.  

  • Exercise – Exercise is another great way to promote healing of the gut. Besides reducing stress, exercise can have a direct impact on improving gut health by increasing diversity in the microbiome, improving the efficiency of food moving through the digestive tract, and increasing production of short-chain fatty acids like butyrate. However, endurance sessions lasting longer than 60 minutes can have a negative impact on the gut, so be careful if you are training for something like a marathon or triathlon.  

 

Supplements to help leaky gut 

There are a number of supplements that can be effective in promoting healing of increased intestinal permeability. These include the following: 

  • L-glutamine – Glutamine is an amino acid that helps maintain the gut lining and serves as an energy source for intestinal cells. It is typically used in powder form. Research has shown that 15 g/day in divided doses is effective in improving leaky gut and IBS symptoms. Some studies show that as little as 5 g/day or up to 30 g/day can be beneficial. 

  • Probiotics – Probiotic supplementation has been shown to improve leaky gut, reduce inflammation, and increase levels of beneficial bacteria in the microbiome. The types of probiotic supplements that may be effective include lactobacillus/bifidobacterium species, soil-based species such as Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus subtilis, and probiotic yeast such as Saccharomyces boulardii. 

  • Zinc carnosine – Zinc carnosine is a combination of zinc with the amino acid carnosine. Carnosine can improve the absorption of zinc and delivery to the tissues. Zinc is an essential mineral for cell production and zinc carnosine has been shown to improve leaky gut as well as upper GI problems such as stomach ulcers. 

  • Colostrum/Serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin – Colostrum is the first milk that mammals produce after giving birth and is loaded with nutrients that help support the gut lining. Bovine colostrum has been shown in research to reduce markers associated with gut permeability. If you are intolerant to dairy, serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin (SBI) is a supplement that contains many of the benefits of colostrum without the dairy component. 

  • Curcumin – Curcumin is a compound found in turmeric that has significant anti-inflammatory properties. There is lab evidence that curcumin can improve leaky gut, and human studies have shown that curcumin has a beneficial effect on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).  

  • BPC-157 – BPC-157 is a peptide (short chain of amino acids) that has been shown to have several potential health benefits, including healing damaged gut tissues and protecting the gut lining from damage. It can be taken orally or via injection. Due to the lack of long-term safety data, it is probably best to take BPC-157 short-term or cycle on and off. If you decide to utilize this peptide, do your research or consult with a knowledgeable practitioner to find a high-quality product and determine proper dosage. 

Other supplements that may help heal leaky gut include aloe vera, DGL, marshmallow root, and slippery elm. Vitamin D may also help to reverse gut damage in certain situations, so make sure to get your Vitamin D levels tested to determine if you are deficient.  

There are some high-quality products that contain a blend of multiple gut healing supplements if you prefer to not take them separately. A functional medicine practitioner can help you find one that works well for you. 

This concludes our series on leaky gut. Hopefully these posts have been educational and helpful. If you feel like you need additional help and guidance from a practitioner, schedule a free discovery call to see if our clinic is a good fit for you. 

 

 

 

Sources and References 

 

Mach N, Fuster-Botella D. Endurance exercise and gut microbiota: A review. J Sport Health Sci. 2017 Jun;6(2):179-197. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2016.05.001. Epub 2016 May 10. PMID: 30356594; PMCID: PMC6188999. 

 

Sudimac S, Sale V, Kühn S. How nature nurtures: Amygdala activity decreases as the result of a one-hour walk in nature. Mol Psychiatry. 2022 Nov;27(11):4446-4452. doi: 10.1038/s41380-022-01720-6. Epub 2022 Sep 5. PMID: 36059042; PMCID: PMC9734043. 

 

Ribeiro FM, Petriz B, Marques G, Kamilla LH, Franco OL. Is There an Exercise-Intensity Threshold Capable of Avoiding the Leaky Gut? Front Nutr. 2021 Mar 8;8:627289. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.627289. PMID: 33763441; PMCID: PMC7982409. 

 

Zheng Y, Zhang Z, Tang P, Wu Y, Zhang A, Li D, Wang CZ, Wan JY, Yao H, Yuan CS. Probiotics fortify intestinal barrier function: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Front Immunol. 2023 Apr 24;14:1143548. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1143548. PMID: 37168869; PMCID: PMC10165082. 

 

Zhou Q, Verne ML, Fields JZ, Lefante JJ, Basra S, Salameh H, Verne GN. Randomised placebo-controlled trial of dietary glutamine supplements for postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 2019 Jun;68(6):996-1002. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2017-315136. Epub 2018 Aug 14. PMID: 30108163; PMCID: PMC9549483. 

 

Baśkiewicz-Hałasa M, Stachowska E, Grochans E, Maciejewska-Markiewicz D, Bühner L, Skonieczna-Żydecka K, Hałasa M. Moderate Dose Bovine Colostrum Supplementation in Prevention of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Medical University Students: A Randomized, Triple Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 16;15(8):1925. doi: 10.3390/nu15081925. PMID: 37111143; PMCID: PMC10146600. 

 

Hewlings S, Kalman D. A Review of Zinc-L-Carnosine and Its Positive Effects on Oral Mucositis, Taste Disorders, and Gastrointestinal Disorders. Nutrients. 2020 Feb 29;12(3):665. doi: 10.3390/nu12030665. PMID: 32121367; PMCID: PMC7146259. 

 

Wang J, Ghosh SS, Ghosh S. Curcumin improves intestinal barrier function: modulation of intracellular signaling, and organization of tight junctions. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2017 Apr 1;312(4):C438-C445. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00235.2016. Epub 2017 Mar 1. PMID: 28249988; PMCID: PMC5407015. 

 

Roy SK, Behrens RH, Haider R, Akramuzzaman SM, Mahalanabis D, Wahed MA, Tomkins AM. Impact of zinc supplementation on intestinal permeability in Bangladeshi children with acute diarrhoea and persistent diarrhoea syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1992 Oct;15(3):289-96. doi: 10.1097/00005176-199210000-00010. PMID: 1432467. 

 

Shen W, Zhao X, Han Z, Miao Y, Huang H, Zhang Z, Dong L, Nie Y, Li H, Ni R. Efficacy and safety of polaprezinc in the treatment of gastric ulcer: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, positive-controlled clinical trial. Med Eng Phys. 2022 Dec;110:103860. doi: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2022.103860. Epub 2022 Aug 12. PMID: 35999163. 

 

Lobo de Sá FD, Backert S, Nattramilarasu PK, Mousavi S, Sandle GI, Bereswill S, Heimesaat MM, Schulzke JD, Bücker R. Vitamin D Reverses Disruption of Gut Epithelial Barrier Function Caused by Campylobacter jejuni. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Aug 18;22(16):8872. doi: 10.3390/ijms22168872. PMID: 34445577; PMCID: PMC8396270. 

 

https://drruscio.com/leaky-gut-supplements/ 

 

https://chriskresser.com/9-steps-to-perfect-health-5-heal-your-gut/ 

 

https://thesolutioniv.com/blog/benefits-of-bpc-157-for-gut-health/ 

 

 

Luke Moja
Previous

Why Diets Fail: Healthy Strategies For Long-Term Weight Loss
Next

What Causes Leaky Gut? 8 Factors That Can Harm Your Digestive Health