# Gut health

Category: Conditions

Also known as: leaky gut, intestinal permeability, dysbiosis, IBS

Leaky gut is not an isolated intestinal pathology but a manifestation of a systemic energy deficiency and hypothyroidism, which slows peristalsis and allows bacterial overgrowth. Peat argued that the root cause of increased intestinal permeability is a sluggish metabolic rate…

10 passages · 3 authors · 2003–2023 · Most-cited: [Ray Peat](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/voices/ray-peat/index.md)

Canonical page: https://bioenergeticoracle.com/concepts/gut-health

## Synthesis

**Leaky gut** is not an isolated intestinal pathology but a manifestation of a systemic *energy deficiency* and **hypothyroidism**, which slows peristalsis and allows bacterial overgrowth. [Source 2, 3, 6] Peat argued that the root cause of increased intestinal permeability is a sluggish metabolic rate, which reduces the flushing action of digestive secretions, causing the small intestine to become a stagnant environment where bacteria can thrive. [Source 2, 6] This condition, often diagnosed as SIBO, is secondary to the thyroid’s failure to maintain adequate digestive speed and glycogen stores. [Source 2, 6] Roddy has written that the gut’s contribution to disease is secondary to an energy deficiency, framing the entire "evolutionary" model of intestinal health as misguided because it ignores the central role of stress hormones. [Source 3]

At the cellular level, Peat described leakiness as a structural breakdown where the cell substance itself becomes disorganized, taking on water and allowing proteins and environmental junk to pass through. [Source 4] This process is driven by **endotoxin**, which is always present in the intestine, but is also triggered by other stressors including radiation, heavy metals, estrogenic substances, and **polyunsaturated fatty acids**. [Source 4] These agents cause a *saponification-like effect*, loosening the cell’s lipid structures so that the barrier fails not just in the gut, but potentially in capillaries and other tissues, leading to a pre-cancerous state where characteristic proteins leak from stressed organs. [Source 4] Dinkov has extended this by noting that **serotonin** itself is a necessary and sufficient condition to trigger inflammatory bowel disease by increasing gut permeability, independent of endotoxin. [Source 10]

The repair of the intestinal lining depends on a full spectrum of nutrients, with **magnesium** and **vitamin A** being the most critical for cell replacement. [Source 1, 2, 6] Peat recommended liver, eggs, milk, and orange juice to initiate repair, but cautioned that consuming concentrated protein like eggs without adequate carbohydrate will drop blood sugar, activate mast cells, and provoke allergic inflammation. [Source 1, 6] He identified **aspirin** as a potent defense against a leaky intestine because it prevents the actions of endotoxin, contrary to claims that it causes intestinal damage. [Source 8] Dinkov has argued that most bacteria sold as probiotics are capable of producing endotoxin and are therefore harmful, challenging the notion that the gut microbiome can be neatly divided into good and bad strains. [Source 7]

The systemic nature of the condition means that a leaky gut is often accompanied by a *leaky liver, muscles, and heart*, with the immune system reacting to the resulting debris in a way that is frequently mislabeled as autoimmunity. [Source 9] Peat stressed that hypothyroidism is the common denominator causing poor absorption and retention of magnesium, sodium, and copper, which further compromises the synthesis of proteins needed to maintain the barrier. [Source 8] The therapeutic goal is to speed up a sluggish digestive tract so that the streaming fluid from the stomach, pancreas, and liver washes the small intestine clean, making it inhospitable to bacteria. [Source 2] Roddy notes that intestinal disinfectants and a focus on energy production are often the most effective interventions for restoring digestive function and resolving the devastating quality-of-life issues associated with chronic gut problems. [Source 5]

## People also ask

### What does hypothyroidism have to do with a leaky gut?

Peat argued that hypothyroidism slows the metabolic rate and peristalsis, reducing the flushing action of digestive secretions and allowing bacterial overgrowth, which is the root cause of increased intestinal permeability.

### Why might aspirin help repair a leaky gut instead of damaging it?

Peat identified aspirin as a potent defense because it prevents the actions of endotoxin, contrary to common claims that it causes intestinal damage.

### How does serotonin contribute to gut permeability?

Dinkov noted that serotonin itself is a necessary and sufficient condition to trigger inflammatory bowel disease by increasing gut permeability, independent of endotoxin.

## Related concepts

- [Dopamine](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/dopamine/index.md)
- [Oxytocin](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/oxytocin/index.md)
- [Albumin](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/albumin/index.md)
- [Arachidonic Acid](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/arachidonic-acid/index.md)
- [Aspirin](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/aspirin/index.md)
- [Beef](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/beef/index.md)

## Cited passages

Passage numbers match the `[Source N]` markers in the synthesis above.

