You may have heard of a leaky gut, but what about a leaky brain? And as you will soon find out, these two syndromes are often interconnected. But before you start conjuring up horrifying images of brain fluid leaky out of your ears, nose, and eyes, the leaking in leaky brain syndrome is into the brain and not out of it.

What Is Leaky Brain Syndrome?

Our brain requires “a precisely regulated microenvironment that contains uniquely balanced chemical composition, brain-specific growth factors, and signaling molecules….for proper synaptic, neuronal, and network activity” to take place. The brain’s internal milieu is maintained by a tight-woven fence-like structure called the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

A compromise to this tight junction allows neurotoxic blood-borne molecules and substances (e.g., heavy metals, damaging proteins like zonulin) to leak into the brain leading to an overactive immune system and neuroinflammation. While the BBB plays a critical role in keeping harmful substances from leaking in, it is also designed to allow oxygen, hormones, and nutrients to pass through and cellular debris and waste to pass out.

A leaky brain is an inflamed brain, and an inflamed brain can cause a whole host of symptoms and additional syndromes.

What are the symptoms of leaky brain syndrome?

Leaky brain syndrome can manifest as brain fog (via prolonged activation of mast cells), difficulty concentrating, chronic fatigue, brain health decline and cognitive impairment (including memory loss), mood disorders (such as anxiety and depression), ADHD, and progressively worsening headaches or migraines. It has also been linked to multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, autism, and epilepsy.

What can cause a leaky brain?

The umbrella cause of leaky brain syndrome is inflammation, as is the root of most diseases, and a compromise to blood-brain barrier permeability. Underneath that umbrella, though, there are several specific conditions and lifestyle factors that can contribute to leaky brain syndrome, including but not limited to chronic stress, sleep issues, excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury, chronic infections, mental health disorders, diabetes, elevated homocysteine from a vitamin B deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, exposure to environmental toxins, and autoimmune disease.

Leaky gut syndrome can also cause leaky brain syndrome. Brain health and gut health are inextricably linked via that gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication line along the vagus nerve. Your stomach and small intestines have a lining similar to the BBB, serving the same type of function (to keep harmful substances from leaking into the gut). A dysfunction in the integrity of that barrier causes leaky gut syndrome, and leaky gut syndrome is one of the causes of leaky brain syndrome. 

Healing your gut microbiome through a fiber-rich, plant-based diet, high-quality probiotics, stress management, and sufficient sleep (to name a few gut-friendly practices) will, in turn, help heal your leaky brain.

How to “Fix the Leak” and Repair Your Leaky Brain

Leaky brain, like most leaks, is fixable, but first requires identifying the root cause(s) of the leak — simply managing the symptoms is just a patch job and not a long-lasting leak repair. Understanding what can cause leaky brain syndrome (as you’ve learned above) can help you choose the right personalized solutions to fix your leak. But one universal approach that we can all benefit from is to repair and fortify our gut.

Reducing oxidative stress, detoxifying your body of environmental toxins (from the air, water, and food), reducing psychological and emotional stress, making sleep a top priority, addressing food sensitivities (e.g., gluten), eating foods rich in essential fatty acids, introducing prebiotics and probiotics into your diet (via supplements and/or food), incorporating supplements that can help repair the BBB and support brain function (e.g., Nadovim), and exploring some integrative therapies are all viable ways to repair leaky brain.

6 Innovative Therapies to Help Repair Leaky Brain

• Chelation Therapy: flushes heavy metals and toxins from the brain, better enabling oxygen and nutrients to flow in
• NAD+ Brain Restoration Therapy: replenishes natural NAD levels, balances neurotransmitters, and detoxifies the body to optimize mitochondrial function, decrease inflammation, and improve cognitive function
• NAET Allergy Elimination: uses a modern and advanced system for eliminating allergies
• PL2020 Ultraviolet Light Therapy: destroys fungal, viral, and bacterial growth
• Weber LED Infrared Helmet: utilizes transcranial photobiomodulation to address concerns related to brain function and health
• Ozone Therapy: helps increase oxygenation, detoxification, and immune function

The master key to repairing leaky brain syndrome and, in turn, restoring cognitive and systemic health is to reduce brain inflammation, and support your body’s natural abilities to heal through diet, lifestyle, and innovative therapies.