Leaky gut syndrome

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Leaky gut syndrome is a hypothetical and medically unrecognized condition [1] [2] that is distinct from the scientific phenomenon of increased intestinal permeability commonly known as "leaky gut". [1] [3] Claims for the existence of "leaky gut syndrome" as a distinct medical condition come mostly from nutritionists and practitioners of alternative medicine. [1] [4] [5] Proponents claim that a "leaky gut" causes chronic inflammation throughout the body that results in a wide range of conditions, including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, migraines, multiple sclerosis, and autism. [1] [4] There is little evidence to support this hypothesis. [1] [6]

Stephen Barrett has described "leaky gut syndrome" as a fad diagnosis and says that its proponents use the alleged condition as an opportunity to sell a number of alternative-health remedies – including diets, herbal preparations, and dietary supplements. [5] Promoters of pseudoscience have claimed that the passage of proteins through a "leaky" gut is the cause of autism. [7] Evidence for claims that a leaky gut causes autism is weak and conflicting. [8]

Advocates tout various treatments for "leaky gut syndrome", such as dietary supplements, probiotics, herbal remedies, gluten-free foods, and low-FODMAP, low-sugar, and/or antifungal diets, but there is little evidence that the treatments offered are of benefit. [1] None have been adequately tested to determine whether they are safe and effective for this purpose. [4] The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not recommend the use of any special diets to manage the main symptoms of autism or leaky gut syndrome. [1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Leaky gut syndrome". NHS Choices. 26 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2018-02-11. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Debunking the Myth of 'Leaky Gut Syndrome'". Inside Tract (187). Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. 2013.
  3. ↑ Bischoff, Stephan C; Barbara, Giovanni; Buurman, Wim; Ockhuizen, Theo; Schulzke, Jörg-Dieter; Serino, Matteo; Tilg, Herbert; Watson, Alastair; Wells, Jerry M (2014). "Intestinal permeability – a new target for disease prevention and therapy". BMC Gastroenterology. 14 (1): 189. doi: 10.1186/s12876-014-0189-7 . ISSN   1471-230X. PMC   4253991 . PMID   25407511.
  4. 1 2 3 Odenwald, Matthew A.; Turner, Jerrold R. (2013). "Intestinal Permeability Defects: Is It Time to Treat?". Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 11 (9): 1075–83. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2013.07.001. PMC   3758766 . PMID   23851019.
  5. 1 2 Barrett, Stephen (14 March 2009). "Be Wary of 'Fad' Diagnoses". Quackwatch . Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  6. ↑ Quigley, Eamonn Martin (2016). "Leaky gut – concept or clinical entity?". Curr Opin Gastroenterol (Review). 32 (2): 74–79. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000243. PMID   26760399. S2CID   40590775.
  7. ↑ Kalichman, Seth C. (2009). Denying AIDS: Conspiracy Theories, Pseudoscience, and Human Tragedy. Springer. p.  167. ISBN   9780387794761.
  8. ↑ Rao, Meenakshi; Gershon, Michael David (2016). "The bowel and beyond: the enteric nervous system in neurological disorders". Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol (Review). 13 (9): 517–28. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2016.107. PMC   5005185 . PMID   27435372.
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