Leaky gut may sound unusual, but the term perfectly describes a condition in which your gut lets harmful substances seep into your bloodstream. When you need exceptional treatment for a leaky gut, it's time to turn to Dan Wool, NMD of Scottsdale and Tempe, Arizona. As a leader in the field of naturopathic care for gastrointestinal problems, Dr. Dan Wool specializes in effectively diagnosing and treating leaky gut. To schedule a free in-person or telehealth consultation, call the nearest office or book an appointment online today.
Your intestinal tract is lined with a protective layer of cells called the gastrointestinal barrier. This barrier has the essential job of letting beneficial nutrients enter your bloodstream while stopping harmful substances from getting into your body.
The junctions between the cells that make up the barrier are regulated by a protein called zonulin. When zonulin levels increase, often due to inflammation, the junctions weaken, the barrier fails, and unwanted substances enter your bloodstream. That's when you have a leaky gut.
When undigested food, toxins, and other substances that normally don't go through the barrier reach your bloodstream, your immune system triggers a defensive attack. Then you develop body-wide inflammation and a host of health problems.
Leaky gut causes symptoms such as:
These symptoms are so generic that doctors who aren’t familiar with leaky gut often target other gastrointestinal problems.
Gut inflammation may be due to many possible conditions, including:
A leaky gut may contribute to these conditions. At the same time, the conditions may develop first and cause a leaky gut. An ongoing cycle often develops with gastrointestinal inflammation contributing to a leaky gut and the leaky gut causing more systemic inflammation.
If you meet with a traditional doctor, there's a chance they won't consider a leaky gut. Though medical experts know that increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) contributes to gastrointestinal conditions like IBS, Crohn's disease, and celiac disease, leaky gut is not an official diagnosis.
Integrative physicians have targeted gut health to treat chronic diseases for decades. As a naturopathic physician, Dr. Wool acknowledges, tests for, and treats leaky gut.
Dr. Wool runs blood tests and food sensitivity tests to start and may add additional tests depending on the results. He may also ask you to keep a diet diary to track the foods you eat and symptoms that appear after eating.
Dr. Wool customizes your treatment based on your test results. However, a few therapies that often improve a leaky gut include taking probiotics, L-glutamine, peptide therapy, and following an elimination diet.
If you struggle with abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, and other leaky gut symptoms, call Dr. Dan Wool or book an appointment online today.
