by Dr.Dave on Mar 15, 2014
Do you suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? If so, fix your leaky gut. There is now evidence that, as with many other Diseases of Civilization (DOCs), inflammation and oxidative stress play a role in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Moreover, again as with other DOCs, CFS is accompanied by increased intestinal permeability, also known as “leaky gut” or intestinal mucosal dysfunction.
This condition results in loss of integrity of the tight junctions between the cells that line your intestinal tract. Once this happens, microorganisms and foodstuffs that normally pass innocently through and out of your digestive system now leak into your body and activate your awaiting immune cells. Remember that 70-80% of your immune cells reside in your GI tract. Once thusly activated, these over-active immune cells cause/perpetuate total body (and brain) inflammation which in turn triggers and accelerates the modern diseases to which you are genetically or environmentally vulnerable, in this case CFS.
Of course, as the image below indicates, it’s not quite that simple.
The fix, on the other hand, may be much simpler. For example, multiple studies have shown that specific additions to (a refreshing break from the usual “deletions from”) your diet can help repair your leaky gut, “right-size” your immune response, and resolve symptoms of chronic fatigue and other Diseases of Civilization for that matter.
Indeed, this precept – “Seal and Heal” the gut – underpins many of our foundational interventions for myriad maladies.
There are many clinical and laboratory methods (the combination of the two – clinical and laboratory – often yields the best results) that can determine the integrity of your intestinal barrier as well as other gastrointestinal (GI) functions including the all-important composition of your gut bugs (microbiota). Increasingly, one of our go-to tests is GI Effects Comprehensive Profile which makes use of the best of both culture-based and molecular technologies for stool-based gastrointestinal diagnostics.
Click this link to learn more about GI Effects, our most comprehensive test for evaluation of leaky gut, digestion, absorption, inflammation, and balance of intestinal microbial powers.
If such testing reveals that you have leaky gut, we are likely to recommend Leaky Gut Repair. For more information, please follow the link below.
Biological phenotypes underpin the physio-somatic symptoms of somatization, depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Anderson G, Berk M, Maes M. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2014 Feb;129(2):83-97.
Normalization of leaky gut in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is accompanied by a clinical improvement: effects of age, duration of illness and the translocation of LPS from gram-negative bacteria. Maes M, Leunis JC. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2008 Dec;29(6):902-10.
Normalization of the increased translocation of endotoxin from gram negative enterobacteria (leaky gut) is accompanied by a remission of chronic fatigue syndrome. Maes M, Coucke F, Leunis JC. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2007 Dec;28(6):739-44.