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Leaky gut syndrome

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(Redirected from Leaky-gut syndrome) Hypothetical medical condition This article is about a proposed medical condition in alternative medicine. For the phenomenon ("leaky gut") whereby the intestine wall exhibits excessive permeability, see Intestinal permeability.
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Leaky gut syndrome is a hypothetical and medically unrecognized condition that is distinct from the scientific phenomenon of increased intestinal permeability commonly known as "leaky gut". Claims for the existence of "leaky gut syndrome" as a distinct medical condition come mostly from nutritionists and practitioners of alternative medicine. 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. There is little evidence to support this hypothesis.

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. Promoters of pseudoscience have claimed that the passage of proteins through a "leaky" gut is the cause of autism. Evidence for claims that a leaky gut causes autism is weak and conflicting.

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. None have been adequately tested to determine whether they are safe and effective for this purpose. The U.K. 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.

See also

References

  1. ^ "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. ^ 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. ^ 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): 74–9. 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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