Bloating, fatigue, skin problems, food sensitivities. If these symptoms sound familiar, then you may be dealing with something deeper than a come-and-go digestive issue.
One condition that Dr. Branham often sees is “leaky gut,” also known as intestinal permeability. Many people try diets, medications, or supplements without understanding why their symptoms persist, but at Dr. Branham’s functional medicine clinic in St. Louis, patients finally get the answers they’ve been searching for. How? By addressing the root cause of poor gut health.
Let’s get started.
The gut is more than a digestion machine. It’s a complex barrier system that protects your body from toxins, undigested food particles, and harmful bacteria. When this barrier becomes too permeable, small openings allow unwanted substances to leak into the bloodstream. This triggers inflammation and can cause symptoms throughout the entire body, not just the digestive system.
People with leaky gut often experience bloating, indigestion, constipation, or diarrhea. But the signs don’t stop there. Fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, joint pain, autoimmune flares, and chronic skin issues such as eczema or acne are common. Because symptoms can be so varied, leaky gut is often misdiagnosed or overlooked entirely.
Living with leaky gut can feel discouraging. You may eat “healthy” foods but still feel sick afterward. You may go from one specialist to another, only to hear that your labs look normal. Yet deep down, you know something isn’t right. That’s where a functional medicine approach can make all the difference.
Like IBS, leaky gut isn’t a single disease. It’s a syndrome. That means it’s a collection of related symptoms that can have multiple causes. The gut lining is incredibly complex, made up of tight junctions that control what enters your bloodstream. When those junctions loosen, a cascade of inflammation and immune reactions can follow.
Because there’s no single cause, treating leaky gut requires a big-picture approach. You can’t simply take a probiotic or avoid gluten and expect a permanent fix. Dr. Branham’s functional medicine process focuses on identifying the specific factors in your life, environment, and biology that led to the breakdown of your gut barrier.
Refined sugar, gluten, and industrial oils can damage the intestinal lining over time. A diet low in fiber and nutrients deprives beneficial gut bacteria of the fuel they need to keep your gut barrier strong.
Stress alters hormone levels and reduces the body’s ability to repair tissues, including the gut lining. It also changes the composition of the microbiome, favoring harmful bacteria that produce inflammatory byproducts.
An imbalance in gut bacteria, whether from antibiotics, poor diet, or infections, can increase intestinal permeability. When harmful bacteria dominate, they create toxins that inflame and weaken the gut wall.
Environmental toxins such as pesticides, heavy metals, and mold mycotoxins can damage the gut barrier directly or indirectly by triggering immune responses.
Undiagnosed food sensitivities create low-grade inflammation that erodes the intestinal lining. Gluten and dairy are common offenders, but sensitivities vary by person.
Certain drugs, including antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acid blockers, can damage gut tissue or alter microbial balance when used long-term.
Parasites, viral infections, or yeast such as Candida can irritate the intestinal lining and perpetuate inflammation if left untreated.
Estrogen, thyroid hormones, and cortisol all influence digestive integrity. Hormonal changes during menopause, chronic stress, or thyroid dysfunction can worsen leaky gut symptoms.
Dr. Branham’s approach to leaky gut goes beyond temporary symptom relief. It’s about restoring true digestive integrity and supporting the body’s natural healing systems. The process begins with advanced diagnostic testing and an in-depth discussion of your history, lifestyle, and current health challenges. Many of his St. Louis patients have reported significant results.
Dr. Branham may recommend stool analysis, microbiome mapping, food sensitivity panels, and markers for inflammation and permeability. This helps pinpoint the specific imbalances that need to be corrected.
Diet is central to gut healing. A customized elimination or anti-inflammatory plan removes foods that trigger immune responses while emphasizing whole, nutrient-rich options that promote repair.
Strategic supplements such as glutamine, zinc carnosine, collagen peptides, and omega-3 fatty acids help restore the intestinal barrier. Probiotics and prebiotics may also be used to support microbial balance.
The gut and brain communicate constantly. Dr. Branham encourages practices such as mindfulness, yoga, or breathwork to calm the nervous system and improve gut motility.
When toxins and inflammation are identified, detox pathways are supported naturally through nutrients, hydration, and liver support. This helps the immune system calm down and focus on repair rather than defense.
Balancing hormones, improving sleep, and incorporating movement all enhance digestion and resilience. Functional medicine works holistically because every system in the body affects the others.
This personalized, root-cause approach can relieve a wide range of symptoms. It tackles digestive discomfort, but also fatigue, autoimmune flares, and mood changes. Many patients find that as their gut heals, their energy returns, their skin clears, and their mental clarity improves.
Dr. Branham is a leading expert in functional medicine and digestive health in St. Louis. He takes time to truly listen, connecting the dots between symptoms that others might dismiss. His method combines advanced testing with personalized nutrition and lifestyle medicine to address both cause and effect.
Patients appreciate that Dr. Branham doesn’t rush to prescribe medications or hand out one-size-fits-all advice. Instead, he empowers you with knowledge about your body and a plan that makes sense for your unique biochemistry. His philosophy is simple: identify the problem, restore balance, and create lasting health from the inside out.
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If you suspect leaky gut is behind your symptoms, don’t settle for short-term fixes. Dr. Branham’s functional medicine clinic in St. Louis offers a comprehensive, evidence-based approach that helps you heal your gut and reclaim your well-being.
Healing leaky gut takes patience and consistency, but it is absolutely possible. The gut lining regenerates quickly when given the right conditions. Within weeks, many patients notice less bloating, fewer food reactions, and more energy. Over time, inflammation decreases, and the immune system stabilizes.
It’s time to move beyond guesswork and get to the root of your symptoms. Schedule your consultation today to start your personalized path toward gut repair and whole-body wellness. Dr. Branham is here to guide you every step of the way.
