What is the Gut Health Triangle? (Microbiome, Leaky Gut, Inflammation)

When you’re living with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) or Crohn’s Disease, it can feel like the symptoms come in waves, but the root causes are harder to see. Most treatments focus on one thing.

At Proviscera, we use a term called the Gut Health Triangle to explain what’s really happening beneath the surface and why long-term relief means supporting all three corners:

1. The Microbiome — restoring balance to the ecosystem of bacteria in the gut

2. The Gut Barrier — strengthening the intestinal lining to reduce permeability

3. Inflammation — calming the immune overreaction that drives most Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) symptoms

When one corner breaks down, the others follow. Dysbiosis damages the gut lining. Leaky gut allows toxins into the bloodstream, triggering inflammation. And inflammation further harms both the lining and the microbiome. This creates a vicious cycle that drives flares and delays healing.

This blog breaks down each part of the triangle, and shows how the Proviscera protocol supports all three, at the right stage of disease.

1. The Microbiome: When Gut Bacteria Go Off Balance

What is the Microbiome?

Your gut microbiome is home to trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In a healthy system, these microbes help digest food, produce key nutrients, and train the immune system. But in people with IBD, this delicate balance is often lost, a condition known as dysbiosis.

People with UC and Crohn’s typically have less microbial diversity and a loss of protective strains, paired with an overgrowth of more aggressive bacteria. This shift can trigger inflammation, damage the gut lining, and worsen flares.

The result? A microbiome that’s no longer helping you, and might actively be working against you. These imbalances can increase inflammation, impair gut barrier function, and keep your immune system on constant high alert. Which is exactly what we see during flares.

Signs Your Microbiome May Be Imbalanced

Dysbiosis looks different for everyone, but common signs include:

• Bloating or discomfort after eating

• Unpredictable bowel movements (diarrhoea, constipation, or both)

• Food intolerances you’ve never had before

• Fatigue or brain fog

• Frequent infections, colds, or slow recovery from illness

• Mood changes (anxiety, low mood), thanks to the gut-brain axis

If you’re living with IBD, chances are your microbiome has taken a hit from flares, antibiotics, steroids, or just the daily strain of inflammation.

How Proviscera Supports the Microbiome

FLARE doesn’t contain probiotics, and that’s deliberate. During a flare, your gut is too unstable to handle them. Instead, we focus on calming the system first.

Once inflammation is under control, REPAIR steps in to support all three corners of the Gut Health Triangle, including targeted probiotic therapy. The REPAIR probiotic formula delivers four carefully selected strains, each chosen for their relevance to IBD recovery. These include Bifidobacterium longum, Bacillus subtilis, Weizmannia coagulans, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, together providing 31.5 billion CFUs per day. These strains have been clinically shown to reduce inflammation, promote mucosal healing, and restore microbial diversity after a flare. And because the gut is still vulnerable, they’re delivered in enteric-coated capsules, ensuring they survive digestion and reach the small intestine and early colon intact, where healing begins.

CARE continues this full-spectrum support during remission, with a dual formula: a probiotic + prebiotic blend, and a separate low-dose anti-inflammatory capsule. The probiotic includes six strains known for their impact on inflammation, gut barrier repair, and long-term microbiome stability, including Bifidobacterium longum BB536, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v, and Lactobacillus reuteri. Each capsule contains 35 billion CFUs, supported by a gentle low-FODMAP prebiotic (IMO) to feed good bacteria without triggering bloating. Again, enteric-coated delivery ensures these strains reach the lower small intestine and colon, the areas most impacted by IBD and most critical for microbial colonisation.

Both REPAIR and CARE were designed to go beyond generic probiotic formulas. No filler strains. No bloated CFU counts. Just clinical-grade formulas tailored to IBD recovery and remission, delivered to the right place, at the right time, in the right amount.

2. The Gut Barrier: Understanding Leaky Gut

What Is It?

“Leaky gut” might sound like wellness-industry jargon, but it’s a real, medically recognised issue.

The intestinal lining is a single layer of cells held together by tight junctions. It’s your gatekeeper, allowing nutrients through while blocking harmful particles. But in IBD, that barrier becomes compromised, a condition known as increased intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut.”

When the gut is healthy, these junctions stay sealed. But under stress, especially in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), they start to loosen. That means substances that should stay inside your gut start leaking out. And once they’re in your bloodstream, your immune system sees them as a threat.

The result is inflammation. Systemic symptoms. And in the case of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) or Crohn’s Disease, a spike in the very reactions that cause pain, urgency, bleeding, and fatigue.

How Leaky Gut Fuels Inflammation

The gut barrier is your frontline defence. When it’s compromised:

• Bacterial fragments like lipopolysaccharides (LPS) escape into the bloodstream

• Undigested food particles pass through, triggering food sensitivities

• The immune system mounts a defence, and in people with IBD, that reaction is overblown and difficult to shut off

Worse still, this immune reaction damages the gut lining even further. That means more permeability, more immune activation, and more symptoms, a cycle that can be hard to break once it’s started.

