There’s a lot of talk these days about the GAPS diet. But what exactly is it? How does it work? Who benefits from it the most? And, of course the question you’re probably the most curious about, how effective is it? Let’s dig in and examine this diet in a little more detail.

What is it?

GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome, a theorized syndrome proposed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride that links intestinal flora to psychological conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, schizophrenia, depression and autism spectrum disorders. Campbell-McBride suggests that poor gut health is at the root of these conditions and proposes the GAPS diet as a means of alleviating them.

The diet is also used by many others suffering from conditions and symptoms they believe to be linked to gut health, including IBS, Crohn’s Disease, gastritis, food allergies, leaky gut and others. There is, unfortunately, a lack of scientific evidence to support these theories, simply because they have not yet been researched to any significant extent, though the diet has many supporters nonetheless. And those proponents in the medical community point out that, while the diet itself has not been studied directly, many of its basic tenets have been studied, so there are at least scientific reasons for believing it could work.

Proponents of the diet suggest that it can repair the gut wall and end leaky gut, rebalance the gut’s probiotics, create a healthy microbiome and combat the toxicity caused by “bad” bacteria in the gut. Experts believe it can also prevent toxins from entering the bloodstream, which may contribute to autoimmune conditions.

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