The GutIQ Journal
Evidence-based insights on gut health, nutrition science, and the microbiome — curated by our clinical research team.
The Gut-Brain Connection: How Your Microbiome Shapes Your Mind
Your gut and brain are in constant conversation. New research reveals how the 100 trillion microbes in your digestive tract directly influence mood, cognition, and mental health.
IBS vs IBD: Understanding the Critical Difference
IBS and IBD are both gut disorders causing similar symptoms — but they're fundamentally different conditions with different mechanisms, diagnostics, and treatments.
What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome? Causes, Symptoms, and Science
Leaky gut syndrome occurs when the intestinal barrier becomes too permeable. Learn what causes it, how to recognise it, and what the latest research says.
What Is SIBO and How Do You Get It? A Complete Explanation
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a common but underdiagnosed condition. Learn exactly what it is, what causes it, and why it matters.
IBS vs SIBO: What Is the Difference and Why Does It Matter?
IBS and SIBO share many symptoms but require different treatments. Learn how to distinguish between them and why getting the right diagnosis matters.
Gut Microbiome Test: What Does It Actually Show You?
Gut microbiome tests are increasingly popular, but what do they actually measure? A critical look at what these tests can and cannot tell you about your health.
What Is the Gut-Brain Axis? How Your Gut Controls Your Mind
The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network connecting your digestive system and your brain. Understanding it changes everything about mental health.
The Gut-Skin Connection: Can Your Gut Cause Acne?
The gut-skin axis links digestive health to skin conditions like acne, eczema, and rosacea. Learn how your microbiome affects your complexion.
How Gut Health Affects Your Hormones: The Estrobolome and Beyond
Your gut microbiome directly regulates hormone metabolism, including oestrogen, thyroid hormones, and cortisol. Learn how gut health shapes your hormonal balance.
The 72-Hour Fast and Your Gut: What Actually Happens Inside
A 72-hour extended fast triggers dramatic changes in your gut including stem cell regeneration, immune reset, and major microbiome shifts. Here is the hour-by-hour breakdown of what happens.
Personalized Nutrition Based on Your Microbiome: Promise and Reality
The idea of tailoring your diet to your unique microbiome is scientifically compelling but commercially overhyped. Here is what personalized microbiome-based nutrition can and cannot deliver today.
AI in Gut Health: What It Can and Cannot Do for You Right Now
Artificial intelligence is transforming gut health research and diagnostics, but separating genuine AI capabilities from marketing hype is critical. Here is an honest assessment of where AI helps and where it falls short.
Microbiome Sequencing Explained: 16S vs Shotgun Metagenomics
Understanding the difference between 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomic sequencing is essential before investing in any microbiome test. Each method has distinct strengths, limitations, and appropriate use cases.
The Organic Acids Test (OAT) for Gut Health: What It Reveals
The Organic Acids Test measures metabolic byproducts in urine that can reveal yeast overgrowth, bacterial dysbiosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and nutrient deficiencies affecting gut health.
Hydrogen Sulfide SIBO: The Third Type That Many Doctors Miss
Hydrogen sulfide SIBO is a recently recognised form of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth that causes diarrhoea, rotten egg gas, and brain fog. Standard breath tests often miss it entirely.
Visceral Hypersensitivity: Why Your Gut Feels Everything
Visceral hypersensitivity is the amplified pain signalling that makes normal gut sensations feel unbearable. It is a central driver of IBS symptoms and understanding it changes how you approach treatment.
Gut Microbiome and Longevity: What Centenarians Have in Common
Studies of centenarians around the world reveal a distinct gut microbiome signature that may contribute to exceptional longevity. Understanding these patterns could reshape how we think about aging and gut health.
Gut Health and Autoimmune Disease: The Intestinal Permeability Connection
Emerging research reveals that increased intestinal permeability may be a prerequisite for autoimmune disease development. Understanding this connection opens new therapeutic possibilities.
Gut Health and Weight Loss: Why Your Microbiome Matters More Than Calories
Your gut bacteria influence how many calories you extract from food, how fat is stored, and how hunger hormones are regulated. Here is what the research reveals.
