At first glance, our digestive system and nervous system seem to have nothing to do with each other.
In fact, the two systems are more closely related than we think.
The gastrointestinal tract actually houses the second nervous system in the body and produces important neurotransmitters, like serotonin.
Thus, whatever affects the gastrointestinal tract also affects how the nervous system functions.
Due to the interconnectedness of the digestive system and nervous system, leaky gut syndrome is found to be one of the leading triggers of attention deficit disorder.
The tricky thing about leaky gut syndrome is that its symptoms aren't as obvious as those of an ulcer or other digestive problems.
In order to find out if a leaky gut syndrome is causing uncontrollable hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, your child will have to take one of two specialized tests: the intestinal permeability test or the comprehensive digestive stool analysis (CDSA).
Intestinal permeability test Among the many triggers of ADHD are food allergies, asthma, and a deficiency in vitamins, nutrients, and essential fatty acids.
What these three have in common is that they are usually caused by leaky gut syndrome.
Leaky gut syndrome occurs when an irritant, such as a bacterial infection or intolerance to a substance, causes the intestinal lining to swell and become inflamed.
When this occurs, the intestine becomes "leaky" as it absorbs bad bacteria and toxins instead of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from digested food.
The intestinal permeability test, or the Lactulose and Mannitol Test, is designed to identify leaky gut syndrome by observing the activity of two sugar molecules - lactulose and mannitol - in the gastrointestinal tract.
In a healthy gut, lactulose is kept out while mannitol is absorbed into the bloodstream.
If the test detects low mannitol absorption and high lactulose absorption, this could mean that your child has a leaky gut.
You can get the intestinal permeability test either at a commercial lab or by ordering a test kit from the Internet.
Before your child takes the test, your child will have to fast for at least eight hours, then consume a solution containing mannitol and lactulose.
Urine samples will be collected from your child over the next six hours.
The collection is usually done by a lab technician, but if you order a home test kit, you will need to mail the urine samples to the manufacturer's lab and wait for the results to come within 10-14 days.
Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) The Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CSDA) is a useful diagnostic tool, not just for leaky gut syndrome but for a host of other digestive abnormalities like bacterial infections, gut flora imbalance, parasites, and Candida infections.
Health care practitioners also use the CDSA to examine the gastrointestinal tract's function and its ability to absorb essential fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
For the CDSA, your child will have to submit a stool sample to the lab.
There's no need for your child to fast before collecting the stool sample; as a matter of fact, your child should eat normally for best results.
Lab technicians will examine the sample's fecal color, pH levels, and gut flora growth, and search for the presence of pathogenic bacteria, pus, or mucus, which may suggest a leaky gut.
The intestinal permeability test and CDSA are not performed by mainstream medicine, and are available only through a holistic health care practitioner or chiropractor.
For more information, you may also want to visit http://www.
genovadiagnostics.
com, the laboratory that produces and runs the two tests.
In fact, the two systems are more closely related than we think.
The gastrointestinal tract actually houses the second nervous system in the body and produces important neurotransmitters, like serotonin.
Thus, whatever affects the gastrointestinal tract also affects how the nervous system functions.
Due to the interconnectedness of the digestive system and nervous system, leaky gut syndrome is found to be one of the leading triggers of attention deficit disorder.
The tricky thing about leaky gut syndrome is that its symptoms aren't as obvious as those of an ulcer or other digestive problems.
In order to find out if a leaky gut syndrome is causing uncontrollable hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, your child will have to take one of two specialized tests: the intestinal permeability test or the comprehensive digestive stool analysis (CDSA).
Intestinal permeability test Among the many triggers of ADHD are food allergies, asthma, and a deficiency in vitamins, nutrients, and essential fatty acids.
What these three have in common is that they are usually caused by leaky gut syndrome.
Leaky gut syndrome occurs when an irritant, such as a bacterial infection or intolerance to a substance, causes the intestinal lining to swell and become inflamed.
When this occurs, the intestine becomes "leaky" as it absorbs bad bacteria and toxins instead of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from digested food.
The intestinal permeability test, or the Lactulose and Mannitol Test, is designed to identify leaky gut syndrome by observing the activity of two sugar molecules - lactulose and mannitol - in the gastrointestinal tract.
In a healthy gut, lactulose is kept out while mannitol is absorbed into the bloodstream.
If the test detects low mannitol absorption and high lactulose absorption, this could mean that your child has a leaky gut.
You can get the intestinal permeability test either at a commercial lab or by ordering a test kit from the Internet.
Before your child takes the test, your child will have to fast for at least eight hours, then consume a solution containing mannitol and lactulose.
Urine samples will be collected from your child over the next six hours.
The collection is usually done by a lab technician, but if you order a home test kit, you will need to mail the urine samples to the manufacturer's lab and wait for the results to come within 10-14 days.
Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) The Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CSDA) is a useful diagnostic tool, not just for leaky gut syndrome but for a host of other digestive abnormalities like bacterial infections, gut flora imbalance, parasites, and Candida infections.
Health care practitioners also use the CDSA to examine the gastrointestinal tract's function and its ability to absorb essential fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
For the CDSA, your child will have to submit a stool sample to the lab.
There's no need for your child to fast before collecting the stool sample; as a matter of fact, your child should eat normally for best results.
Lab technicians will examine the sample's fecal color, pH levels, and gut flora growth, and search for the presence of pathogenic bacteria, pus, or mucus, which may suggest a leaky gut.
The intestinal permeability test and CDSA are not performed by mainstream medicine, and are available only through a holistic health care practitioner or chiropractor.
For more information, you may also want to visit http://www.
genovadiagnostics.
com, the laboratory that produces and runs the two tests.
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