Whether it’s plumbing or your personal health, leaks are never good. There are many causes of leaky gut, but there’s only one Amy Brenner, MD & Associates. Take a few minutes to learn why we’re gut health royalty in the Queen City!
What Is leaky gut?
When we refer to a leaky gut, we’re actually talking about your intestinal tract. In the small intestines, a layer of cells acts as a barrier to prevent toxins, bacteria, and digestive waste from entering other areas of your body. “Leaky gut” happens when that barrier is compromised. As a result, microorganisms that should stay within your intestines “leak” into your bloodstream.
How did this happen?
Unfortunately, leaky gut syndrome can happen to anyone. While we’d love to point to one specific cause, the complexities surrounding your GI system are interconnected across many aspects of your life. These are the most common causes we identify and tackle by treating leaky gut in Cincinnati:
Lifestyle
What’s your day-to-day like? If your job is stressing you out, you may take the edge off with a drink or a smoke. Then you might order a pizza and binge your favorite comfort show. While this ritual may sound harmless, lack of sleep, chronic stress, and excessive drug use or drinking can all lead to a leaky gut.
Diet
That pizza you ordered may also lead to your leaky gut as well! The typical American diet consists of foods that are high in sugar, saturated fats, and additives. This, combined with a limited amount of fiber, can contribute to the development of leaky gut syndrome.
Medications
Over time, heavy use of medications like NSAIDs (Advil, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.) can also damage the intestinal lining and cause it to leak. Immunosuppressant and chemotherapy medications also take a significant toll on your gut health, but antibiotics are often the worst offenders, as they destroy both good and bad bacteria to fight off disease.
Conditions and Imbalances
Pre-existing conditions such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis not only wreak havoc on the GI tract, they also require medications that can put you at higher risk for leaky gut. Additionally, parasites, Sibo, and yeast overgrowth can contribute to and worsen a leaky gut.
No matter what causes your leaky gut, the dangers that enter your bloodstream can cause detrimental consequences if left unchecked. If any of these causes sound familiar to you, it may be time to consider our leaky gut treatments. In Cincinnati, Amy Brenner, MD & Associates offers specialized testing and treatments to build a better microbiome for everyone!
Treating Leaky Gut in Cincinnati
To determine the best treatment for you, we’ll start with a personalized consultation. In this open conversation, one of our experts will go over your concerns and symptoms. As we get to know the person behind the charts, we’ll discuss your options for testing.
GI Map Stool Testing
GI Map testing gives us valuable information about the health of your digestive system. This is an easy and convenient test that you complete in the comfort of your own home. With these results, we can determine the health of your intestinal lining to find out if you have a leaky gut. Here are a few markers we go over in every screening:
- Pathogens like yeast, parasites, and viruses
- Balance of good and bad bacteria
- Nutrient absorption
- Inflammation in your GI tract
- Beta-glucuronidase levels (the enzyme that helps the body eliminate toxins)
Watch: G.I. Stool Test Results – What Our Providers Look For
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Food Sensitivity Testing
With a blood test, we can determine your degree of sensitivity to specific foods, even if you haven’t eaten it in a while! Food sensitivities are typically difficult to pinpoint because reactions can occur up to 72 hours after consuming the food. However, Amy Brenner, MD & Associates can analyze multiple factors in a blood sample to understand whether it’s truly a sensitivity or if you may be experiencing leaky gut.
Remove, Replace, Restore
If we determine you have a leaky gut, your wellness coach will customize a leaky gut treatment plan to remove the digestive irritants and toxins and replace stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Our plans work to repair gut health with supplements and lifestyle changes. As we improve your overall gut health, we’ll conduct regular follow-ups to ensure lasting results.
Stop the Leak for Good
With individualized approaches you’ll only find at Amy Brenner, MD & Associates, it’s not hard to see why we’re the go-to for treating leaky gut in Cincinnati! We’re proud to be a nationally recognized authority in integrative medicine. So, try out our virtual consultation tool or schedule an appointment when you’re ready to stop the leak and start feeling your best!