| The holes aren't big enough for the balloon to empty | | | | Chronic fatigue syndrome, inflammatory bowel, |
| immediately or burst, but over time drops of water | | | | irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, lupus |
| would form on the surface as the balloon leaked. | | | | and a number of other auto-immune, inflammatory |
| With leaky gut syndrome, the intestine is like that | | | | and digestive disorders may be caused at least in |
| balloon, its walls slowly deteriorating and allowing the | | | | part by LGS. |
| contents of the intestine to literally leak through. | | | | Like some auto-immune disease, leaky gut syndrome |
| Tiny spaces between the cells of small intestine allow | | | | is believed to be caused by eating certain foods that |
| the bacteria, undigested food and other contest of | | | | cause an allergic reaction. Celiac Disease, for instance, |
| the intestines to leach into the person's bloodstream. | | | | is an auto-immune disease that causes malabsorption |
| This then causes the body to fight those foreign | | | | among other symptoms, and is caused by a person |
| substances in the bloodstream which cause | | | | having an allergic reaction to wheat gluten in food. |
| symptoms like swelling, fever and allergic reactions. | | | | LGS can't be pinned down to gluten or any one food, |
| Bacteria and other toxins leaking into the bloodstream | | | | however, so someone eating a food his body |
| is only part of the problem with leaky gut syndrome. | | | | responds to poorly, no matter what the food, could |
| Because the intestinal walls are damaged, the tiny | | | | be a candidate for LGS. And there are believed to be |
| finger-like protrusions on those walls that normally | | | | other conditions and causes that can be responsible |
| absorb nutrients from food are damaged an unable | | | | besides food allergies. |
| to work properly. Normally those little protrusions | | | | Poor overall diet could be a factor, as could poor |
| called microvilli produce a substance called an enzyme | | | | digestion. Either of these could be hard on the small |
| that helps break down food and absorb nutrients | | | | intestines and potentially cause the damage that |
| from it. Since they can't function properly, food isn't | | | | results in LGS. Parasites could easily damage the walls |
| digested properly. And that can cause a whole new | | | | of the small intestines, and some medications like |
| host of problems. | | | | certain antibiotics and even common medicines like |
| Leaky gut syndrome (LGS) is believed to play a part | | | | ibuprofen and aspirin can upset the balance of |
| in many other conditions that have causes the | | | | bacteria in the small intestine, possibly doing damage. |
| medical community hasn't quite pinned down yet. | | | | |