Troublesome ailment is elusive but treatable | Bangkok Post: lifestyle

WELLNESS

If you suffer from impaired transit, diarrhoea or constipation, bloating and intestinal cramps, you may be afflicted with a condition colloquially known as "leaky gut".

These symptoms are quite common, being reported in around 30% of the population. The proper medical term for the condition is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). While sometimes ascribed to psychological factors like stress or anxiety, IBS symptoms are more likely to have a physical origin. Very common causes are lactose (milk sugar) or fructose (fruit sugar) intolerance, inflammation of the gut, bacterial overgrowth in the gut, gluten intolerance and type III food allergies. But what most people and physicians do not know is that these symptoms may suggest that you are suffering from leaky gut, a condition that can sometimes can be dangerous because it may cause other illnesses.

Leaky gut can cause an inflammation in the blood and even profound inflammation or auto-immune disorders. Leaky gut may cause chronic fatigue, depression, skin disorders, headaches and heart disorders. New research findings show that leaky gut is even associated with the onset of brain disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.