"Leaky gut syndrome" is a proposed condition some health practitioners claim is the cause of a wide range of long-term conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis (MS). Proponents of "leaky gut syndrome" claim that many symptoms and conditions are caused by the immune system reacting to germs, toxins or other substances that have been absorbed into the bloodstream via a porous ("leaky") bowel. While it's true that some conditions and medications can cause a "leaky" gut (what scientists call increased intestinal permeability), there is currently little evidence to support the theory that a porous bowel is the direct cause of any significant, widespread problems. There is also little evidence that the "treatments" some people claim help to reduce bowel leakiness, such as nutritional supplements and herbal remedies, have any beneficial effect for most of the conditions they supposedly help.

The "leaky gut syndrome" theory Exponents of "leaky gut syndrome" – largely practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine – believe the bowel lining can become irritated and leaky as the result of a much wider range of factors, including an overgrowth of yeast or bacteria in the bowel, a poor diet and the overuse of antibiotics. They believe that undigested food particles, bacterial toxins and germs can pass through the "leaky" gut wall and into the bloodstream, triggering the immune system and causing persistent inflammation throughout the body. This, they say, is linked to a much wider range of health problems, including: food allergies

migraine

tiredness and chronic fatigue syndrome

asthma

lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis (MS)

skin conditions such as scleroderma and eczema

autism However, there is currently little evidence to suggest these conditions are in fact caused by having a leaky gut. Promoted products Many different "treatments" have been suggested by people who promote the idea of leaky gut syndrome, including diet books, nutritional supplements (containing probiotics, for example), herbal remedies, gluten-free foods and other special diets, such as a low FODMAP, low sugar or antifungal diet. However, you should be wary of treatments offered by people who claim to be able to "cure leaky gut syndrome", as there is little scientific evidence to suggest they are beneficial for many of the conditions they are claimed to help. Some of the dietary changes suggested for "leaky gut syndrome" (such as a low FODMAP diet) can help people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but these seem to work irrespective of the presence of a "leaky" gut. Generally, eliminating foods from the diet is not a good idea unless it's strictly necessary (for example, if you have coeliac disease) and done on the advice of a healthcare professional, as it can lead to nutritional deficiencies.