Gastric Cytoprotection And Inhibition Of Acid Secretion By Zinc
The observation of zinc affording protection of the gastric mucosal surface was actually reviewed over 20 years ago. Bandyopadhyay et al reported in animal studies that orally-administered zinc protects against chemically-induced ulceration, presumably in part by inhibiting gastric H+ secretion. This followed published observations of zinc-mediated suppression of gastric acid output as well as zinc-derived improvement of gastric ulcer healing in the 1970s and 1980s. Kirchhoff et al more recently reported in humans that low-dose zinc administration abolishes secretagogue-induced gastric acid secretion, raising luminal pH as effectively as PPI medications. It remains to be determined if orally-administered zinc can be as effective as PPIs in treating, e.g., gastroesophageal reflux disease without at least some of the side effects of the omeprazole class of drugs. These actions of zinc may trace in part to zincs observed stabilizing effect on secretory cells and lysosomal organelles in general.
Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth
The small and large intestines usually contain different types of bacteria. SIBO occurs when bacteria from the large intestine start growing in the small intestine.
The large intestine predominantly contains anaerobic bacteria, which do not require oxygen and live by fermenting indigestible from plant-based foods as they pass through the gut.
Symptoms of SIBO are similar to those of IBS, including gas, bloating, and diarrhea. SIBO can also cause brain fogginess and short-term memory problems.
Not everyone with IBS has SIBO, but the overgrowth is more common in people with IBS. SIBO also frequently develops in older females.
Experts do not fully understand what causes the overgrowth, but it may result from reduced gut motility, which slows the passage of food through the gut. This can cause fermentable carbohydrates to remain in the small intestine for longer.
Results of a indicate a possible link between SIBO and probiotic supplementation in people with brain fogginess. The researchers found that symptoms improved when participants stopped taking probiotics and started taking .
Anyone with SIBO symptoms should consult a doctor.
Leaky Gut Basic Mechanism:
The moment the intestinal epithelium layer gets damaged or disrupted, it starts to leak allowing bacteria, viruses, fungi, toxins, undigested food particles and other material that is considered foreign to come into contact with the T-cells and the immune system. As you can imagine this is not good. Immature T-cells see this event as worrisome and they mature into aggressive pro-inflammatory T-cells called Th17
Left unchecked this leaky gut condition this causes a process called chronic inflammation which causes almost all disease in the body including cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and autoimmune illness. For an in depth description of this process watch the following 6 minute video.
A damaged intestinal epithelial layer also becomes inefficient at extracting the good nutrients which you are supposed to absorb from food for your cells to make energy in the mitochondria. This process is called mal-absorption . We discussed this in Part 1 of these series but to review the energy essential nutrients are: B vitamins, Minerals, Anti-oxidants, Amino Acids, Carbohydrates and Fats. Leaky gut and Mal-absorption are linked and they are a particularly bad combination. On one hand the leaky gut revs up you immune system, which consumes a lot of energy. On the other hand the malabsorption prevents you from absorbing the vitamins and nutrients you need to make energy. The results: energy depletion and fatigue.
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How Does Leaky Gut Happen
The intestinal barrier is made up of cells linked together by tight junctions. These junctions control what is allowed to pass through into the bloodstream this is how vitamins and nutrients are absorbed by the small intestine. Normally, these tight junctions remain small enough to prevent the passage of any harmful compounds that may cause disease.
But when the intestinal barrier becomes damaged often as a result of a diet high in inflammatory foods such as sugar, dairy, and processed foods these joints can become compromised. Tiny particles that would normally be blocked are allowed to leak into the bloodstream, allowing them to cause damage throughout the body.
Take Probiotics Before Bedtime
Taking probiotics immediately before bedtime on an empty stomach may help to reduce gas and bloating. Your gut is relatively inactive at night, but probiotics can produce gas when combined with certain foods. Taking food on an empty stomach ensures that the probiotics dont have any obstacles in the way, which also allows more of the live bacteria to reach your large intestines.14
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Signs You Have A Leaky Gut
Since leaky gut is not yet a medically recognized condition, there is no set diagnostic criteria. As Pedre explains it, “Leaky gut is not a diagnosis but a process, a description of the underlying pathology of numerous diseases that we treat yet have failed to find a cure for.”
However, there are some signs and symptoms you can look out for that may indicate a more permeable gut lining.
Gut Microbiota And Leaky Gut Syndrome
The intestines are also home to a wide range of bacteria called gut microbiota. These bacteria aid digestion, protect the intestinal wall and support normal immune function. LGS may involve imbalances in gut microbiota.
According to a 2016 article, imbalances in the gut microbiota can trigger the bodys immune response. This results in gut inflammation and increased intestinal permeability . IP describes how easily substances can leak out of the intestines and into the bloodstream.
Experts still do not know exactly why autism develops. However, scientists have suggested that various genetic, biological, and environmental factors may play a role.
Recently, scientists have begun investigating a possible link between gut microbiota, IP, and autism.
