Gut health, fatigue & collagen

You may be asking yourself, "Why do I feel so tired when I eat a pretty good diet and exercise regularly. What's wrong?" It can be "leaky gut" and "malabsorption". These two conditions go hand in hand.

Almost all diseases begin in the gut, probably because 70% of our immune system is located in the digestive system, where lymph nodes containing white blood cells called Peyer's plaques abound. "T cells" are white blood cells that are born "immature" in the thymus gland and bone marrow. Then they must travel to Peyer's plaques to "ripen". It just means they need to "go to college and experience the environment out there" and get a taste of what's right outside of us, potential threats to our health, and learn to be fighter T cells (Th17) or peacemaker T- cells (Treg).

The best place to get to know the external environment is through our digestive system. We eat several times a day and ingest food, bacteria, fungi and other organisms.

From whom do the T cells learn how to behave?

The bacteria in your gut! That's right: the bacteria in your gut literally affects how your immune system works. The ratio between Th17/TReg cells is affected by what happens in the gut. Too many Th17 (aggressive) and too few TReg (tolerant) cells means your immune system releases inflammatory cytokines like IL-17 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) that literally make you feel lethargic, tired and hungover all the time.

If you push the ratio of Th17 to TReg too far in favor of the Th17 cells, you develop autoimmune disease.

How does the intestinal barrier work?

The "inside" of your gut contains the food you eat plus organisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses. The only thing that keeps the inside of your gut separate from the rest of you is a thin layer of cells called the "intestinal epithelium" which is supposed to act as a barrier and keep all the bad stuff out. These epithelial cells are specialized and they are normally held tightly together by "tight junctions" - sealing walls between adjacent cells designed to prevent anything from leaking through the barrier and into the lymphatic system or blood circulation.

Peyer's plaques (lymph nodes discussed above) with 70% of your immune system contain "immature" white blood cells (T cells) and sit just on the other side of this "gut epithelial" barrier waiting to interact with anything "foreign" that might penetrate the intestinal wall.

*Peyer's plaques are accumulations of lymphatic tissue and are usually found in the intestinal wall of the ileum (the lower part of the small intestine) in humans. They differentiate the ileum from the duodenum and jejunum in that the number of Peyer's plaques increases the further down the intestine you go, which means that the end of the ileum contains the most Peyer's plaques.

"Leaky gut" basic mechanism

The moment the intestinal epithelium is damaged or disrupted, it begins to "leak" so that bacteria, viruses, fungi, toxins, undigested food particles and other substances considered "foreign" come into contact with the T cells and the immune system. As you can imagine, this is not good. Immature T cells see this event as worrisome and they mature into aggressive "pro-inflammatory" T cells known as Th17.

If left unchecked, this "leaky gut" condition causes a process called "chronic inflammation," which causes nearly every disease in the body, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, SLE, and other autoimmune diseases.

A damaged intestinal epithelial layer also becomes ineffective at extracting the good nutrients that you need to absorb from food in order for your cells to make energy in the mitochondria found in your cells. This process is called malabsorption (poor absorption). And vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, fats and carbohydrates cannot be absorbed optimally.

"Leaky gut" and "malabsorption" are linked and this is not a good combination. On the one hand, leaky gut triggers your immune system, which uses up a lot of energy. On the other hand, malabsorption prevents you from absorbing the vitamins and nutrients you need to make energy. The result: energy consumption and fatigue.

Here are 10 sure signs that you have "leaky gut" so-called. leaky gut:

• Diagnosis of Irritable Bowel IBS (eg, constant abdominal bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, etc.)
• Food allergies and food hypersensitivity
• Skin problems such as eczema or acne
• Mood imbalances such as anxiety and depression
• All autoimmune conditions/diseases* (eg lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, MS* , Hashimoto's, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.)
• Asthma and allergies with or without sinusitis
• Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia
• Candida overgrowth
• Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine - SIBO

*In autoimmune diseases, the immune system has mistakenly started to identify and attack normal cells in the body. In order for such a chain of events to start, something is generally required that awakens or disturbs the immune system. There are over 80 different autoimmune diseases.

*How are Th17 cells involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Th17 cells normally act by stimulating other cells around them and creating inflammatory responses against pathogens. When they then become autoreactive, they inflame areas of the brain's white matter and attract other immune cells to the area, damaging the brain's neurons.

