The best supplements for healing a leaky gut

You could be suffering from leaky gut and not know it. This little-known condition causes a wide variety of complications, but thankfully, can be addressed early on with the right supplements.

As its name suggests, the condition is characterized by increased permeability of the gut, causing it to “leak.” The gut is naturally permeable in that it has tight junctions that allow specific molecules to pass through to the bloodstream and be used by your body. The cells that line your intestinal walls are responsible for regulating these junctions.

When you have leaky gut, these junctions are broken apart, causing toxins, germs, undigested food, and other unwanted molecules to escape into the bloodstream. Your immune system tags these substances and microorganisms as pathogens. The immune response causes the complications often attributed to leaky gut, which include digestive issues, allergies, autoimmune diseases, skin issues, mood disorders, and a candida overgrowth (yeast infection).

There are a number of factors that lead to leaky gut. Gluten is notorious for this, especially among people who are sensitive to it. Infections, toxins, stress, and even time itself may also act as risk factors.

So how do you treat leaky gut? As daunting as the condition may sound, treating and preventing it starts with taking care of your digestive system. Here are the best supplements for leaky gut:

Soil-based probiotics

Your gut is populated with gut bacteria, some of them bad because they cause diseases while others are good because they help with digestion and prevent certain diseases. These good bacteria, or probiotics, diminish in number over time, often because of age, unhealthy eating habits, and the use of antibiotics that indiscriminately kill microorganisms.

Before science invented probiotics you can ingest, humans acquired friendly bacteria through contact with the soil, such as when they planted and harvested their crops. While gardening still offers plenty of health benefits, you don’t have to work with soil just to obtain your body’s needed bacteria.

Soil-based probiotics are supplements that mimic the kind of bacteria found in the earth. Unlike the fragile germs found in commercial probiotic supplements, these microorganisms thrive in harsh environments, which means they have what it takes to survive the trip to your gut – which, in itself, is also normally hostile terrain – and give you the health benefits you want.

Digestive enzymes

Because leaky gut allows undigested food to escape, you end up absorbing fewer nutrients from the food you eat. One of the best ways to combat this problem is to ensure that food is broken down adequately, preventing undigested matter from poisoning your body and ensuring that you are nourished enough to recover naturally.

Digestive enzyme supplements are what their name suggests. They are enzymes similar to the ones that your body uses to break down food. These supplements help break down proteins, starches, and fat, as well as dairy products.

L-Glutamine

This is an amino acid that directly treats leaky gut. It coats your intestinal lining and repairs the broken junctions. It also fortifies your intestinal cells’ walls and protects from future infection.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice root

Also known simply as DGL, this supplement maintains the mucous lining that protects your intestines from their own acids and improves digestion. As an adaptogenic herb – a class of foods that protect from the effects of stress – licorice attenuates the effects of the stress hormone cortisol. Excessive cortisol prevents the growth of friendly gut bacteria, helping complicate the problems associated with leaky gut.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice is preferable because excessive amounts of glycyrrhizin, a component of licorice, has been linked to increased blood pressure and edema. The absence of glycyrrhizin makes DGL a safer option for pregnant women and those with kidney problems and hypertension.

Collagen

This is readily available in bone broth, but also in pure powder form. Collagen is essential for the repair of broken tissues, including those that make up your intestines. It may also help improve your digestive process.

Find the best supplements for leaky gut and other health problems at SupplementsReport.com.

Sources include:

Blog.PaleoHacks.com

MindBodyGreen.com