If you have a leaky gut — also called increased intestinal permeability — substances that should stay in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract pass through spaces called tight junctions. In a healthy gut, tight junctions act like gatekeepers, keeping partially digested food and microbiota in and allowing nutrients out. But if physical damage, chemical damage, pathogens, or illness injures the GI tract, the tight junctions loosen, leading to a leaky gut. A leaky gut is a risk factor for developing other conditions, including Crohn’s disease, allergies, and autoimmune and neurological disorders. […]
