Ask a STUPID QUESTION

CAN YOU REALLY GET A LEAKY GUT?

Nick Trott, dietician, says: ‘No. “Leaky gut” is a pseudo-science phrase proposed, with no evidence, to cause conditions like asthma, food allergies and skin conditions. Supplements or restrictive diets are suggested to treat it, again without good evidence. But certain conditions, such as Crohn’s and coeliac disease, can cause an increase in intestinal permeability, so it’s important to diagnose and treat the underlying condition. For example, people with coeliac disease follow a gluten-free diet.’