We’ve all heard how good running can be for you. Running helps to lose weight, prevent disease, lower stress, strengthen joints, manage blood pressure… the list goes on and on. But there’s a suprising problem you may be experiencing if you’re a long distance runner. It’s called leaky gut. I know, it sounds gross, but if you’re a runner then it’s something to keep in mind. How do you know if you have a leaky gut? Read on to find out common symptoms and how to treat it.
What is leaky gut, anyway?
Leaky gut, also known as intestinal permeability, is a dysfunction in the lining of our intestine. Our intestinal walls are only one cell layer thick. Their job is to absorb nutrients and prevent bacteria from getting into our bloodstream. When the cells of the gut lining start to separate and let bacteria enter the bloodstream, we get what we call leaky gut. This can lead to all kinds of health issues, including:
- allergies
- asthma
- autoimmune disease
- eczema
- psoriasis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- food sensitivities
- irritable bowel syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- ulcerative colitis
- thyroid problems
- acne
- nutrient deficiencies
- depression and other mood disorders
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How does running lead to leaky gut?
It’s actually not just running that can lead to leaky gut. Powerlifters and people who do cross-fit are at risk, too. Same goes for anyone who does vigorous strength training or heavy exercise. The gut lining becomes more permeable due to the amount of stress put on your body by these types of activity. High physical stress leads to higher metabolic demands. Endurance sports do appear to have the most profound effect on leaky gut though, which is why you might be more concerned if you’re a marathon runner, cyclist, or triathlete.
When you exercise, plant-derived carbohydrates are digested and fermented by the gut. This can create some harmful byproducts that play a role in creating leaks in your gut. Once you have a leaky gut, toxins are more easily able to cross from your intestines into your bloodstream.
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Endurance exercise can also increase our secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This means that more inflammation is happening in the gut, which can throw off the balance of good bacteria versus bad bacteria in the intestines.
If you know me, you know I don’t like talking about health issues without some scientific studies to back up what I’m saying. So let’s take a look at one. Researchers looked at LPS (lipopolysaccharide) levels in athletes. They chose to look at LPS because it is a toxin found in bacteria. They measured LPS from blood samples of 29 athletes before, immediately after, one hour after, two hours after, and 16 hours after a triathlon. What they found was that LPS in the blood increased immediately after the race. But guess what? LPS was even higher than that one hour later. This demonstrated that there was an increase in leaky gut both during and after intense exercise.
I think I might have a leaky gut… now what?
Don’t hang up your running shoes just yet, folks. There might be a solution to those leaks in your gut. Remember how I mentioned that the balance between good and bacteria in the gut can get thrown off? Well, one way to help restore that balance is by taking probiotics. Probiotics are known as the good, healthy bacteria that we want and need in our gut. There are many different strains of probiotics. The two that have been shown to be most helpful with leaky gut is called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These strains help cells of the intestinal wall to tighten up the gaps between them.
A study demonstrated that probiotic supplements reduced LPS levels in the blood. This led to less leaky gut as well as an increase in the amount of time it took to reach fatigue while exercising in hot temperatures. This means that probiotics could actually help to improve athlete performance, too!
If you are a runner and suspect you may have a leaky gut, don’t wait until deteriorating health issues come along. Act now by calling the clinic to book your appointment with Dr. Corina Kibsey, ND today.
Pelvic floor physiotherapy is a specialized form of physical therapy that focuses on the muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues of the pelvic floor. While both men and women have a pelvic floor, this form of therapy is particularly relevant for women due to specific concerns related to pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause.
Did you know:
- 1 in 5 women who have had a baby suffer from poor bladder and bowel control
- 1 in 2 experience pelvic organ prolapse
- 1 in 5 women suffer from pelvic or sexual pain
- Most physical activity will engage your Pelvic Floor Muscles
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Pelvic Floor Muscles
In order to better understand what happens in muscular dysfunction, it is important to first understand the normal function of these muscles, as well as other muscles that they work with. The Pelvic Floor Muscles are part of a group of muscles that are collectively referred to as your “core” muscles. This muscle group is composed of 4 distinct but linked group of muscles:
- Pelvic Floor Muscles
- Diaphragm
- Abdominal Muscles
- Lower Back Muscles
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The Pelvic Floor muscle group is located at the base of the core. It is an important muscle group that works with the rest of the core to maintain pressure inside the torso when lifting heavy objects, coughing/sneezing or doing any other physical activity involving your lower back muscles. Some of the most important functions of the Pelvic Floor Muscles are:
- Maintaining control of the bowel and bladder in order to control leakage
- Holding up and supporting the bowel, bladder, and in the case of women, the uterus
- Playing an important role in sexual function
Pelvic Floor Muscles are located within the pelvic cavity and attach from the front to the pubic bone to the back to your tailbone or coccyx.
