Heal Leaky Gut in 2 Weeks [A Gut Doctor Explains How]
Written by: Vincent Pedre M.D. | January 15, 2024 | Time to read 12 min
When it comes to gut health, many people are searching for a quick fix. But as a functional gut specialist with over 17 years of experience, I can tell you there’s no magical, overnight solution for chronic gut issues, especially if they've been going on for a long time.
Yes! There is no quick fix. Healing your gut takes commitment, patience, and the right tools.
HOWEVER, there are steps you can take to not only set the healing wheels in motion in the first 2 weeks, but to actually start seeing results in as little as 2 weeks.
And by following these strategies faithfully, you might — just might — start seeing noticeable results within two weeks. However, for true, lasting gut repair and healing… I’d hate to break it to you (because I’m not in the business of selling false internet hope)… the REALITY is you'll want to keep following these protocols for several months.
In this article, I’ll break down a practical, research-backed approach to healing leaky gut, including the nutrients that can help repair your gut lining and dietary changes that can support your progress. Let’s dive in.
What Is Leaky Gut?
Your gastrointestinal tract (aka your gut) has one of the most important jobs in your body: it digests food, breaks it down into nutrients, and absorbs what your body needs—all while keeping out harmful invaders like bad bacteria, parasites, and yeast, and turning waste products into poop.
Now here’s the cool part: your gut is supposed to be a little “leaky,” but in a controlled way. Think of it as being “porous,” not completely open. Kind of like a coffee filter. This porousness allows the tiniest building blocks of food (like nutrients and minerals) to pass through small, controlled openings in the gut lining, which is made up of cells called enterocytes. Imagine a healthy gut as being like a coffee filter with tiny holes—just big enough for nutrients to slip through, but small enough to keep out anything harmful.
What Happens When Your Gut Gets “Too Leaky”?
In a healthy gut, everything operates like clockwork. Nutrients pass through the cell walls of the enterocytes in a well-organized way. But if your gut becomes “leaky,” it’s as if that coffee filter develops bigger holes. Suddenly, larger substances—like partially digested food particles—can slip through.
Here’s what’s happening on a cellular level:
The cells that make up your gut lining sit side by side, connected by what we call “tight junctions.” Picture two cells held together by suction cups. These suction cups create a tight seal, controlling what gets through. But when these tight junctions loosen up, the spaces between the cells become larger, letting bigger molecules like partially digested food proteins and even pathogens sneak through.
The good news? Your gut lining has an incredible capacity to repair itself—if given the right tools.
The First 2 Weeks: Setting the Healing Wheels in Motion
While complete healing takes time, you can make significant strides in the first two weeks ⸺ something I talk about in my latest book, The GutSMART Protocol.
Here are some 3 Easy Steps to jumpstart the process:
Adopt a Gut-Healing Diet
Diet plays a foundational role in gut health. Removing inflammatory foods and incorporating gut-friendly options can dramatically reduce stress on your digestive system. You can learn more about what type of gut-healing diet you should follow by taking the free GutSMART Quiz here.Reduce Stress To Support Digestion
Stress management is a key, non-negotiable step towards supporting your body’s natural digestive processes that are critical for gut healing. If you find yourself overwhelmed by stress and feeling its weight every day, I have a solution for you ⸺ the 6-Week Stress Less Challenge. Don’t let the word “challenge” intimidate you—it’s actually a step-by-step gut-brain mastery program designed to help you alleviate stress and regain balance in your life by biohacking your brain health through your gut. Believe it or not, the gut is like a volume control on your stress perception. This program includes a pre-assessment test to help you understand your biggest stress triggers, comprehensive video lessons divided into six digestible weekly modules, and valuable bonus resources like guided breathing exercises and meditations to support your journey. It’s both instructional and practical.Introduce Gut-Healing Nutrients
Specific nutrients can help repair and strengthen the gut lining. Below, I’ll highlight five key compounds and how they work. Please note: this is where many people get it wrong. They take too little for not long enough.
Patience here is key, but if you start with the right steps, like these three above, you can actually start seeing positive changes within 2 weeks.
5 Nutrients That Heal Leaky Gut
These scientifically-backed nutrients are essential for repairing the gut lining and reducing inflammation.
1. L-Glutamine
L-glutamine is an amino acid that fuels the cells of your intestinal lining. It helps rebuild the gut barrier, reducing intestinal permeability. Research shows that L-glutamine supplementation can improve gut barrier integrity and reduce inflammation in people with gut disorders.
How to Use It: Start with 5 grams daily, mixed in water or a gut-friendly smoothie.
CAUTION: If you tend towards anxiety, start with a lower dose and slowly titrate up, testing to make sure you can tolerate the l-glutamine.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is known for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. When consumed, it can help calm the gut lining and promote healing. Studies suggest that aloe vera supports the production of mucin, a protective layer in the gut.
How to Use It: Opt for pure aloe vera juice without added sugars. Drink 1–2 ounces daily.
CAUTION: For some people, aloe vera juice can have a laxative effect. Start low and go slow, making sure you have a bathroom within reach just in case. :-)
3. N-Acetyl D-Glucosamine (NAG)
This compound supports the mucosal lining of your gut, making it less permeable to harmful substances. It’s particularly helpful for individuals with inflamed or compromised gut barriers.
How to Use It: Take 500–1,000 mg daily, as directed by your healthcare provider.
