Health Professionals

Increased Intestinal Permeability

Increased intestinal permeability effects a significant proportion of the Australian public. It occurs when the function of the intestinal tight junction is impaired, leading to leakage of bacterial endotoxins, inflammatory microbial lipopolysaccharides, other microbial components, and food proteins into the portal blood circulation. This can cause stimulation of the immune system and inflammation. Increased intestinal permeability is associated with many chronic diseases, including diabetes, metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

Factors that contribute to impaired gastrointestinal mucosal integrity include smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, and other underlying health conditions. This is an emerging area of research, with findings indicating that early testing and treatment can lead to improved quality of life and reduced risk of chronic inflammatory conditions.

The CSIRO’s Gut Health Research Team and the Women’s and Children’s Gastroenterology Clinical Laboratory Service partnered to provide a the digestive health diagnostic test. The dual sugar test is used to detect impaired gut barrier function, also known as increased intestinal permeability, using two sugar substrates (Lactulose/Rhamnose). For further information on the dual sugar test for intestinal permeability, please view our publications.