Increased permeability of the gut lining (sometimes referred to as ‘leaky gut’). This lining is normally selectively permeable. In simple terms this means that the gut lets the desirable nutrients through and keeps toxins and bacteria out.
The loss of this selective permeability is the result of imbalances in the complex interactions between the trillions of gut bacteria, the epithelium (the cells that line the inside of the gut) and the immune cells present in the gut (70% of the immune system is found in the gut).
Please see the sections on Gut Microbiome and IBS for more information.