18/09/2024
Did the gut test your practitioner recommended you do test for IPA? Chances are the answer is no. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 >𝟵𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲!
When we think about gut permeability (leaky gut), we jump often straight to gluten/gliadin, casein/whey, bacterial overgrowth, SIBO, zinc + vitamin A/D deficiency etc - These are often the standard culprits.
But as the research emerges, we are learning about the importance of lesser discussed microbial “metabolites” that certain bacteria either produce or don’t produce. Butyrate (𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘥) is one that I’ve talked about previously, but today we are spotlighting a metabolite called 𝗜𝗣𝗔 (𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝟹-𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘥).
IPA is formed initially by the breakdown of TRYPTOPHAN and catalysed further by certain gut bacteria - to then form IPA. IPA stimulates goblet cells to secrete mucin and enhance expression of tight junction proteins thus maintaining gut barrier integrity.
Simply put - if you lack these bacteria in your biome, you ain’t producing squat of IPA. Queue susceptibility to IBS, stress intolerance, leaky gut, anxiety and even newly linked conditions such as type 2 diabetes, NAFLD, Alzheimers and even certain c*ncers.
The testing I utilise fortunately allows for the measurement of IPA however many tests in the practitioners market still do not assess this 🤔
Certain Clostridium bacterial species are often found to be responsible for IPA production via dietary tryptophan conversion - whilst foods rich in ellagic acid (𝘱𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴, 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘢, 𝘨𝘰𝘫𝘪 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘴) may also beneficially impact this conversion also.
Ask your practitioner next time if your recent microbiome test assessed for IPA levels? This may be a canary in coal-mine situaiton with longstanding gut/brain issues, anxiety or IBS.
Question or comments? leave them below! 👇😎
(Not medical advice. References below)
