Leaky gut
Also called: intestinal permeability
What it means
Leaky gut, or intestinal permeability, means the lining of the intestine lets more substances pass through than it normally would, which can trigger inflammation.
Chronic inflammation increases a signal called RANKL that activates bone-dissolving cells, so gut health is part of the bigger bone picture.
Chronic low-grade inflammation is a well-established driver of bone loss. Inflammatory messengers like TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-6 ramp up RANKL signalling, which pushes osteoclasts to break down more bone. This is why conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease are recognized risk factors for weaker bones.
Increased intestinal permeability, the technical term for 'leaky gut,' is real and measurable in specific conditions such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. However, 'leaky gut' as a stand-alone diagnosis for the general population has gotten ahead of the science.
There's currently no home test that can reliably establish leaky gut as a diagnosis, and the commercial protocols marketed to treat it aren't backed by solid outcome data. The underlying mechanism connecting gut inflammation to bone health is plausible, but the marketing claims around it outpace what's actually been proven.
How sure is this?
Graded Emerging Evidence: Promising research, but findings are still developing and may be primarily from laboratory or animal studies. Read each study with its grade in mind. One study is a piece of the picture, not the whole of it.
Where the Academy teaches it
This page is the short version. The lessons teach it in full, with the context around it and a quiz to lock it in.
Related words
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) covers conditions like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, where gut inflammation and…
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that damages the small intestine, often reducing absorption of calcium,…
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic joint inflammation, and that same inflammation…
RANKL is a signal that activates osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone, and it's a key target for some…
The gut microbiome-bone axis describes how bacteria living in your gut may influence bone health through effects on…
Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
