Hi Leslie,

I think the condition you are referring to is sometimes called Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Here are some articles about it:

http://www.emedicine.com/MED/topic198.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/small_int...th/article.htm

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/292/7/852

From what I understand, once you have SIBO, I think also called bacterial dysbiosis, then eating more carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates, provides food for the harmful bacteria. The complex carbohydrates (grains, beans, etc.) could be more problematic if they are not completely broken down, and the remaining sugars are food for the bad bacteria. The bacteria can contribute to a breakdown in the small intestinal wall and then leak undigested food particles into the bloodstream.

I've often wondered why gluten is the biggest offender in leaky gut syndrome for non-celiacs. Is it because we tend to have diets high in gluten? Does it have something to do with the gliadin molecules - do they penetrate the small intestinal wall easier than other proteins? These questions are still unanswered for me.

Claire