Hydrogen vs Methane SIBO: Which Type Do You Have?
SIBO is not one condition but several. Understanding whether you have hydrogen-dominant, methane-dominant, or hydrogen sulphide SIBO determines the right treatment approach.
IBS-C vs IBS-D vs IBS-M: Understanding Your IBS Subtype
IBS is classified into three subtypes based on predominant bowel pattern. Understanding your subtype is essential for choosing the right treatment approach.
Candida Overgrowth Symptoms: Understanding SIFO and Fungal Dysbiosis
Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth (SIFO) is an underdiagnosed condition that shares symptoms with SIBO. Learn how to recognise candida overgrowth and the treatment approaches that work.
Rosacea and SIBO: The Surprising Gut Connection Behind Facial Redness
Research shows that up to 46% of rosacea patients test positive for SIBO. Treating the gut may be the key to controlling persistent facial redness and flushing.
Gut-Brain Axis and Anxiety: How Your Microbiome Influences Mental Health
The gut produces neurotransmitters, communicates directly with the brain via the vagus nerve, and shapes anxiety responses. Understanding this axis opens new treatment possibilities.
Depression and the Gut Microbiome: What Science Now Knows
Large-scale studies have identified specific gut bacteria linked to depression. The microbiome may explain why some patients do not respond to conventional antidepressants.
ADHD and Gut Health in Children and Adults: The Emerging Research
New research reveals consistent microbiome differences in ADHD patients. The gut-brain axis may explain why dietary interventions help some individuals with attention and focus.
PCOS and the Gut Microbiome: A Revolutionary New Perspective
Polycystic ovary syndrome may begin in the gut, not the ovaries. New research connects microbiome dysbiosis to the insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances driving PCOS.
How the Gut Microbiome Changes During Pregnancy and What It Means
Pregnancy triggers dramatic, purposeful changes in the gut microbiome that support fetal development. Understanding these shifts helps distinguish normal changes from problems needing attention.
Gestational Diabetes and Gut Bacteria: The Microbiome Connection
Gestational diabetes affects 14% of pregnancies worldwide, and gut microbiome composition may predict who develops it. New research points to microbiome-based prevention strategies.
C-Section vs Vaginal Birth: How Birth Mode Shapes Your Baby's Microbiome
The mode of delivery is the single most significant factor shaping a newborn's founding microbiome. Understanding the differences empowers parents to support their baby's microbial health regardless of birth method.
The Estrobolome: How Your Gut Bacteria Control Estrogen Levels
The estrobolome is the collection of gut bacteria that metabolise estrogen. When it is disrupted, hormonal imbalances follow. Learn what the estrobolome is and why it matters for every adult.
Beta-Glucuronidase and Estrogen Dominance: The Enzyme You Need to Know About
Beta-glucuronidase is a gut bacterial enzyme that recycles estrogen back into your bloodstream. When it is overactive, estrogen dominance follows. Learn how to test for it and bring it back into balance.
Insulin Resistance and the Gut Microbiome: A Two-Way Street
Insulin resistance is not just a dietary problem. Your gut microbiome directly influences how your cells respond to insulin, and insulin resistance in turn reshapes your gut bacteria. Breaking this cycle starts in the gut.
Type 2 Diabetes and Gut Bacteria: How Your Microbiome Shapes Blood Sugar Control
People with type 2 diabetes have distinctly different gut microbiomes than healthy individuals. Understanding this connection reveals new approaches to blood sugar management that start in the gut.
Type 1 Diabetes: Is Gut Health a Factor in Autoimmune Destruction?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and autoimmune diseases have roots in gut health. Research now suggests that gut permeability and microbiome changes may precede and contribute to the autoimmune attack on pancreatic beta cells.
Fatty Liver Disease (MASLD) and the Gut Microbiome: The Gut-Liver Axis Explained
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is driven in part by gut bacteria. The gut-liver axis explains how a disrupted microbiome contributes to fat accumulation in the liver and disease progression.
Your Gut Microbiome and Cholesterol: How Bacteria Influence Lipid Levels
Gut bacteria directly influence cholesterol absorption, production, and elimination. Understanding the microbiome-cholesterol connection may change how we approach cardiovascular risk management.
