Leaky Gut: What it is and How the Ingredients in BOLD Can Help
Learn all about the impact of a leaky gut
Table of Contents
- What is Leaky Gut?
- Health Impacts from a Leaky Gut
- Chronic Gut Inflammation
- Poor Nutrient Absorption
- How Bold Protein Can Support a Healthy Gut
- Good Source of Prebiotic Fibre
- Digestive Enzymes
- Turmeric
- Omega-3
- Conclusion
Most people have never heard of the term "leaky gut." This is because it is a relatively new discovery in the medical world. Leaky gut occurs when the gut lining becomes damaged, which allows toxins and bacteria to escape from the gut and enter into the bloodstream. This can cause a variety of health problems, including autoimmune diseases, food allergies, and skin conditions. In this blog post, we will discuss leaky gut syndrome and how BOLD's protein powder can help support a healthy gut!
What is Leaky Gut?
Leaky gut is a condition that occurs when the gut lining becomes inflamed and damaged. The gut wall is designed to act as a defensive barrier against unwanted substances. The cells that line your gut should be bound together by tight junctions and prevent toxins, bacteria and food particles (such as gluten) from passing through and into the bloodstream. When the gut wall is in good health it should only allow water, nutrients, and salts to filter through.
In the case of a Leaky Gut, the gut becomes more permeable than normal. The gut lining becomes damaged and inflamed, and the junctions become weakened. When gut bacteria and toxins enter the bloodstream it can trigger an inflammatory response from the immune system. This inflammation, particularly when it occurs for a long period of time (chronic inflammation), can lead to a whole realm of health conditions.
Health Impacts from a Leaky Gut
Leaky gut syndrome can cause a whole host of problems and is linked with many chronic illnesses. This happens because of a few reasons but in this article, we'll discuss 2 of the main ones - chronic inflammation and poor absorption of nutrients.
Chronic gut inflammation
When the body is in a state of ongoing inflammation it can:
- Impact energy levels making people feel flat and tired
- Make you more susceptible to infection including colds and flu
- Make it harder to recover from infections and colds
- Lead to eczema flareups and skin irritations
- Lead to autoimmune diseases such as Crohn's disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and multiple sclerosis.
- Impact your mental wellbeing with links to depression and anxiety
Leaky gut has also been linked with food allergies, asthma and psoriasis.
Poor nutrient absorption
A leaky gut can impact how well we digest our food. This means we don't effectively absorb important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. This can impact our energy levels, weaken our immune system and even lead to symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
How Bold Protein can support a healthy gut
Healing the gut requires a holistic-type approach. It often requires implementing a range of healthy lifestyle practices in combination with possible supplementation to help carry out the following process:
- Remove triggers & unwanted microbes
- Replace digestive enzymes
- Repair the gut wall and lining
- Replenish the good gut bugs
The main ingredients in Bold Protein that help with gut health include its prebiotic fibres, turmeric, omega-3s, and digestive enzymes. Here's how each of these ingredients can help...
Good source of Prebiotic Fibre
A key component of gut health is to maintain an abundant and diverse range of good bacteria within our digestive systems. However, since the introduction of industrial foods 400 years ago followed by the spike in the consumption of processed sanitised foods 100 years ago, the diversity of our gut flora is drastically declining from generation to generation.
Prebiotic fibres however help feed the good gut bacteria (also known as our microbiome). So why is it important to keep our good gut bugs plentiful? Well, one of the reasons is because they produce an important substance called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
It’s these SCFAs that help support gut health by nourishing its cells, reducing inflammation and maintaining a healthy gut lining. If we don't provide these bugs with the fuel they require, they will start to eat at our own gut lining instead as a source of food. As a result, this can cause a damaged gut lining and lead to a leaky gut.
In addition to helping fuel our microbiome, fibre also helps us maintain healthy bowel habits and prevent constipation. In turn, this can help prevent other more serious illnesses such as bowel cancer.
Digestive Enzymes
Digestive Enzymes are another key ingredient for gut health as they help support digestion and the absorption of nutrients. They ensure we are getting the most out of our food otherwise these important nutrients will just go to waste.
More specifically, digestive enzymes help break down food into smaller molecules that our gut can absorb and use. For example, they help break protein down into smaller amino acid molecules, carbohydrates down into sugar molecules, and fats down into smaller fatty acid molecules.
In addition to this various micronutrients containing essential minerals and vitamins will be pulled from these molecules and used for a range of bodily processes. If the body isn't absorbing nutrients effectively it can lead to low energy levels, weakened immune systems, and possibly hormonal imbalances.
Digestive enzymes also ensure our food isn't causing any gut upsets. Poor digestion can lead to a range of IBS symptoms such as indigestion or heartburn, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and/or nausea.
Turmeric
Turmeric is an ingredient that's found in many gut-healing preparations. It is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties and for being a powerful antioxidant. It contains a compound called curcumin, which can help to reduce inflammation in the gut and improve gut function.
In addition to this, its antioxidant action helps prevent oxidative damage to your cells. This can improve digestive function, and reduce bloating and gas after meals.
Some recent research is finding turmeric may also have a direct influence on the microbiome itself. These studies have shown that it may help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria strains.
Omega-3
Omega-3s are a type of essential fatty acid. They are a substance the body can't produce themselves which means we need to get them from our diet. They play an important role in gut health by helping reduce inflammation and keep the gut lining healthy. But some recent research also suggests that it may even help promote microbiome diversity.
Conclusion
BOLD's protein powder contains all these ingredients, making it an ideal choice for those looking to improve their gut health. It provides a good source of prebiotic fibre, turmeric, omega-3s and digestive enzymes which can all assist with gut healing. In combination with implementing other healthy lifestyle practices such as eating plenty of plant-based fibre, exercising and reducing your exposure to environmental toxins, you will be one step closer to a happier healthier gut.
References
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works
https://insight.microba.com/blog/unlock-your-gut-microbiome-potential/
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-to-know-short-chain-fatty-acids
https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/facts
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551052/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-10382-2
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4923703/
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Medical Disclaimer
The information provided in this blog post is for general information only, it is not intended as medical advice. For medical advice please consult with a qualified medical professional who is familiar with your individual medical needs.