"Gut Health"

Medical Q&A [Moderated]
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Hello Docs,

I have a couple questions regarding “gut health”. I have a few people in my life that have been talking about leaky gut syndrome and they have expressed their concerns to me.

  1. What causes leaky gut? Is there a cause or can it be one of those things that “just happens”?
  2. How can leaky gut be treated? Food, medication, or both?
  3. They have been told or read (I don’t know their sources) that birth control can have negative health outcomes relating to the gut. Is this true?
  4. Does leaky gut affect their period?
  5. Do you guys have any resources that I can direct them to?

Appreciate the help, I have found that when trying to talk to female coworkers and family members that I am sort of walking on eggshells because of the sensitive subject and their few is that I am a male and will never know what it is like to be on birth control and deal with a period. Just want to help, ya know?

Thank you in advance.

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“Leaky gut” is a non-medical term that probably refers to gut barrier dysfunction resulting in an increased permeability of the intestine. Gut barrier dysfunction that results in altered permeability from the “normal” is well-characterized in diseases like celiac, Crohn’s, and ulcers, but has not been shown to be clinically significant or relevant in the majority of other diseases, including all queries mentioned here.

Unless these people have celiac, Crohn’s, ulcers, or other very serious diseases of the gut, which ALL require medical management for the underlying causes and complications of the disease, there is nothing to discuss regarding “leaky gut” because they do not have it.

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People often underestimate or are not informed enough about the importance of the gut’s well-being.