Gut Health and High Blood Pressure: The Microbiome Connection to Hypertension
High blood pressure is the leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. New research reveals that gut bacteria produce metabolites that directly regulate blood vessel tone and blood pressure.
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: Is It Real? What Science Actually Says
Millions of people report feeling better without gluten despite negative celiac tests. Mainstream medicine has been sceptical, but emerging research validates non-celiac gluten sensitivity as a real condition with measurable biological markers.
Gut Microbiome and Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Gut-Joint Connection
Rheumatoid arthritis may begin in the gut long before joints are affected. Research reveals how specific gut bacteria drive autoimmune joint inflammation and what you can do about it.
Lupus and Gut Health: How Your Microbiome Influences Lupus Activity
Systemic lupus erythematosus is increasingly linked to gut dysbiosis and intestinal permeability. Understanding this connection opens new avenues for managing flares and improving quality of life.
Multiple Sclerosis and the Gut Microbiome: What Research Reveals
The gut-brain axis plays a central role in multiple sclerosis. Emerging research shows how gut bacteria influence neuroinflammation, demyelination, and disease progression.
Gut Microbiome and Cancer Risk: What the Science Actually Shows
Your gut bacteria influence cancer development through inflammation, immune surveillance, and metabolite production. Here is what research reveals about reducing cancer risk through microbiome health.
Colorectal Cancer and Gut Bacteria: The Bacterial Species That Matter
Specific gut bacteria have been directly linked to colorectal cancer initiation and progression. Learn which species promote or protect against CRC and how to shift your microbiome toward protection.
Breast Cancer and the Estrobolome: How Gut Bacteria Influence Oestrogen and Cancer Risk
The estrobolome is a collection of gut bacteria that metabolise oestrogen. When disrupted, it can increase circulating oestrogen levels and elevate the risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT): What It Treats and How It Works
Fecal microbiota transplant is revolutionising treatment for recurrent C. diff infection and is being investigated for dozens of other conditions. Here is what the evidence supports and what remains experimental.
Zonulin: The Leaky Gut Marker Explained
Zonulin is the only known physiological regulator of intestinal tight junctions. Understanding what it does, how to test it, and what elevated levels mean is essential for anyone investigating leaky gut.
Calprotectin: What It Means and When to Test
Faecal calprotectin is the most reliable non-invasive marker for distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease from IBS. Learn how to interpret results and when this test is truly useful.
Akkermansia muciniphila: The Gut Bacteria Everyone Is Talking About
Akkermansia muciniphila is emerging as one of the most important gut bacteria for metabolic health, gut barrier integrity, and immune function. Here is what the research actually shows and how to support its growth.
Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Butyrate: Why They Matter for Your Gut
Short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, are among the most important molecules your gut bacteria produce. They fuel your colon cells, regulate immunity, and protect against chronic disease.
Biofilms in the Gut: What They Are and How to Break Them
Gut biofilms are communities of microorganisms encased in a protective matrix that shields them from antibiotics and the immune system. Understanding biofilms explains why some gut infections are so difficult to eradicate.
PPIs and Gut Microbiome Damage: What Acid Blockers Do to Your Gut
Proton pump inhibitors are among the most overprescribed drugs in the world, and research reveals they significantly alter the gut microbiome. Learn the real risks and when PPIs are truly necessary.
Antibiotics and Gut Health: How to Recover Your Microbiome
A single course of antibiotics can alter your gut microbiome for months or years. Learn exactly what antibiotics do to your gut bacteria and the evidence-based steps to rebuild after treatment.
Gut Health After COVID and Long COVID: What the Research Shows
COVID-19 disrupts the gut microbiome even when symptoms are primarily respiratory. For long COVID sufferers, persistent gut dysbiosis may drive ongoing symptoms. Here is what research reveals and what you can do.
L-Glutamine for Leaky Gut: What the Science Says
L-glutamine is the most widely recommended supplement for intestinal permeability, and it has a genuine evidence base. Here is what the research shows about dosing, timing, and realistic expectations.