### Source 1 — Herb Doctors - Endocrincology Part 3

Ray Peat · Interview · May 19, 2017 · http://www.l-i-g-h-t.com/files/herb-doctor-endocrinology-part-3.mp4

> **Andrew Murray:** We have a caller that's just called in so let's take this next caller. Caller, where you from and what's your question?
>
> **Derek:** Hi. My name's Derek, I'm here in Denver, Colorado. Can you hear me okay?
>
> **Andrew Murray:** Yeah, sounds great, what's your question, Derek?
>
> **Derek:** Well, first off, I just discovered the show not too long ago and it's just fantastic. I really appreciate you taking your time to do this for the public. So... I've been into nutrition research for the last, I don't know, last five years or so, and looking into, I've had a lot of food intolerances, and looking into, like, gut permeability. And I'm curious, Dr. Peat, your take on, 'cause a lot of these protocols involve avoiding otherwise really nutrient-dense foods, eggs, dairy, etc. So, I'm curious, I've looked into controlling endotoxin through various polyphenols. I know you talk about the carrot salad and bamboo shoots. But, is there any other compounds you like to incorporate to heal or strengthen the lining of the intestines? I know gelatine can be beneficial.
>
> **Ray Peat:** The nutrients that are most important are magnesium and vitamin A, just for the actual replacement and repair of cells, but the whole range of nutrients, protein, zinc, vitamin D, anti-inflammatory, things like vitamin E and vitamin K, everything is really essential ultimately for protecting the intestines. So, having liver and eggs and milk and orange juice, for example, can often get the repair going. I think the reason eggs have a bad reputation is that they're extremely concentrated protein and if a person eats an egg or two without carbohydrates, their blood sugar is going to fall for sure, especially if their liver doesn't have good glycogen stores. The egg will drop their blood sugar, that will activate mast cells, and you'll have allergic reactions.

### Source 2 — Endocrinology Part 3 — KMUD, 2017

Ray Peat · Interview · 2017

> **Caller:** And am I correct in understanding that the lack of thyroid hormone is often times a root cause of small bowel overgrowth or SIBO, which is the root cause of leaky gut?
>
> **Ray Peat:** Yeah, because your digestion slows down when your metabolic rate slows down from hypothyroidism. And so your stomach becomes sluggish, doesn’t secrete much, and doesn’t move fast enough. People might eat a carrot today and it might not come out for 4 or 5 days. That's what happens with hypothyroidism. And speeding up your digestion and secretions... [ideally,] it should be so active...[the] streaming fluid from your stomach, pancreas and liver should wash your whole small intestine clean so that no bacteria can thrive in it.
>
> **Caller:** Is there a good quality nutrition based textbook that you find favourable, that gets into good mechanisms of nutrition and hormones and their relations?
>
> **Ray Peat:** Not that I know of! Years ago, I had seen some really good monographs on particular topics like how the intestine works, how the digestive glands work, and so on. But I don’t know of one that has put anything together.

### Source 3 — Your Gut From Hell, Or: Why The Evolutionary Model of Intestinal Health Is Goofy

Danny Roddy · Article · Sep 17, 2012

> # Your Gut From Hell, Or: Why The Evolutionary Model of Intestinal Health Is Goofy
>
> [references]
>
> Article Formats: Download the audio, or subscribe in iTunes.
>
> Reader Summary
> The methods for treating intestinal problems haven't advanced much since I began my dietary self-experimentation nearly a decade ago.
> Every article about intestinal problems on the Internet begins with the obligatory Hippocrates quote: "All disease begins in the gut." Well, fuck that. The gut's contribution to disease is secondary to an energy deficiency (stress).
> The "evolutionary" approach to intestinal health is handicapped due to the deep cultural beliefs about estrogen and serotonin.
> Influencing the known factors that promote energy production is the first step in restoring digestive function.
>
> The Axis & Stuff
>
> Gut-brain axis dysfunction is the new adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue was the new detox. Overtime, the broken metabolism hypothesis replaced adrenal fatigue, which was caused by neolithic agents of disease (they cause leptin resistance now). All of these used to be treated by megadoses of fish oil and avoiding fructose, however, things have gotten seriously more complex.
>
> Speaking of infinite complexity, digestion, specifically the "leakiness" (or permeability) of the intestine, is something I've been interested in for a while (around the time of 2008's carnivorous Danny, "Danny version 0.5.6 BETA" or so).
>
> While the sheer amount of content written about the ability to assimilate food in the blogosphere can only be described as grandiose, "treatment" has more or less stayed the same:
>
> "Influencing" the trillions of microorganisms in your intestinal tract with probiotics and fermentable foods.
>
> The swift removal of "food toxins" (wheat and sugar) that supposedly promote the deterioration of digestive function.
>
> Correcting various nutrient deficiencies connected with intestinal barrier function.
>
> Evolutionary Context: Wild-Eyed Speculation
>
> To objectively interpret any therapy, the appropriate context must be established. In other words, what caused the gut to become permeable in the first place?
>
> "Simple Roddy, the context is an evolutionary one."
>
> Believing that digestive dysfunction is "largely related to abandonment of the metabolic conditions we evolved under" answers nothing, but definitely leads to more questions:
>
> What were the metabolic conditions we evolved under?
> What foods supported the unknown metabolic condition we evolved under?

