Mysterious Weight Gain Caused by a Leaky Gut

Is it true that a leaky gut can make you gain weight? In Short: YES IT CAN! Having developed a leaky gut was one of the several contributors in my own health journey that led me down the rabbit hole of sudden, unexplainable and persistent weight gain, that could not get resolved with diet and exercise - no matter how hard I tried. 

The intestinal mucosal barrier is the lining of the small intestine and the small intestine is the organ that is between the stomach and the large intestine, which runs about 18 to 21 feet and its where 90% of our nutrient absorption and breakdown occurs. Any disruption within the small intestine can compromise our nutrient absorption or lead to increased levels of toxicity in our body. The mucosal barrier consists of single layers of cells, so-called enterocytes, which line the barrier and are held together by tight junctions, which are kind of cemented between each other. The role of those tight junctions is to control larger pieces of protein, that are not completely broken down into their component amino acid to not get through the barrier. On the surface of the barrier are finger like projections called villi and microvilli. This barrier has two main functions: 

1) It's a physical inside out barrier, as it separates the external environment from the body's internal milieu and protects our body from any pathogens, toxins or other things entering the body, that don't belong in the bloodstream.

2) 90 percent of nutrient breakdown and absorption occurs in the mucosal barrier. It's responsible for breaking down macro nutrients into micronutrients, in order for them to be small enough to be absorbed through the villi. Ideally nothing should pass the barrier that isn't broken down into a micronutrient size, as it has to be small enough to be absorbed and to go into the bloodstream. 

There are several things that can cause a disruption in the mucosal barrier and lead to damage and inflammation:

• (hyper-)processed industrial factory-made foods

• gluten

• stress (physical or emotional)

• blood sugar issues

• infections (parasites, viruses)

• antibiotics / pharmaceuticals

• having too little hydrochloric acid in the stomach

• not producing enough enzymes

• food sensitivities

According to the saying "all disease begins in the gut" and with 80% of our immune system being in the gut - the symptoms of a leaky gut can be far removed from the actual causal factor:

• weight gain

• weight loss resistance

• brain fog

• joint pain

• headaches

• skin rash

• difficulty breathing

Especially when the leaky gut is chronically present, a breakdown of the tight junctions occurs and space between the enterocytes opens up. This allows larger, not-broken down particles to get into the bloodstream and the immune system creates an immune response which leads to several root causes of weight gain: 

• Food sensitivities: If an apple protein didn't get broken down appropriately and gets into the bloodstream, the immune system will create antibodies to this apple protein. The next time when you're eating an apple, the immune system considers these apple protein molecules as dangerous, creates antibodies to it, which in turn lead to inflammation and to a food sensitivity to apples.

• Intestinal Permeability: In particular the consumption of gluten triggers the release of the chemical signal called zonulin, which in turn causes the tight junctions to loosen up and to chronic inflammation, which is a common underlying factor of weight gain and inability to lose weight.

• Nutrient Deficiencies: The villi, which are responsible for nutrient absorption, can start to get damaged and then begin actually shrink. This is called a blunted Brush border. And at this stage the villi are no longer able to absorb nutrients because they don't have the surface area that is required for proper nutrient absorption. Even when eating healthy, one might have severe nutrient / vitamin / mineral deficiencies. Since nutrients play an important role in various body functions - like building muscle and bone, creating energy or burning sugar and fat -, deficiencies can lead to a slowed metabolism and unwanted weight gain.

• Increased toxic burden, as toxic chemicals are getting through the tight junctions. A high toxic load can interfere with the body's metabolism and cause weight gain even when sticking to a normal-calorie diet.

The good news is, a leaky gut can be healed. When the trigger is removed, and some gut healing tools (bone broth, supplementing with HCL or digestive enzymes, high fiber foods, prebiotics, and probiotics) are implemented, within one-month noticeable changes in gut health can be achieved. Depending on a person's level of intestinal permeability, it may take anywhere between 6-12 months to achieve full remission of a leaky gut, with weight loss as a side effect!

Leaky Gut PDF

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Is it true that a leaky gut can make you gain weight? In Short: YES IT CAN! The good news is, that a leaky gut can be healed. By implementing targeted supplements, within one-month noticeable changes in gut health can be achieved. In this PDF you can learn my favorite supplements and exact dosages to repair a leaky gut.

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