Colostrum for Gut Health: Hype or Legitimate Science
Bovine colostrum has become one of the hottest gut health supplements on social media. But does the science support the claims? Here is an objective review of the evidence for colostrum and gut healing.
Food Poisoning That Turned Into IBS: Post-Infectious IBS Explained
Up to 17 percent of people who get food poisoning develop long-term IBS symptoms that persist for months or years. Here is why it happens and what you can do about it.
Gut Issues and Fatigue: Why Your Digestive Problems Make You Tired
Chronic fatigue is one of the most common symptoms reported alongside digestive issues. The gut-fatigue connection runs through nutrient absorption, inflammation, the microbiome, and the gut-brain axis.
Gut Health and Joint Pain: How Your Microbiome Affects Your Joints
Joint pain that appears unconnected to injury or arthritis may originate in the gut. The gut-joint axis is a well-documented pathway linking intestinal health to joint inflammation.
Gut Microbiome and Sleep Quality: How Your Bacteria Affect Your Rest
Your gut microbiome directly influences sleep architecture, melatonin production, and circadian rhythm regulation. Discover the science behind better sleep through gut health.
Gut Health and Immune System Strength: The 70% Connection
Roughly 70% of your immune system resides in your gut. Learn how the microbiome trains, regulates, and sustains immune defence against infections and chronic disease.
Yeast Infections and Gut Candida: Are They Connected?
Recurrent vaginal yeast infections often trace back to Candida overgrowth in the gut. Learn the science behind this connection and evidence-based strategies to address both simultaneously.
Allergies and Gut Health: Why Your Microbiome Controls Your Immune Response
Both seasonal and food allergies are profoundly influenced by gut microbiome composition. Learn how restoring gut balance can calm an overreactive immune system and reduce allergy severity.
Asthma and the Gut Microbiome: What Science Reveals About the Gut-Lung Axis
The gut-lung axis is a newly recognised pathway linking microbiome health to asthma risk and severity. Explore the science and gut-based strategies that may complement traditional asthma management.
Sperm Health and the Male Gut Microbiome: An Emerging Connection
New research links the male gut microbiome to sperm count, motility, and DNA integrity. Discover how gut health may be the overlooked factor in male fertility and what you can do about it.
Recurrent Miscarriage and Gut-Immune Dysfunction: What Research Reveals
Recurrent pregnancy loss is often driven by immune dysregulation, and the gut microbiome is the primary regulator of immune function. Explore the emerging science linking gut health to pregnancy outcomes.
Preeclampsia and the Gut Microbiome: Understanding the Connection
Preeclampsia may be influenced by gut microbiome imbalances that drive the systemic inflammation and immune dysfunction underlying this serious pregnancy complication. Learn what the latest science reveals.
Weight Gain in Menopause: The Gut Microbiome Link You Need to Know
Menopausal weight gain is not simply about calories or willpower. New research reveals that shifts in the gut microbiome during menopause directly contribute to metabolic changes and fat accumulation.
Thyroid Medication and Gut Absorption: Why Your Levothyroxine May Not Be Working
Gut health directly affects how well you absorb thyroid medication. Discover why many patients on levothyroxine still feel hypothyroid and what gut factors interfere with absorption.
Graves Disease and Gut Health: The Autoimmune Connection
Graves disease is an autoimmune condition with deep roots in gut health. Learn how intestinal permeability, molecular mimicry, and microbiome imbalance drive thyroid autoimmunity.
Fibroids and the Estrobolome: Is Your Gut Health Fuelling Fibroid Growth?
Uterine fibroids are oestrogen-dependent growths, and the gut microbiome directly regulates oestrogen levels through the estrobolome. Learn how gut health influences fibroid development.
Birth Control Pills and the Gut Microbiome: What the Research Shows
Oral contraceptives affect gut health in ways most women are never told about. Learn how the pill changes your microbiome, nutrient absorption, and intestinal barrier, and what to do about it.
Saccharomyces Boulardii: What This Unique Probiotic Yeast Does
Saccharomyces boulardii is not a bacteria but a probiotic yeast with powerful clinical evidence for diarrhoea, gut infections, and microbiome restoration. Learn what it does and when to use it.
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