### Source 4 — Endotoxin, Free Radicals, and Inflammation — KMUD July 2009

Ray Peat · Interview · 2009 · http://www.l-i-g-h-t.com/files/herb-doctors-bowel-endotoxinnew.mp4

> **Andrew Murray:** So, there's a kind of saponification going on..
>
> **Ray Peat:** Yeah, and opening up, loosening up the cell structure, so it becomes instead of - if you imagine a lump of ? dipped, soaked in oil, it will stay stable in the presence of water, but if you mix a little bit of lecithin, it will quickly start taking up water and then the whole thing is on road of dissolving and breaking up.
>
> **Andrew Murray:** What about leaky gut?
>
> **Ray Peat:** Endotoxin is always in the intestine and it's always the first thing to defend against, but many other stressors and toxins like radiation, or heavy metals, or estrogenic substances, or too many polyunsaturated fatty acids, and so on; all of these things tend to loosen up or saponify the cell structure, cause the cell to take up water and let junk enter from the environment into the cell substance itself, and getting into the cell substance then it can just as easily go out the other side of the cell into the underlying extracellular material, and from there accross the capilarie cells and then to the blood stream. That is a essentially what a leaky gut is: its leaky cell substance, which involves leaky capilaries, and ultimately it can cause leakiness of any tissue. In the pre-cancerous states for example, you see substances leaking out of the characteristic cell, and those indicated tendencies to develop cancer in that organ, because that organ is most stressed and it's leaking its substance. For example, the prostate specific anagen is just a normal prostate protein that leaks out because the cell is under stress; the same protein leaks out of breast cells when they're under stress, and characteristic proteins leak out of any cell when it's under stress.

### Source 5 — Be your own expert, w/Danny Roddy

Danny Roddy · Interview · Sep 30, 2022

> **Kitty Martone:** No, that's great because it's almost like you're getting a bird's eye view by removing yourself from being inside of it and, and going at the minutia of things when you don't even know if this person is digesting their food well or what they're eating, you know? I mean, that's why I'm always like, okay, I'm the healthy gut girl, because I feel like that's always for me been my starting point where I'm like, well, okay, I love that. Yeah. Orange juice. Great. You know, all these things, these supplements. Great. But are you even digesting it? Are you absorbing anything? Do you have such severe leaky gut that you're not even able to, you know, uptake food from, you know, baby food? Like, so, yeah, it's so true. Where are you starting at?
>
> **Danny Roddy:** Yeah, 100%. Intestinal disinfectants and stuff, if there are like 70% of the hallelujah emails I get are all from people that overcome intestinal problems because they can be so devastating to a person's quality of life. Yeah. example after i got off carnivore i had pretty much chronic diarrhea for i don't know more than a year probably it was um it was really deteriorating to my quality of life you know you couldn't you couldn't eat anything yeah and so um Yeah, trying to figure out what the problem is and then trying to frame it in some kind of context that makes sense. I think that's what everybody's trying to do.

### Source 6 — Endocrinology Part 3 — KMUD, 2017

Ray Peat · Interview · 2017

> **Ray Peat:** The nutrients that are most important are magnesium and vitamin A, just for the actual replacement and repair of cells. But the whole range of nutrients, (protein, zinc, vitamin D, anti-inflammatory things like vitamin E and vitamin K) everything is really essential, ultimately, for protecting the intestines. So, having liver and eggs and milk and orange juice, for example, can often get the repair going. And the reason eggs have a bad reputation is that they are extremely concentrated protein: and if a person eats an egg or two without carbohydrates their blood sugar is going to fall for sure, especially if their liver doesn’t have good glycogen storage. The egg will drop your blood sugar. That will activate mast cells, and you will have allergic reactions. And without the carbohydrate you are going to increase inflammation. And sugar and progesterone and aspirin are things that will protect you from those surges of histamine and serotonin, etc.
>
> **Caller:** And does the histamine get produced because you don’t have enough glycogen, due to a cortisol spike then?
>
> **Ray Peat:** Well, low thyroid ultimately is the most common reason for not having enough glycogen stored. And the cortisol weakens the tissue, so that even though it helps gets your blood sugar up, and momentarily protects the glycogen, in the long run its adding to the problem of unstable blood sugar. And anytime your blood sugar falls, the mast cells are likely to degranulate; and that’s influenced by a lack of testosterone and progesterone, or an excess of oestrogen.

