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Leaky Gut: Fact or Fiction?

august 25, 2024 

Written by: angie Sadeghi, MD

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Did you know that your gut cells are attached to each other by “tight junctions,” proteins that connect the cells to form an impermeable seal between the environment inside your gut and the blood vessels traveling underneath? This is an incredibly important evolutionary mechanism that prevents toxins and bacteria from traveling into the circulation and causing autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In an unhealthy gut, when there is inflammation, the tight junctions are severed, and anything can flow into the circulatory system, including bacteria and toxins. This is in the schematic diagram shown above on the right side of the photo.

 

A high-fiber diet can improve this barrier. Fibers are carbohydrates not digested in the small intestines. They reach the colon and are fermented by the gut microbiome. The microbiome ferments the carbohydrates and produces important molecules called short-chain fatty acids, which are the primary energy source for the gut cell and protect the tight junction barriers. On the other hand, low fiber and a diet high in saturated fat decrease the production of these tight junction proteins and cause gut permeability and “leakiness.”

In a fascinating study published in Cell, these researchers showed that a dietary-deprived gut degrades the colonic mucus barrier and enhances pathogen susceptibility. As you can see above, the protective mucus layer disappears, the cells get damaged, and they become “leaky.” 

So, for those concerned about gut health and overall health, eating a Standard American Diet low in fiber-rich foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, beans, lentils) is detrimental to your health and makes you susceptible to disease. 

 

If you have questions about improving your health and incorporating more fiber into your diet, please make an appointment with our plant-based dietitian, Carolina Schneider!

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References:

Desai MS, Seekatz AM, Koropatkin NM, Kamada N, Hickey CA, Wolter M, Pudlo NA, Kitamoto S, Terrapon N, Muller A, Young VB, Henrissat B, Wilmes P, Stappenbeck TS, Núñez G, Martens EC. A Dietary Fiber-Deprived Gut Microbiota Degrades the Colonic Mucus Barrier and Enhances Pathogen Susceptibility. Cell. 2016 Nov 17;167(5):1339-1353.e21. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.10.043. PMID: 27863247; PMCID: PMC5131798.

Cani PD, Bibiloni R, Knauf C, Waget A, Neyrinck AM, Delzenne NM, Burcelin R. Changes in gut microbiota control metabolic endotoxemia-induced inflammation in high-fat diet-induced obesity and diabetes in mice. Diabetes. 2008 Jun;57(6):1470-81. doi: 10.2337/db07-1403. Epub 2008 Feb 27. PMID: 18305141.

Suzuki T. Regulation of the intestinal barrier by nutrients: The role of tight junctions. Anim Sci J. 2020 Jan-Dec;91(1):e13357. doi: 10.1111/asj.13357. PMID: 32219956; PMCID: PMC7187240.

https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/leaky-gut

Cani PD, Bibiloni R, Knauf C, Waget A, Neyrinck AM, Delzenne NM, Burcelin R. Changes in gut microbiota control metabolic endotoxemia-induced inflammation in high-fat diet-induced obesity and diabetes in mice. Diabetes. 2008 Jun;57(6):1470-81. doi: 10.2337/db07-1403. Epub 2008 Feb 27. PMID: 18305141.

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