A Balancing Act
The intestines function to break down food and absorb what is necessary for the body: the nutrients, water, and electrolyte contents. While absorbing the nutrients and water from the foods we eat is important, the intestines need to maintain a balance of permeability in order to regulate what comes in and out of the body.2 Permeability is a measure of how easily substances can pass through a type of barrier. In this case, nutrients must come in, but harmful bacteria and other pathogens must stay out.1
The microbiota in the gut play an important role in maintaining the intestinal lining. When the balance is disrupted, or the intestines become increasingly open to harmful compounds, the body produces inflammation in order to combat the effects of these substances. The inflammation alerts the body’s immune response to try to fight the source. Long lasting inflammation can eventually lead to infections, food allergies, or intestinal disorders, including celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Additionally, due to the gut-brain axis, the permeability of the intestines has connections with mental health disorders, like depression.2 Maintaining Structure
A way that the body prevents the development of disease is through the protective lining of the intestines. There are three primary layers that comprise the intestinal barrier, one being the epithelial layer. The epithelial layer is rightly named as it is made up of intestinal epithelial cells.2 Epithelial cells form the barriers inside and outside of the body, including the skin. There is a high turnover of the epithelial cells that form part of the intestinal barrier, meaning approximately every 5 days new cells are formed to line the intestines.1
Between these epithelial cells, proteins create tight junctions that regulate what enters and leaves the intestines, otherwise known as intestinal permeability.2 The tight junctions have selective permeability, which means that they decide to let some molecules pass through while blocking other types of molecules, like harmful bacteria or viruses.3 Infectious pathogens can bind to these proteins and interfere with the tight junction’s ability to control permeability, allowing more pathogens to be transferred through the intestines. This is commonly referred to as leaky gut syndrome, or intestinal hyperpermeability.2 Supplements for Intestinal Health
Back in Balance
It is critical that the intestinal barrier serves its purpose to separate your body systems from potential microbial invaders or irritants present in your food. In promoting healing, it is important to address the underlying cause of the inflammation to prevent recurrence.3 For example, excessive consumption of alcohol and strenuous physical activity are risk factors for developing a leaky gut.2 Diet is another important factor in protecting the barrier in our intestines. Regularly eating foods high in inflammatory fats or processed carbohydrates, as is common in the Western diet, could contribute to the disruption of the microbiome that supports the lining.1 Ensuring that you are consuming enough vitamins in the foods you eat is an important first step in healing the intestinal lining.
Vitamin A, in particular, contributes to the growth of the cells in the intestines so that they can be replaced every 5 days.1 Some food items are fortified with vitamin A in its preformed version known as retinol. Vitamin A supplementation, while available, can be unsafe and you should talk with a qualified professional before supplementing. We recommend whole foods that naturally contain vitamin A (often identifiable by their orange color), such as a variety of fruits and vegetables. Some examples are:
Additionally, Vitamin D supports the intestinal barrier.1 Our bodies primarily produce Vitamin D in the skin after exposure to the sun, so enjoying time outdoors in the sunshine is another way to support the gut! However, there are ways to add Vitamin D to your diet if you are braving the winter months, spending a lot of time indoors, or have a darker skin pigment. Orange juice, dairy products, and cereals are examples of foods that may be fortified with vitamin D, but it is usually a lower quality, less bioavailable form (D2) than is available through practitioner-grade supplementation. Many people need to supplement, but you should ask your healthcare provider to test your level before starting a vitamin D3 supplement. Vitamin D naturally occurs in:
We can’t neglect the importance of the microorganisms in the intestines as we are discussing healing the intestinal lining. The microbiota maintain the intestinal lining in many ways, including by making short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These SCFAs help regulate the tight junctions that fill the gaps between intestinal cells and regulate movement in and out of the intestines. SCFAs are produced by the microorganisms from the fiber in the foods we eat.1 Therefore, prebiotics and probiotics are a great way to support the health of the microorganisms in the gut. Check out our blog post “The Connection Between the Gut and the Brain” to learn more about how to include prebiotics and probiotics in your diet for overall gut health! AuthorDaelyn Quinn is a graduate of the University of South Florida, Class of 2024. She studied Cell and Molecular Biology, as well as Spanish, and has been accepted into a nationally accredited Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program. Outside of academic and professional pursuits, she enjoys exploring cities with friends and family, running outdoors, and reading next to one of Florida’s many bodies of water.
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THE BLOG AT NATURAL PATH TO WELLNESSAuthorSNatural Path to Wellness values community education and welcomes contributions from writers with a background in Naturopathic Medicine, natural health and wellness, herbalism, homeopathy, Nature Cure, and more. Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information.
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