What Goes on in the Gut?
There is a lot of talk today about how important our gut health is to our overall health. It's true! But how does it all work? And what is really going on in the gut?
The Intestinal Mucosal Barrier
Our body has a protective mucosal layer of cells made up of epithelial cells that separates the external from the internal environment called the mucosal barrier. These barriers are found in our nose, eyes, reproductive tracts and our digestive tract.
It’s our body’s first line of immune defense and protects us from toxins and bacteria that we might pick up from our food and the environment.
The small intestines is where most of our nutrients are broken down and absorbed. It is also responsible for a large part of our immunity and is a chemical barrier by protecting the body from foreign invaders and toxins. So the integrity of our digestive system is important to our overall health.
Anatomy of the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier
There are several layers that make up the mucosal barrier.
The first layer is where partially digested food and good and bad bacteria pass from the stomach to the large intestine. This is called the lumen.
Under the lumen is a thin layer of epithelial cells and a mucus membrane. They are held together by tight junctions.
The area below the epithelial cells is a called the lamina propria which houses the immune system and is protected by the epithelial cells. The lamina propria is where the gut connects to the bloodstream.
The Intestinal Mucosal Barrier
Our body has a protective mucosal layer of cells made up of epithelial cells that separates the external from the internal environment called the mucosal barrier. These barriers are found in our nose, eyes, reproductive tracts and our digestive tract.
It’s our body’s first line of immune defense and protects us from toxins and bacteria that we might pick up from our food and the environment.
The small intestines is where most of our nutrients are broken down and absorbed. It is also responsible for a large part of our immunity and is a chemical barrier by protecting the body from foreign invaders and toxins. So the integrity of our digestive system is important to our overall health.
Anatomy of the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier
There are several layers that make up the mucosal barrier.
The first layer is where partially digested food and good and bad bacteria pass from the stomach to the large intestine. This is called the lumen.
Under the lumen is a thin layer of epithelial cells and a mucus membrane. They are held together by tight junctions.
The area below the epithelial cells is a called the lamina propria which houses the immune system and is protected by the epithelial cells. The lamina propria is where the gut connects to the bloodstream.
How the Intestinal Barrier Becomes Damaged
Things such as antibiotics, toxins, poor diet, dysbiosis, stress, low stomach acid, infections and medications contribute to increased inflammation. This starts to destroy the borders of the epithelial cells, flatten them and they become porous. This leads to poor digestion and poor absorption. If this is left unchecked it will continue to damage the epithelial cells and lead to increased movement through the cell walls or destroying the tight junctions.
Zonulin, a protein molecule, allows the tight junctions to tighten up in a dynamic system to prevent inflammatory particles, toxins and infectious diseases from passing through but at the same time, can open to flush out unwanted materials that have crossed into the lamina propria. Too much zonulin damages this dynamic movement adding stress to the liver and leading to oxidative stress.
What About My Intestinal Barrier?
After reading this maybe you think you might have problems with a leaky gut or with the muscosal barrier. Or just curious what your intestinal gut health is like. If so, let's schedule a discovery call to take a deeper dive and talk about testing and things you can do to strengthen and support your gut lining!
Things such as antibiotics, toxins, poor diet, dysbiosis, stress, low stomach acid, infections and medications contribute to increased inflammation. This starts to destroy the borders of the epithelial cells, flatten them and they become porous. This leads to poor digestion and poor absorption. If this is left unchecked it will continue to damage the epithelial cells and lead to increased movement through the cell walls or destroying the tight junctions.
Zonulin, a protein molecule, allows the tight junctions to tighten up in a dynamic system to prevent inflammatory particles, toxins and infectious diseases from passing through but at the same time, can open to flush out unwanted materials that have crossed into the lamina propria. Too much zonulin damages this dynamic movement adding stress to the liver and leading to oxidative stress.
What About My Intestinal Barrier?
After reading this maybe you think you might have problems with a leaky gut or with the muscosal barrier. Or just curious what your intestinal gut health is like. If so, let's schedule a discovery call to take a deeper dive and talk about testing and things you can do to strengthen and support your gut lining!
RSS Feed