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Leaky gut syndrome is a hypothetical and medically unrecognized condition. [1] [2]
Unlike the scientific phenomenon of increased intestinal permeability ("leaky gut"), [1] [3] claims for the existence of "leaky gut syndrome" as a distinct medical condition come mostly from nutritionists and practitioners of alternative medicine. [1] [4] [5] Proponents claim that a "leaky gut" causes chronic inflammation throughout the body that results in a wide range of conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, migraines, multiple sclerosis, and autism. [1] [4] There is little evidence to support this hypothesis. [1] [6]
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. [5] In 2009, Seth Kalichman wrote that some pseudoscientists claim that the passage of proteins through a "leaky" gut is the cause of autism. [7] Evidence for claims that a leaky gut causes autism is weak and conflicting. [8]
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. [1] None have been adequately tested to determine whether they are safe and effective for this purpose. [4] 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. [1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Leaky gut syndrome". NHS Choices. 26 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2018-02-11. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ "Debunking the Myth of 'Leaky Gut Syndrome'". Inside Tract (187). Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. 2013.
- ^ Bischoff SC, Barbara G, Buurman W, Ockhuizen T, Schulzke JD, Serino M, et al. (2014). "Intestinal permeability--a new target for disease prevention and therapy". BMC Gastroenterol (Review). 14: 189. doi: 10.1186/s12876-014-0189-7. PMC 4253991. PMID 25407511.
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ a b Barrett, Stephen (14 March 2009). "Be Wary of "Fad" Diagnoses". Quackwatch. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ Quigley EM (2016). "Leaky gut - concept or clinical entity?". Curr Opin Gastroenterol (Review). 32 (2): 74–9. doi: 10.1097/MOG.0000000000000243. PMID 26760399. S2CID 40590775.
- ^ Kalichman, Seth C. (2009). Denying AIDS: Conspiracy Theories, Pseudoscience, and Human Tragedy. Springer. p. 167. ISBN 9780387794761.
- ^ Rao M, Gershon MD (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.