The intestinal barrier serves as a gatekeeper to the human body. The loss of the health and integrity of this barrier influences multiple aspects of human health – including cardiometabolic function, neurological health, behavior, and more – in surprising and unexpected ways. One of these ways involves lipopolysaccharide, or LPS, a bacterial product that arises in the intestine, and its interaction with far distal tissues and organs via the induction of immune mediators.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick was the keynote speaker for the Metabolic Health Summit, held May 5 – 8, 2022, in Santa Barbara, California. Her presentation described the role that intestinal permeability and bacterial products play in aging, inflammation, and chronic disease.

In this episode, we discuss:

• (00:00) Introduction
• (08:12) Atherosclerosis
• (13:49) Brain
• (16:07) Circulating LPS and behavior
• (19:05) Toll-like receptors and inflammation
• (24:00) Factors that affect intestinal permeability
• (30:10) Alcohol
• (32:07) Gluten
• (35:21) Butyrate and dietary fiber
• (37:48) Dietary fat
• (42:21) Biomarkers of intestinal permeability
• (43:11) Omega-3 fatty acids
• (50:02) Q&A

Show notes and video

LEARN MORE: Coinciding with this release, you can now find a variety of deep resources on the FoundMyFitness website for all of the topics covered in this episode.

Learn about the blood-brain barrier

Learn about intestinal permeability

Learn about toll-like receptors

Learn about cerebral small vessel disease

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