Dye Test May Reveal Whether Toxins Are Seeping Through Gut Barrier

An elusive condition linked to diseases but ignored by most medical clinicians, ‘leaky gut’ can be identified with tracers read through the skin. 

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Researchers have come up with a rapid, easy, and inexpensive way to gauge whether or not patients have a weakened intestinal barrier that’s allowing bacteria and toxins to enter the bloodstream.

This intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut” as it’s more commonly known, is not universally acknowledged as a real medical condition despite being examined in clinical studies. It’s been linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as well as a number of autoimmune conditions such as Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and a form of lupus.

Existing methods for measuring intestinal permeability are described as either highly invasive, unreliable, or difficult to perform on some patients. The proposed new method would involve patients drinking a fluorescent dye and then wearing a monitor on their skin for three hours that acts like a sensor to track whether the dye has moved into the bloodstream.

Such a test could potentially be a wake-up call for patients to take their gut health more seriously, said Loredana Shapson, pharmacist, health coach, and functional nutritional therapy practitioner. It would validate for patients that something is wrong—especially for those who’ve undergone extensive gastrointestinal testing but received no diagnoses.

“I’m seeing all those patients filter to me in my office right now,” Ms. Shapson told The Epoch Times. She’s worked with more than 400 patients one-on-one with gut health, but she doesn’t use any sort of leaky gut test.

“To be honest with you, I just assume everybody has leaky gut,” she said. “What I realized once I shifted my focus to gut health…all the sudden all those previous issues I was trying to target got better on their own. Pain went away, sciatica went away, headaches went away, allergies were getting better, they weren’t getting sick anymore. This whole slew of stuff occurred once I fixed the gut.”

Fluorescent Test: Coming Soon?

The test is not yet available to the public. However, the U.S. government granted the technology a patent in 2022, and it continues to be under development.

Dr. Alex Thompson, a researcher from Imperial College of London’s Department of Surgery and Cancer, has conducted a number of tests using fluorescent dyes that can be measured through a fiber-optic fluorescence spectrometer attached to the finger. It detects permeation of the dye from the gut into the bloodstream in a non-invasive manner.

Leaky gut is also associated with malnutrition, and one of Dr. Thompson’s more recent studies found the testing could rapidly identify children at risk of undernutrition. The condition, called environmental enteropathy, is characterized by a breakdown in gut function, including an increase in intestinal permeability.

Imperial has recently partnered with MediBeacon, a U.S.-based medical technology company that has been using transdermal diagnostic methods with dyes for a range of medical conditions, including intestinal permeability. MediBeacon presented initial results of its technology at Digestive Disease Week in 2017. It has received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

It’s uncertain when the test could be available in clinical settings. Neither MediBeacon nor Dr. Thompson responded to an interview request.

“The area of intestinal permeability as a mainstream diagnostic in clinical practice is a new concept,” says Steven Hanley, MediBeacon’s Chief Executive in an Imperial College news release.

The Controversy of Leaky Gut

For any test to gain widespread clinical adoption, it must first overcome the hurdle that leaky gut is still not widely acknowledged as a diagnosis in medical settings. Cleveland Clinic describes leaky gut as a hypothetical condition that’s linked to intestinal permeability, a concept that’s poorly understood since gut permeability is vital for our survival.

We need water and nutrients to pass through the mucosal barrier and into the bloodstream. However, hyperpermeability is a condition that’s been linked to a number of chronic diseases, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Its website entry on leaky gut syndrome includes a note that says in part: “Many people have vague gastrointestinal symptoms, and many times the causes are frustratingly elusive. In the absence of straight answers, ‘leaky gut syndrome’ has emerged in the mainstream as a catch-all diagnosis for general indigestion—and possibly many other conditions. But true intestinal hyperpermeability is too specific and too extreme to explain most people’s symptoms.”

Practitioners of functional medicine often hold that what our small intestine is exposed to—food, alcohol, stress, drugs, and environmental exposures—can essentially poke holes in its lining.