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Do I Need To Take Probiotics After I Take Antibiotics
Antibiotic medications are often needed to fight an infection. However, while antibiotics are killing the bad bacteria, they are also knocking out the good bacteria in your body. Some people develop conditions like diarrhea after taking an antibiotic. In other people, this may allow for really bad bacteria to take over and populate the gut, such as with C. diff. Some research has shown a positive connection between taking probiotics after an antibiotic and relief from diarrhea. This hasnt been proven yet and doesnt work for everyone.
The thought behind adding probiotics back into your body after taking an antibiotic is that it can repopulate the good bacteria that was destroyed by the antibiotics and re-boot your system. The extra good bacteria helps repopulate your gut and fight off any remaining bad bacteria. Many people feel that adding in probiotics wont hurt, might help you feel better a little faster and prevent diarrhea.
How To Improve Your Gut Health
Understanding and acceptance of leaky gut syndrome is growing. Researchers have found evidence of leaky guts existence, as well as indications that it contributes to a variety of health issues. However, the research is limited, and many doctors still do not consider leaky gut to be a legitimate medical issue. Because of the work yet to be done, there is no standard diagnosis and therefore no standard treatment. This has caused some people to explore natural or alternative medicine approaches. However, there are doctors like those at Gastroenterology Associates of Savannah, who understand the research and its limitations, but are committed to finding a solution to the symptoms you are experiencing.
There is no one proven method for completely healing the symptoms of leaky gut. But there are ways to improve gut health which is known to be good for overall health. And taking action to improve gut health may also relieve symptoms associated with leaky gut syndrome. An important first step is to make sure to address any known underlying or associated conditions.
Nutrition is another area vital to the health of your digestive system. Eat a well-balanced diet that incorporates lots of fruits and vegetables. Foods with prebiotic fiber are also important to help protect the good bacteria in your gut. What should you eat less of? Its generally good nutritional practice to consume less sugar and sweeteners, as well as less dairy, eggs, and meat.
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Can Probiotics Make You Tired
Nothing we ever do is exempt from consequence. There are pros and cons to many things in life and that includes Probiotics. Thus, we always need to decide and be able to balance how good and bad a given choice is. The same thing is true for synthetic drugs a more natural approach to medicine has its safety concerns and considerations. However, what can we say about probiotics? Do they make you tired?
The jury is out in the scientific coumminty whether fatigue, tiredness and brain fog are attributible to Probioitcs making a person tired. There is some evidence that D-Lactate is responsible in some Probioitcs for tiredness or brain-fog, but its still not entirely a clear-cut finding.
In the market, we can see how the use ofthese supplements is booming sky high, and they dont need a prescription. Butit would be wise to understand the possible side effects of probiotic therapy beforestarting to use them in our day-to-day. One of the reported side effects isthat probiotics can make you feel tired, but is that true?
Zinc And Gastrointestinal Cancer
Esophageal and oral cancers are significant upper aerodigestive tract cancers. Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth most common cause of death from cancer worldwide, while oral cancers, particularly those of the tongue, have a high mortality rate in part due to the risk of developing a second primary tumor, usually in the esophagus. Esophageal cancers can be either squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma . Abnet et al performed a 16-year observational study on participants in a nutrition intervention trial and found that the subjects who had a high zinc concentration in their esophageal biopsy specimens also had a reduced risk of developing esophageal SCC, indicating that dietary ZD associates strongly with SCC. Although studies examining dietary zinc intake and its relationship to cancer risk have reported conflicting results, a meta-analysis of 19 studies involving an estimated 400000 participants found that the level of zinc intake was inversely associated with digestive tract cancers, especially colorectal cancer. In addition to these cancers of the GI tract, low serum zinc levels are also associated with prostate, ovarian, lung, gallbladder, and head and neck cancers.
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Clues That Leaky Gut May Be At The Root Of Your Health Issues
08.14.2014 by Dr. Doni
Dr. Doni explains how leaky gut is extensively researched yet under-diagnosedand could be the underlying cause of any number of chronic health problems.
Considering that chronic diseases such as diabetes, autoimmunity, and liver failure, as well as common symptoms, like eczema, anxiety, fatigue, weight gain, bloating, and muscle/joint pain, can all be caused by leaky gut syndrome , it is imperative that you determine whether it may be occurring in your body.
Let Dr. Doni help you take action now with her Leaky Gut and Digestive Solutions Package. More info > >
Leaky gut is not well recognized by most practitioners, and is not found with the usual tests, not even with an endoscopy or colonoscopy. Still, there are close to 11,000 research studies about intestinal permeability from the past sixty years that clearly indicate that this is real health issue, including 35 studies released in just the past month.
For many, identifying leaky gut can be life changing because it is a condition that can be addressed with diet changes, nutrients, herbs, enzymes, and probiotics that help the intestinal lining to heal. In a medical system where people often find themselves reliant on medications, it is empowering to discover that there are natural solutions to address not only leaky gut, but challenging health concerns throughout their body.
Heres What To Do If Youre Experiencing Symptoms
Any new or troubling gastrointestinal symptoms warrant a chat with your doctor and possibly a specialist, like a gastroenterologist. “It is imperative that people who present with symptoms associated with leaky gut work with a medical practitioner who can initially evaluate them for other serious diagnoses that may present with similar symptoms,” Dr. Schnoll-Sussman says. But it’s unlikely that you’ll walk away with a diagnosis of leaky gut syndrome or increased intestinal permeability.