### Source 7 — #01: Thyroid, CO2, Redox Balance, and Hans Selye's Stress with Georgi Dinkov

Georgi Dinkov · Interview · May 3, 2019 · https://open.spotify.com/episode/2lolRyxtgPXLaCvEAmSZyQ

> **Danny Roddy:** So we haven't talked about endotoxin yet. And so I pulled up your article on your website, hateit.me, which everybody can go there or follow along on screen. But it says, all gut bacteria is dangerous. Their endotoxin drives liver cancer. Antibiotics can cure. And so this is, I mentioned to you off air, but this was interesting to me because I think one of our first podcasts, we talked about the idea that... You couldn't necessarily separate the gut biome into good and bad bacteria. And I think you had mentioned that you found evidence for even the so-called good varieties to be pathological. And so you got a lot of shit for that. So go ahead and kind of paint your picture of all gut bacteria is dangerous.

### Source 8 — Ray Peat Interview by Mary Shomon (Thyroid Info)

Ray Peat · Interview · 2003 · http://l-i-g-h-t.com/files/your-own-health-and-fitness-heart-brain-cancer-and-hormo.mp4

> **Ray Peat:** And that makes it more permeable or leaky and aspirin incidentally is now being studied as possibly the best defense against a leaky intestine, you know, there is a tremendous amount of Tylenol-type propaganda saying that do not use aspirin that makes your intestine leak, but in fact it prevents endotoxin and bacterial.

### Source 9 — Ray Peat Email Advice Depository — Post 170

Ray Peat · Email · Jan 14, 2016

> **Question:** Dear Ray, Do you think that leaky gut, caused by gluten, could be a main causative factor in the initiation of type 1 autoimmune diabetes? I have noticed recently a lot of focus in paleo communities on autoimmune diets, which omit many potentially allergenic foods, saying they can heal autoimmune conditions and linking these diseases to leaky gut.
>
> **Ray Peat:** Have you seen my website article on milk? It mentions some of the things behind gluten sensitivity. Hypothyroidism is one thing that commonly causes leaky gut, as well as leaky liver, muscles, heart, thyroid gland, etc. The immune system reacts to the leakiness, and although it might be an effect, rather than a cause, the presence of antibodies is sometimes said to show autoimmunity.

### Source 10 — Estrogen, Histamine, Serotonin & Endotoxin with Georgi Dinkov | Rooted In Resilience Podcast #3

Georgi Dinkov · Interview · Mar 6, 2023 · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FUmAsj8KEE

> **Ashley:** I think that this goes back to humans thinking that we can outsmart nature with technology, with pills. And biology is so much more complex than any of us will understand. And we're trying to isolate it into these silos. pharma has realized how profitable it is to keep everything separated as like address your cholesterol address your blood pressure here's serotonin all right histamine is completely unseparate like is separate from that when in reality like you've demonstrated in the beginning these things operate together like the body is a system it's not these individual parts um can we let's just you presented a lot of information in the beginning i think we should break it down a little bit um and talk about like okay how is this gut situation initiated so i think is it like
>
> **Sarah:** the chicken or the egg is it more from a slow metabolic rate increasing the production of endotoxin because we have a slower transit time do you know what i'm saying like Well, it's all cycles.
>
> **Georgi Dinkov:** Every single thing is a cycle, right? So for some people who maybe started, they inherited like a compromised gut system due to the SSRIs. They're known to compromise the gut. Oh, speaking of the serotonin in the gut, medicine used to say it's completely benign to the gut. It's produced there. There is no logical reason why serotonin will be harming the gut, given that it's produced there. Recent study came out, also on my blog, showed that inflammatory bowel disease can be triggered, so serotonin is a necessary and sufficient condition. If nothing else is there, nothing else changes, not even endotoxin, just by increasing serotonin into the gut, you can give yourself inflammatory bowel disease, which many think is incurable. Serotonin increases the gut permeability. So how does it all start? Well, it's hard to say because, you know, let's say a person is born and, you know, if they're born already with digestive problems, I would suspect that the mother was probably stressed during pregnancy, was given SSRIs or other toxins. Yeah, I saw that.

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