Intestinal Permeability Test also known as Leaky Gut. 

Leaky Gut intestinal permeability test assesses lactulose and mannitol recovery in order to monitor improvements or deterioration in intestinal permeability. It can also be used to monitor the compliance and effectiveness of a gluten-free diet in patients with Coeliac disease.

Common conditions that may be associated with ‘leaky gut’ include:

• Intestinal bacterial imbalance (dysbiosis)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, Coeliac disease
• Fatigue
• Food allergy and sensitivities
• Eczema and related skin conditions

How does the test work?

You ingest a mannitol and lactulose solutions provided by the laboratory. The test measures the amount of these found in the urine.

Small molecules (i.e. mannitol) are easily absorbed by the intestinal villi, whilst larger molecules (i.e. lactulose) are not. After passing through the gastrointestinal tract, these molecules are excreted into the urine. Normally, the ratio of lactulose to mannitol in urine is low (i.e. lactulose is not absorbed, and mannitol is absorbed). If the gastrointestinal membrane is impaired (i.e. ‘leaky gut’), the large molecule (lactulose) can pass through the gastrointestinal membrane and becomes present in the urine. This causes the ratio of lactulose to mannitol to be high, and indicates an impaired membrane.

This test may indicate malabsorption (the body is not efficiently absorbing nutrients) if the level of mannitol is low (mannitol is a small molecule and therefore normally penetrates the intestinal membrane).

Once we receive the report identifying how “leaky” the gut is we are able to cater a healthy eating and nutritional supplementation guide geared towards repairing the gut lining.

Our Naturopaths often check for Leaky Gut when the client has:

• Fatigue or mental fog particularly after eating
• Poor nutrient status and deficiencies despite a healthy diet
• Bloating
• Food intolerances
• Digestive upsets

This test is also good for those seeking a preventative medicine treatment plan.

To assess if a leaky gut test is right for you book a free naturopathic assessment consultation.