Leaky gut: How zeolite works for permeable intestines

Discover the leak in the gut: What is leaky gut and how can zeolite help?

For a long time, the importance of the gut for our health was underestimated. In recent years, however, our understanding has changed and the central role of the gut for overall health has been confirmed by a wide range of scientific studies and publications. Particular focus has been placed on the negative effects of dysbiosis, i.e. an imbalance in the intestinal flora, and the phenomena of a permeable intestinal wall, also known as ‘leaky gut’. These conditions can have far-reaching consequences for the immune system and general health, which emphasises the importance of an intact intestinal barrier.

An intestine that is too permeable, medically known as leaky gut, can trigger many different complaints. These are not limited to localised problems in the intestine, such as digestive problems, as the permeable intestinal wall makes it much easier for substances to overcome the inner protective barrier and can therefore have an impact on the whole organism.

Recent studies indicate that the volcanic rock zeolite, especially in its specially processed form as PMA - zeolite, may have supportive properties in the treatment of leaky gut syndrome. This natural mineral is increasingly being used in therapeutic contexts due to its ability to bind and eliminate harmful substances.

What is leaky gut?

The disorder and increased permeability of the intestinal wall is known as leaky gut. The term ‘leaky gut’ comes from the English and means ‘leaky or permeable bowel’. However, there are no real holes, rather the connections between the mucosal cells, the so-called tight junctions, are loosened and no longer close well. These function in a similar way to a sluice gate. The protein ‘zonulin’, which was only discovered a few years ago, acts as a gatekeeper, deciding how wide it opens the gates. A certain degree of permeability is perfectly normal and probably even very important for our health, as the immune system is trained and useful substances are absorbed that would otherwise remain trapped in the intestine.

However, this positive effect turns negative if the permeability of the intestinal wall increases too much. Instead of simply training the immune system, it is now under too much strain and undesirable substances are absorbed alongside the useful substances, which place a burden on the organism and the detoxification organs. Zonulin is produced in the intestine as a reaction to these stress stimuli and the permeability of the intestinal wall increases beyond the normal level. The zonulin value is therefore the most reliable marker for detecting and measuring the permeability of the intestinal mucosa. If blood or stool analyses show an increased zonulin value, this indicates increased permeability in the intestinal wall.

What are the symptoms of leaky gut?

A whole range of symptoms indicate that the intestinal mucosa is too permeable: If you suddenly no longer tolerate certain foods well and develop a food intolerance, this could be a sign that your intestinal wall is too permeable. The intestine reacts to intolerances with cramps, flatulence or diarrhoea. Damage to the intestinal wall can also lead to other gastrointestinal complaints such as irritable bowel syndrome, reflux or gastritis. However, one challenge of leaky gut is that symptoms do not always only occur locally in the gastrointestinal tract.

We now know that the gut interacts directly with the brain and is our largest immune organ and therefore crucial to our overall health. It should therefore come as no surprise that a damaged gut can be responsible for non-specific ailments throughout the body. Some people suffer from skin problems such as acne or eczema, others from chronic fatigue, concentration problems and nervousness and some even become downright depressed. Many illnesses and complaints are associated with a leaky gut, although it is not conclusively clear whether the damage to the intestinal wall is the cause or consequence of the complaints. In any case, the intestinal wall damage puts a strain on the intestines and the immune system has to react more strongly to invading pathogens, harmful substances or food components. In such cases, treatment of the damaged intestinal wall can reduce the burden on the immune system and thus have a positive effect on symptoms and complaints associated with leaky gut.

The list of clinical pictures and symptoms of leaky gut is long

The mechanical intestinal barrier is not a rigid wall. Rather, it consists of two mobile layers: the intestinal mucosa and a protective layer of mucus. The innermost layer that comes into contact with food is the intestinal mucosa. Its surface is not smooth; instead, around four million finger-shaped protrusions, known as intestinal villi, protrude inwards. At the tips of these villi are the so-called microvilli, which secrete various proteins and digestive enzymes. These filter and utilise vital substances from food and help to absorb them into the body. In front of the intestinal villi, which also contain the so-called IgA antibodies, there is a protective layer of mucus. This prevents, for example, the bacteria that are useful for digestion, the intestinal flora, from migrating too close to the intestinal mucosa and the immune system from reacting excessively strongly to the positive microorganisms in our body.

How does PANACEO Med Intestinal Repair help with permeable intestinal walls?

The gut is closely connected to the whole body: it contains over two thirds of all our immune cells and has the most nerve cells in our body after the brain. Due to its interconnectedness with the entire body, the gut also reacts to all forms of stress. Almost all prolonged and recurring stresses cause this sophisticated system to falter. It is therefore important to nurture and care for the gut, just like our favourite plant. Although nutritionists and the DGE (German Nutrition Society) have long recommended that fruit and vegetables should make up the majority of our diet, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, or perhaps simply because of our own taste preferences, we all too often forget to pay attention to a healthy diet and avoid stress. The intestinal wall reacts extremely sensitively to constant work and deadline pressure and can become more permeable in prolonged stressful situations.

With the volcanic mineral zeolite clinoptilolite from PANACEO, an intestinal wall that is too permeable can be repaired. The natural medical product treats leaky gut, reduces inflammation in the intestinal mucosa and improves intestinal health. In addition, the product selectively binds certain harmful substances as well as the body's own metabolic waste of ammonia in the intestine and discharges it safely with the faeces.

Why the intestine becomes more permeable

In order to disrupt the function of the intestinal barrier (intestinal mucosa), constant stress or regular, intensive sport and endurance training is often enough. In fact, almost any recurring stress has an effect on the intestines. In addition, impurities in food, exposure to medication and harmful additives such as preservatives or emulsifiers are a regular burden on the intestines.

Combined, the stresses of lifestyle, external factors and everything that passes through the intestine can damage the intestinal mucosa, making the intestinal barrier more permeable. Food components, pollutants, bacteria and other pathogens can now penetrate the body more easily. This is a challenge for the body's own detoxification system, which it is not always able to deal with optimally. The immune system literally reacts allergically to a permeable intestinal wall, is weakened by the additional stress, inflammatory processes develop in the body and a wide range of complaints can occur as a result.

How does PMA zeolite from PANACEO help with leaky gut?

The natural medical product PMA zeolite can protect the intestinal barrier and support the regeneration of the intestinal wall. This was proven in a study published by an independent research organisation in 2015. In this scientifically recognised gold standard study (placebo-controlled and double-blind), the effect of taking PMA zeolite on leaky gut was examined. In the group that took the activated natural zeolite from PANACEO twice a day over a period of three months, the zonulin levels fell by 30 per cent from the initially elevated levels back to the physiological normal range. The intestine was thus regenerated back to its normal state and the permeability was reduced to the positive level. In the control group, however, which only received a placebo, the values did not change.

In a very recent study by the University of Vienna, the positive effect of PANACEO on the intestinal wall in patients with irritable bowel syndrome was confirmed once again. The inflammation marker alpha-1-antitrypsin was significantly reduced only in the PANACEO group, while no change was observed in the control group, which took a placebo.