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Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions in Women
For women, the Pelvic Floor holds additional importance as it is the group of muscles that handles enormous pressure during pregnancy. The ever-increasing weight of a child puts a strain on the pelvic muscles and the bladder, leading to frequent urination. As such, pelvic floor discomfort is quite common in women that are pregnant.
Advantages of Pelvic Physiotherapy for Women
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy helps in the treatment and prevention of:
- Pelvic and bladder pain
- Painful intercourse
- Urinary leakage, frequency or urgency
- Post-pregnancy related problems
- Abdominal pain
What Do We Treat and How Do We Treat It?
At Triangle Physiotherapy, our Pelvic Health Physiotherapists can help treat:
- Vaginal Pain Syndrome (as a result of pelvic dysfunction)
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Urinary Conditions
- And many more conditions!
Our assessments include:
- A thorough, 1-hour detailed history of your health issues, and specifically your pelvic issues
- A brief internal and external examination
Our treatments involve:
- Individualized treatment sessions that are 30 – 45 minutes in duration
- Generally, 4 – 8 treatments at a frequency of 1x/week* (varies from patient to patient) is recommended to best address your symptoms
If you’re a woman suffering from any of these conditions or are expecting a baby and would like to have healthy pelvic muscles, book an appointment today at any one of our 8 clinics in Etobicoke, Oakville, Mississauga (Square One), Mississauga (Erin Mills), North York, Toronto (King Street) Toronto (Queens Quay) and Toronto (Yonge Street).
Pelvic Floor Disorders are a common occurrence but the treatments available for pelvic floor dysfunction are not widely known. Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy has been proven to help with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and this is where we come in! Triangle Physiotherapy has state-of-the-art facilities with private rooms for pelvic health treatments. Your comfort is our priority while addressing this sensitive issue.
Pelvic Floor Muscles & Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
The pelvic floor is made up of layers of muscles and other tissues. These muscles are stretched end to end from the tailbone to the pubic bone. Sometimes these muscles tend to lose their normal control and cause pelvic floor dysfunction.
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What causes Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction can be caused by any of the following two conditions:
- Hypotonicity – When the pelvic floor muscles become weak and are unable to continue proper functioning, they cause stress incontinence, urge incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (when a pelvic organ drops from its normal position).
- Hypertonicity – When the pelvic floor muscles become tight, leading to urinary and fecal urgency, urge incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, etc., the condition is known as pelvic floor dysfunction.
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What Do We Treat?
We treat a variety of Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions such as:
Conditions in Males
- Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence
- Pelvic Pain
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Conditions in Females
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Vaginal Pain Syndrome
- Urinary Conditions
- Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Musculoskeletal Conditions
- Lower Back Pain
- Groin/Pubic Pain
- Sacroiliac Pain
- Piriformis Syndrome
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Rectal & Bowel Conditions
- Constipation
If you suffer from any of the above-mentioned conditions, you should consider booking an appointment at any one of our 6 clinics in Etobicoke, Oakville, Mississauga, North York, Toronto (King Street) and Toronto (Yonge Street).
How can Pelvic Physiotherapy help me?
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can help you with:
- Pelvic exercises to gain bladder and bowel control.
- Exercises to regain normal muscle strength and tone.
- Manual Therapy techniques to help you locate & work your weak pelvic floor muscles.
- Tips on good postures.
- Identification of other problem areas that might need physiotherapy treatment.
- Appropriate lifestyle guidance and recommended changes.
Pelvic Physiotherapy is an effective treatment for solving Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and at Triangle Physiotherapy, our Pelvic Physiotherapists will help you get back to doing the things you love.