When a patient comes to her asking about leaky gut syndrome, Dr. Singh says, “I dont get fixated on the diagnosis. The first thing I do is listen.” Your doctor or gastroenterologist will likely then ask you about your symptoms and your family history of gut illnesses. From there, they may order diagnostic tests . If an allergy is suspected, your doctor may send you to an allergist for more specialized treatment, Dr. Kirby says. Or your doctor may ask you to keep track of your symptoms and what you eat in a food diary to look for patterns and may have you try eliminating certain foods for a period to see if that helps, Dr. Singhs says.
Ultimately, whatever is causing your issues, you deserve to have real answersand real relief.
Related:
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Zinc And Ulcerative Colitis
Zinc is absorbed from the GI lumen principally in the small intestine at the distal duodenum and proximal jejunum. This leads to obvious implications for zinc malabsorption in diseases targeting and damaging the small intestine, such as CD and Celiac sprue. However, ulcerative colitis does not typically manifest in the small bowel proximal to the ileum, and numerous studies have shown that well nourished UC patients are not ZD. In fact, when patients with moderate and severe UC are compared to healthy controls and/or UC patients in remission, they have shown normal or even elevated serum zinc concentrations. Similarly, serum zinc levels in children with UC were no different than controls.
In summary, in UC patients, systemic ZD does not arise in response to colonic tissue inflammation, but if a patient has decreased nutritional intake due to associated illness in ongoing UC, they may develop insufficient levels of serum zinc. This decreased serum zinc concentration does appear to have important implications at the cellular level and therefore may diminish the bodys ability to reduce active inflammation. More research is required to further examine the benefits of zinc supplementation in UC patients, specifically its effect, if any, on epithelial barrier function.
Zinc And Epithelial Barrier Function
In most of the GI morbidities discussed in this review, the role of transepithelial barrier leak specifically at the site of the epithelial TJ, is very prominent. The recently documented ability of zinc to reduce TJ leak is very likely involved in zinc supplementations ability to alleviate these morbidities, and the exacerbation of the morbidities in periods of ZD. For this reason, we present here an expanded description of zinc action on the tight junctional complex.
The following disease situations illustrate zincs ability to modify TJs in medically relevant scenarios.
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Zinc And Crohns Disease
ZD has been well established in Crohns disease and can arise in part due to poor zinc absorption in the small intestine as well as from chronic dietary intolerances and restrictions. In a large cohort of patients with IBD, it was estimated that 8.5% of patients had inadequate intake of zinc. The prevalence of low serum zinc levels was 29.3%. ZD has even been documented in Crohns patients while in remission. Crohns patients on TPN can develop acute ZD resulting in acrodermatitis enteropathica and decreased vision. More commonly, ZD in CD contributes to stunted growth in children and manifests as decreased taste sensation, visual acuity, and immune function.
Can Leaky Gut Cause Acne Fatigue And Memory Fog
As far as strange medical conditions go, leaky gut syndrome is among the most intriguing and possibly the most distastefully named.
It is also somewhat controversial. Because its only recently begun to be studied, leaky gut syndrome is still poorly understood. Some experts are skeptical of the legion of problems that other doctors blame upon a leaky gut.
Heres the lowdown on this syndrome and what some medical experts believe it does to your body:
The intestine as traffic cop
Think of your intestines as having two main functions. First, it is the organ through which we absorb the nutrients into our bloodstream to nourish the body, says Michael Klaper, M.D., of TrueNorth Health Center in Santa Rosa, Calif.
But there is also an important barrier function, he adds. There are a lot of molecules that we do not want in our bloodstreams, and the intestinal wall prevents them from getting there. Or it should.
In a person with leaky gut syndrome, the intestinal wall is more permeable than usual. Consequently, substances that normally are not allowed through by the barrier gain access to the body, says Andrew Roorda, M.D., clinical assistant professor of medicine in gastroenterology and hematology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
A cause or an effect?
But some experts arent completely sold on the notion that leaky gut syndrome actually causes these diseases.
One theory: Were too hard on our guts
What to do
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Diseases Of The Nervous System
Increased gut permeability has been reported in the following diseases:
- Alzheimers disease
- Parkinsons disease
At this point, it is not possible to tease apart the cause and the effect in these studies. Gastrointestinal disbalance may precede nervous system disorders and may have a role in the early development of these diseases. On the other hand, increased intestinal permeability could also be only one of the symptoms of these diseases.
What Is A Leaky Gut
Leaky gut syndrome is a condition in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged, allowing harmful particles such as microbes, bacteria, undigested food, and toxins to leak through the intestine and enter the bloodstream.
The presence of these substances in the blood can trigger an inflammatory reaction and lead to a number of health problems that range from migraines to irritable bowel syndrome. A person who suffers from leaky gut syndrome is often at high risk for malnutrition, weakened immunity, hormone imbalances, and other serious health conditions.
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