The Institute for Functional Medicine says this happens when microbiota—the symbiotic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms—are altered in a way that induces intestinal inflammation and increases permeability. Red flags for leaky gut include sensitivity to foods, environmental sensitivities, and autoimmune disease.

“A recent systematic review also identified consumption of a Western-style diet, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and elevated levels of proinflammatory markers as among the strongest risk factors for altered intestinal integrity,” the Institute said in an online article.

Cleveland Clinic said scientists generally consider leaky gut to be a symptom, but not a cause of disease.

It went on to describe general gut inflammation as the precursor to intestinal permeability, which results from diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and AIDS. The Cleveland Clinic also said chemotherapy, overuse of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and food allergies can assault the intestinal barrier.

“Try reducing these factors. If that doesn’t help, seek medical advice. A qualified gastroenterologist can help you sort through the possible causes of your specific symptoms,” its website said.

Testing You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

There are several methods of leaky gut testing used in research with some available for home use. However, you’re unlikely to find any testing done in allopathic medicine because of translational lag—the period of time it takes medical practice to catch up with science.

The most common test is a lactulose-mannitol urine test that involves drinking a solution with different-sized sugar molecules and then taking urine samples at various intervals. Lab researchers then measure sugar in the urine to see which molecules passed through the gut barrier.

Blood tests can be used to detect antibodies and endotoxins—biomarkers that indicate seepage through the intestinal wall. Endotoxins known as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), are released from the breakdown of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. They can help the body produce cytokines and inflammatory substances useful for clearing infections but become problematic when released across the bloodstream in high numbers.

Tissue biopsies can also test whether molecules are able to pass through the barrier.

Confocal endomicroscopy is a specialized endoscopy that uses a contrast fluid that is examined with high magnification at the intestinal mucosal layer. This test is expensive, largely inaccessible, and requires specialized training.

Clues You May Have Leaky Gut

Symptoms of leaky gut may mimic those of IBS, characterized by increased intestinal inflammation, according to Rupa Health, a lab that offers testing for functional practitioners.

According to Cleveland Clinic, they are:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Change in bowel movement patterns, including constipation, diarrhea, or both
• Food intolerances/sensitivities
• Gas
• Indigestion

Symptoms may also appear systemically, according to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation. Those might be:

• Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Joint pain
• Mood disorders: depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Skin problems: acne, rashes, eczema, psoriasis

Clean Up Your Gut Anyway

Even without testing, there are basic behaviors that can help prevent and even begin to seal the gut. Studies indicate intestinal barrier damage happens primarily through diet, stress, and lack of physical activity.

Intense exercise, like that done by ultramarathoners and triathlon athletes, can contribute to leaky gut, according to a 2021 Frontiers review. Non-prolonged moderate exercise, however, may preserve the intestinal mucosa by speeding up gastric emptying, improving intestinal motility, and increasing the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota responsible for gut barrier integrity.

Beyond normal exercise, dietary changes can also help improve the condition.

A Science Food and Nutrition review in March concluded that “based upon the current literature, there is strong evidence that dietary changes might offer therapeutic strategies to address gut barrier dysfunction.”

Identifying foods that trigger symptoms can help prevent and mitigate an array of conditions, according to the review, making diet a personalized approach to preventing and treating multiple diseases.

A study of 20 patients using the low-FODMAP diet showed reducing inflammatory foods for 12 weeks improved GI symptoms and quality of life, while reducing anxiety. Measurements of small intestinal permeability and intestinal mucosal integrity improved and LPS levels decreased. The results were published in 2021 in Nutrients.

To maintain good intestinal barrier integrity, Ms. Shapson tells her clients to avoid gluten, sugar, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, excessive alcohol, and industrialized refined seed oils for 80 percent of their meals.

“The whole gut health world is a little intimidating for a lot of people,” she said, but noted that the information is out there if you look for it.