Leaky Gut Syndrome refers to a condition where the intestinal barrier becomes loose, resulting in gaps or "cracks" in the intestinal lining. This disrupts the absorption function of the intestines. If there is an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the intestines, these bacteria can directly penetrate the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream, causing inflammation, allergies, metabolic disorders, immune system disorders, and more.
How does the tightness of the intestinal barrier affect us?
The intestinal barrier plays a crucial role in the digestive system. Here are some important functions of the intestinal barrier:
- Nutrient absorption: The intestinal barrier contains numerous microvilli and villi, which facilitate the efficient absorption of nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats, and carbohydrates. These absorbed nutrients are then supplied to various tissues and organs in the body.
- Selective absorption: The intestinal barrier can recognize different substances and selectively absorb beneficial ones while preventing harmful substances from entering the bloodstream.
- Immune protection: The intestinal barrier contains a large number of immune cells, such as lymphocytes and macrophages, which can identify and attack invading pathogens, protecting the body from infections.
- Mucus layer production and prevention of bacterial invasion: The intestinal barrier effectively produces a mucus layer that forms a barrier, preventing bacteria and other harmful substances from crossing the intestinal wall and entering the bloodstream. Issues with the intestinal barrier directly impact overall health.
The Relationship between Zonulin and Intestinal Barrier
There is a close relationship between Zonulin and the intestinal barrier. Zonulin is a protein present on the intestinal wall and is also known as tight junction protein or adhesion protein. Its main function is to form tight connections between cells on the intestinal barrier, creating a sealed barrier that protects the integrity of the intestinal wall. Zonulin helps regulate the permeability between cells, maintains the balance of the internal and external environment of the intestines, and prevents pathogens and other harmful substances from entering. It plays a crucial role in protecting the intestines from damage and enhancing the efficiency of nutrient absorption.
When there is an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut, the intestines are more prone to inflammation. This leads to increased activity (elevation) of Zonulin, causing the intestinal barrier to become loose and resulting in Leaky Gut Syndrome. This allows harmful bacteria and toxins to invade the bloodstream, triggering inflammation and negatively impacting nutrient absorption, thus affecting overall health. Therefore, to prevent Leaky Gut Syndrome, it is crucial to maintain a healthy level of Zonulin and inhibit the proliferation of harmful bacteria, ensuring gut health.
How to inhibit the proliferation of harmful bacteria?
For harmful bacteria to cause damage in the intestines, they need to penetrate the intestinal barrier and enter the bloodstream. It's similar to a group of robbers needing to communicate and form a gang to effectively break through obstacles and enter a targeted location, such as a warehouse, for massive destruction. Their individual actions alone would be far less effective. The same principle applies to harmful bacteria in the intestines. By breaking the communication between them, they become ineffective in the gut and eventually perish.
Harmful bacteria in the gut not only act as individual organisms but can also gather through a communication method called Quorum Sensing to disrupt the intestinal barrier. By entering the bloodstream through the compromised gaps, they cause inflammation and disrupt our absorption system, resulting in slow absorption and ineffective breakdown of fats, which accumulate in various organs, leading to excessive body fat, obesity, and various related health issues. Therefore, maintaining overall health and gut health should not be overlooked.
Recent data shows that Phenylcapsaicin, developed by Swedish company axichem AB and trademark as aXivite, can disrupt the communication among these harmful bacteria, preventing and inhibiting their disruption of the intestinal barrier. This helps maintain the density of Zonulin, reduce intestinal inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome, and preserve gut health. Phenylcapsaicin also stimulates mucin production in the stomach, improving digestion, promoting nutrient absorption, and aiding in fat burning, thus reducing body fat. The Phenylcapsaicin from axichem AB obtained a global patent for its effects on gut health and Leaky Gut Syndrome in 2023.
https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2022106394A1/en?oq=PCT%2fEP2021%2f081795
