Whether you are eating a funnel cake or an organic slice of bread, the effect that gluten has on the gut is exactly the same.

When gluten reaches the intestines, tissue transglutaminase (tTG), an enzyme produced in the intestinal wall which breaks down gluten into protein building blocks, is released and starts to travel throughout the digestive system.

The proteins are absorbed in those who don't have issues with gluten. However, in those with gluten sensitivity, the body identifies them as a dangerous substance and produces antibodies to attack it.

Once this happens, microvilli, the finger-like protrusions that are found on the surface of epithelial cells that function to increase the cell surface area and the efficiency of absorption, start to erode. Once the erosion starts, this decreases the ability to absorb nutrients and the walls of your intestines will start breaking apart.

When the tight junctions are broken apart, the gut is considered to be leaky and a leaky gut allows toxins, microbes, and undigested food particles to pass through the gut wall and into your bloodstream. When these particles enter the bloodstream it can cause inflammatory and allergic reactions such as migraines, irritable bowel, eczema, chronic fatigue, and food allergies.

Gutbiome6 has been shown to help support the gut barrier and improve gut health by strengthening tight junction integrity, which supplies the first line of defense against everyday exposures to environmental and foodborne factors.