"Leaky gut", as you can see, causes many problems and is very common. T cells exposed to the foreign particles, including bacteria, fungi and their toxic byproducts, are activated and travel from the gut, attacking tissues and organs at random, including your brain and nervous system. This causes fairly common symptoms such as "brain fog", inability to concentrate, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

Common Causes of "Leaky Gut"

What are the most common causes of "leaky gut"? Basically anything that causes irritation to the intestinal epithelium, the layer of cells described above that is supposed to filter out all the unwanted and foreign particles in the gut from the good nutrients. Here is a short list:

1. Food sensitivities and allergies: Gluten (from wheat) is the main culprit

You do not need to have been diagnosed with celiac disease, which is a severe form of gluten allergy found in around 1-2% of the population, to have a sensitivity to gluten. Gluten can cause an irritated intestinal epithelium that becomes "leaky", without established gluten intolerance.

2. Infections

Overgrowth of bad bacteria such as Toxin A from Clostridium Difficile, LPS (endotoxin) from gram negative bacteria and acetaldehyde alcohol from fungi such as Candida albicans. Interestingly, some of the "bad bacteria" grow due to repeated use of antibiotics that kill the good bacteria and allow the bad bacteria and fungi to grow.

3. Medicines

Antibiotics are usually prescribed for all types of infections. Unfortunately, antibiotics not only kill bad bacteria but also reduce beneficial microbes (bacteria). This can lead to an imbalance in the gut microbiome (gut flora), increasing the risk of chronic inflammation, digestive symptoms, leaky gut syndrome and chronic health problems.

4. Toxins

Alcohol, heavy metals and pesticides are examples of toxins that cause increased inflammation in the gut.

5. Stress

Stress causes a heavy load on the gut. Normally, the intestinal epithelium is protected by antibodies produced by the immune system called IgA and a thick layer of mucus. Stress shuts down the production of IgA and mucus in the gut, leaving the intestinal epithelium exposed to harmful organisms and toxins.

Is there a dietary supplement that helps heal the gut and improve sleep?

If you have any symptoms of fatigue, inability to concentrate, brain fog that are at least partially associated with abdominal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, cramping, you should consider healing your gut.

Collagen prebiotics - collagen complex that heals a leaky gut

Collagen has been shown to help with the healing of leaky gut , inflammation of the large intestine (colitis) and is also good for other intestinal/stomach problems such as ulcers and IBS. Feel free to eat extra collagen if you have the autoimmune stomach diseases ulcerative colitis or Crohn's.

Food supplement Collagen prebiotics contains collagen, prebiotics and L-glutamine, where glutamine is used to a large extent by the cells in the intestinal tract as fuel. Glutamine has been shown in many studies to correct intestinal permeability (leaky gut). In addition to consuming glutamine, collagen and prebiotics, a dietary supplement with zinc can also benefit your stomach and intestinal health.

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Collagen sleep & relax - collagen complex for better sleep

If you want a dietary supplement with collagen, which in addition to healing a leaky gut, also improves sleep, we recommend the collagen complex Collagen sleep & relax, which in addition to collagen also contains GABA, ashwagandha and magnesium for better sleep.

Can collagen promote a good night's sleep and make you more relaxed?

PEPTAN B® collagen is a high-quality and well-documented collagen powder. Collagen is almost one-third glycine, and it is this amino acid that helps us sleep because it helps us relax. Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms the central nervous system and helps us unwind, relax and fall asleep.

Can ashwagandha improve sleep quality?

Ashwagandha can be an effective supplement for falling asleep faster, sleeping longer, and getting a better quality of sleep. Ashwagandha can also be effective in reducing stress and anxiety symptoms. Collagen sleep & relax contains organic root extract KSM-66® ashwagandha (Withania somnifera).

How does magnesium improve sleep?

If you suffer from insomnia, a magnesium supplement can help you fall asleep faster, sleep longer, reduce night awakenings and increase the levels of natural sleep hormone, which is the body's own hormone that regulates sleep and wakefulness.

Can GABA improve sleep and reduce stress?

GABA has a stress-reducing and sleep-enhancing effect. Low GABA activity is linked to insomnia and disturbed sleep and when the level of GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) becomes too low, it is difficult for the body to relax. Low GABA activity also leads to anxiety, depression and mood disorders. GABA simply makes us feel good.

Can Vitamin C Reduce Fatigue?

Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of fatigue and exhaustion.