Question: I have been told I have Leaky Gut Syndrome. Can you explain what this is?

Dr. Hibberd’s answer:

This is a non-medical term used to describe a bowel condition that has not been formally diagnosed. It is sometimes used to describe a condition where the bowel wall becomes more permeable to bacteria and viruses and this sets the stage for pain, gas, and spasm.

The phrase “Leaky Gut Syndrome” usually is used by alarmist practitioners seeking ways to capitalize on some poor patient racked by the nuisance, pain, and spasms caused by irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, or an inflammatory or autoimmune disease that has not been properly diagnosed. Such conditions require a doctor’s investigation and very specific professional management.

If you have been told you have this condition, seek some further advice from a gastroenterologist — a doctor who specializes in bowel health. By far the majority of patients who’ve been labeled with “Leaky Gut Syndrome” have irritable bowel syndrome that could be managed through a high-fiber diet and appropriate anti-spasm medications.