Sufferers of intestinal hyperpermeability may or may not have gastrointestinal (GI) complaints such as bloating, pain, diarrhea, etc. Basically, if you have noticeable GI problems and/or known food sensitivities, it’s a good idea to test for it. Another common “symptom” is the presence of ANY autoimmune disease. This makes sense because leakage of toxins, microbes and large food particles into the bloodstream puts the immune system into overdrive - a state in which frenzied immune cells are less able to distinguish “us” vs. “them.” Likewise, inflammatory skin disorders psoriasis, acne and noninfectious rashes often indicate a leaky gut.
Autism spectrum disorders are often associated with intestinal hyperpermeability, and so are cognitive and mood disorders including depression, anxiety and brain fog. Leaky gut syndrome should also be suspected when specialized lab tests show certain nutritional deficiencies which can be due to improper absorption in the gut, dysbiosis, and/or food sensitivity panels which show many seemingly unrelated, often healthy and frequently ingested foods such as avocados, sweet potatoes, rice and salmon.