Gut Irritation: Here are a Few Potential Triggers.

There are a wide array of factors that can lead to impaired functioning of the gut. We encounter things every day that we do not realize are having such a detrimental effect on the health of our complex gastrointestinal system. Some of the best-known factors that negatively impact gut health are food sensitivities and pathogens or disease states (think H. pylori or autoimmune diseases). Environmental toxins also play a role, from anti-biotics and antifungals to chemicals found in and on our food, to personal care products like shampoo and sunscreen.

Food Sensitivities

Food sensitivities can cause gut inflammation and leaky gut, but they can also be caused by preexisting issues in the gut. For example, if you already have increased intestinal permeability due to environmental exposures, you are more likely to develop a food sensitivity because your immune system is making more contact with said food. Immediate onset symptoms of food hypersensitivity in the GI tract may manifest as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cramping, and/or diarrhea. Food sensitivities and intolerances can also contribute to musculoskeletal disorders like fibromyalgia and arthritis pain. Luckily, much of the time it is possible to heal the gut and reintroduce foods you may have been sensitive to in the past without having any problems. In fact, it is often the goal of dieticians and nutritionists to help people heal their gut so that they can enjoy the widest variety of foods possible.

Antimicrobials and Drugs

It seems only logical to assume that antibiotics and other antimicrobial medications would have a strong impact on the bacteria that make up the human microbiome, but it has been shown that out of 1200 drugs marketed to the public, about twenty-five percent have

potential effects on the microbiome... that we know of. Some of these drugs include common things like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, and proton pump inhibitors (such as Nexium, Prilosec , and other anti-acids).

Food Chemicals

Food additives and chemicals can induce low grade inflammation which can cause epithelial tissue damage and may result in the development of symptoms such as IBS, headache, eczema, rhinitis, chronic hives, etc. Accidental repetitive consumption of nano particles in our food, such as titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide, and silver, may induce change in the gut microbiome that push us toward a disease state (such as metabolic disease, autoimmunity, or gut-related illness). Such nanoparticles can impact the epithelial tissue that lines the gut, mucus, and mucus producing cells. Pesticides that are considered safe for humans may not be safe for our friendly microbes. Chemicals like those found in glyphosate (which is still commonly used in the production of oats and other desiccated food items), target metabolic pathways that are not a part of human biology but are essential to many of the microbes that we rely on for our health. Artificial sweeteners can aggravate the gut microbiome and its metabolites leading to a potential rise in inflammation in the gut and elsewhere.

Of course, it is impossible to avoid all of the potential triggers mentioned here, but it is a good idea to do the best we can to minimize unnecessary exposure to the toxins in our environment when possible.

Referrences:

1. Gargano D, Appanna R, Santonicola A, et al. Food Allergy and Intolerance: A Narrative Review on Nutritional Concerns. Nutrients. 2021;13(5):1638. doi:10.3390/nu13051638

2. Tu P, Chi L, Bodnar W, et al. Gut Microbiome Toxicity: Connecting the Environment and Gut Microbiome-Associated Diseases. Toxics. 2020;8(1):19. doi:10.3390/toxics8010019

3. Ghebretatios M, Schaly S, Prakash S. Nanoparticles in the Food Industry and Their Impact on Human Gut Microbiome and Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(4):1942. doi:10.3390/ijms22041942