4. Deglycyrrhized Licorice Root Extract (DGL)
DGL is a modified form of licorice root that soothes and heals the gut lining without the side effects of traditional licorice (like potentially elevating your blood pressure). It helps reduce gut inflammation and supports tissue repair through its strong soothing and antimicrobial effects.
How to Use It: Take chewable DGL tablets 20 minutes before meals to support digestion and gut healing.
Pro Tip: I’ll also have patients who suffer from acid reflux take chewable DGL tablets after meals to help reduce symptoms of heartburn.
5. Peptides: Oral Rapid-Release BPC-157
Peptides like BPC-157 are a breakthrough in gut health. This bioactive compound, naturally occurring in the stomach, accelerates tissue repair, reduces inflammation, and strengthens the gut lining, making it a fast-track solution for healing leaky gut.
How does it work?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that signal cells to repair and regenerate. BPC-157 is particularly known to promote healing by:
Stimulating Tissue Repair: Boosts blood vessel growth to damaged areas, accelerating gut lining recovery.
Reducing Inflammation: Calms the immune response, easing irritation for faster healing.
Strengthening Tight Junctions: Tightens the “suction cups” between gut cells, reducing permeability.
Protecting Against Toxins: Shields the gut from harmful effects of toxins and medications.
- Improving Gut Motility: Supports healthy movement of food and waste through the digestive tract.
BPC-157’s targeted action works quickly to repair gut damage, addressing leaky gut at its core. Oral rapid-release forms ensure high bioavailability, delivering results efficiently to the upper gastrointestinal tract, which is usually most affected in individuals with leaky gut syndrome.
To explore this cutting-edge approach, you can find trusted products right here*. Peptides may be the key to restoring your gut health faster than ever.
* Only available for U.S. clients
The Role of Diet in Gut Healing
While supplements are important, diet is the foundation of gut health. In my book, The GutSMART Protocol, I’ve created a 14-day personalized gut-healing plan tailored to your gut type, based on a quiz I call the GutSMART Quiz.
Start with the GutSMART Quiz
Take the GutSMART Quiz for free to determine your gut type and get your GutSMART score.
Then, based on your results, you’ll follow the customized plan in my book. The quiz makes it super easy to know where to start, giving you a foundation of which foods you can eat, and which foods you should avoid eating to heal your gut.
Although the right foods to eat to heal your gut can be very individualized, there are some general guidelines I can provide here to help you make wiser choices on your path towards gut healing.
Foods to Embrace
Bone broth: Rich in collagen and amino acids that support the gut lining.
Fermented foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir promote a healthy gut microbiome.
High-fiber vegetables: Asparagus, artichokes, and leafy greens feed beneficial bacteria, plus the fiber helps keep things moving down your digestive tract.
Foods to Avoid
Gluten and dairy: These are the two most common gut irritants that affect the majority of people.
Processed sugars: They feed harmful bacteria and yeast, promoting inflammation.
Artificial sweeteners: They can disrupt gut bacteria and contribute to dysbiosis. In easy-to-understand terms, they make you gassy, bloated, and can even lead to uncomfortable diarrhea.
By combining a gut-friendly diet with the nutrients outlined above, you’ll create an ideal environment for healing.
Introducing LEAKY GUT ADVANTAGE
To simplify your healing journey, I’ve developed the newest leaky gut formula on the market in a delicious vanilla flavor ⸺ LEAKY GUT ADVANTAGE, a targeted formula that combines most of these powerful nutrients into one easy-to-use product. Rather than trying to take all of these nutrients separately, I’ve done the work for you and put them into a singular, great-tasting formula.
LEAKY GUT ADVANTAGE supports the regeneration and maintenance of GI enterocytes (remember the cells that control the openings), promoting a healthy intestinal mucosal barrier. Its unique formula includes key nutrients that protect the gut lining, ensuring proper nutrient absorption while keeping harmful substances out. Leaky Gut Advantage is specifically designed to repair and strengthen your gut lining, reduce inflammation, and support long-term gut health. It's also a great Coffee Companion.
You have a lot of information here to start on the road to gut recovery, but sometimes it’s just simply too hard and confusing to go it alone. Don’t get me wrong, you can make a lot of headway by following this advice to the tee. But sometimes we just need a coach to bring clarity to the confusing array of information out there. So, if you’ve tried all of these things but are still getting nowhere, there’s another option for you. Read below to learn more.
Work Directly with Me
Healing your gut requires both patience and a tailored approach, as no two journeys are exactly the same. What works for one person may not work for another, which is why individualized care and expert guidance are so important. Having a knowledgeable health practitioner by your side can make all the difference, helping you interpret your body’s signals and fine-tune your healing protocol to match your unique needs.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your gut-healing journey, I’m here to support you. Working one-on-one with a functional gut specialist who is also a gut biohacker provides the personalized insights and customized plan necessary for true healing. Let’s connect directly and create a plan tailored specifically for you. You can get started here:
Take Action Today
Your gut health is the cornerstone of your overall well-being. By addressing leaky gut and taking proactive steps to heal, you can improve your digestion, boost your energy, and support your long-term health.
In summary, to map out a self-directed pathway that could save you a ton of money and heartache, here’s what I would do.
Start with the GutSMART Quiz, incorporate the nutrients and strategies discussed in this article, and consider LEAKY GUT ADVANTAGE for added support. With the right tools, you can set the stage for healing in just two weeks—and lay the foundation for a healthier future.
And if none of this works or you hit a wall, then don’t sink, raise your hand and ask for support.
Apply Here to find out if we can work together. Support your Leaky Gut starting today!