What Causes It?

Several factors contribute to a weakened gut barrier, but three major ones tend to show up again and again in IBD:

• Dysbiosis: harmful bacteria damage the intestinal wall

• Chronic inflammation: immune attacks wear down the lining

• Medications, stress, and dietary irritants can all worsen permeability

How Proviscera Supports the Gut Barrier

FLARE contains zinc carnosine and omega-3 fatty acids, which begin to protect and stabilise the gut lining even during a flare.

REPAIR goes deeper, with L-Glutamine, zinc carnosine, tributyrin, and omega-3s to actively rebuild mucosal integrity. These ingredients nourish the cells of the intestinal wall, promote healing, and reduce permeability.

CARE continues that support in remission, with tributyrin, zinc, and omega-3s helping to keep the barrier strong, even when symptoms are gone.

3. Inflammation: The Fire That Starts the Flare

How It Works in UC and Crohn’s

Inflammation is the immune system’s way of protecting you, but in IBD, the response is chronic and misdirected. Gut bacteria, food particles, and other triggers can set off a cascade of immune signals, including pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6.

This leads to the classic symptoms of a flare: cramping, urgency, bleeding, fatigue, and deeper damage to the gut lining and microbiome.

What Triggers It?

While the specifics vary from person to person, there are common culprits:

• Dysbiosis – an unbalanced microbiome puts the immune system on edge

• Leaky gut – when particles escape into the bloodstream, immune cells go on high alert

• Infections (even mild ones) – even a common cold or stomach bug can provoke a gut-based immune response

• Stress – cortisol and adrenaline affect gut immune function and can trigger or worsen flares

• Dietary causes – highly processed foods, alcohol, or poorly tolerated foods, can tip the balance

Once inflammation takes hold, it doesn’t just cause symptoms; it actively fuels the other two corners of the triangle. It damages the gut lining, deepens dysbiosis, and sets the stage for a longer, more intense flare.

That’s why controlling inflammation is the first and most urgent step in any IBD healing plan.

How Proviscera Targets Inflammation

We designed Proviscera FLARE to do one job exceptionally well: calm inflammation at the root, without the side effects that often come with pharmaceuticals.

It includes:

• Qing Dai (Indigo Naturalis) – Targets the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which regulates gut immunity. Strong anti-inflammatory effects, especially when delivered to the colon. Ours is enteric-coated to minimise common side effects like headaches and nausea.

• Curcumin (bioavailable, colon-targeted) – Inhibits the NF-κB pathway, a master regulator of inflammatory gene expression. Our formulation ensures it reaches the colon directly, where it’s needed most.

• Boswellia Serrata – A 5-LOX inhibitor that works synergistically with curcumin. It helps suppress leukotrienes, another group of inflammation-promoting compounds often elevated in IBD.

• Omega-3s and zinc carnosine – Well-documented systemic anti-inflammatory effects. In IBD, they help reduce mucosal inflammation and support membrane integrity.

• Zinc Carnosine – Included not only for its gut-barrier support, but because it also reduces oxidative stress and modulates immune responses.

REPAIR continues inflammation support with tapered doses of Qing Dai, curcumin, and Boswellia, enough to calm lingering inflammation without over-suppressing your system.

CARE includes a low-dose curcumin formula to keep inflammation at bay in remission, gently, safely, and consistently.

The Vicious Cycle of IBD and How We Break It

It’s Not One Problem. It’s a Loop

In IBD, the microbiome, gut barrier, and inflammation form a feedback loop. Each problem makes the others worse. You can’t address just one and expect lasting results.

Here’s how it works:

• An unbalanced microbiome produces toxins that damage the gut lining

• A weakened gut barrier lets those toxins escape into the bloodstream

• The immune system reacts, triggering inflammation

• Inflammation further damages the gut lining and microbiome

• And the cycle continues

Many products focus on only one area, but that’s rarely enough.

At Proviscera, we designed a protocol that supports all three corners of the triangle, adjusted for each stage:

• FLARE (for active flares): High-dose inflammation control + gentle barrier support

• REPAIR (post-flare): All three systems targeted at once, inflammation, gut lining, microbiome

• CARE (remission): Maintenance support across all three areas, delivered via two separate formulas

This is about timing, dosage, and knowing what your gut is ready to handle at each stage.

FAQs About the Gut Health Triangle

Can I test for dysbiosis or leaky gut?

Yes. Stool tests can detect microbial imbalances, and zonulin can be tested via stool or blood. The most common leaky gut test is the lactulose–mannitol urine test. That said, if you have IBD, you can assume some degree of gut permeability and treat accordingly.

Do I need to treat all three corners at once?

Not during a flare, inflammation comes first. But once flaring stops, both gut barrier and microbiome work can begin together. That’s what REPAIR is built to do.

Can I use Proviscera alongside my prescription meds?

Yes, our protocols are designed to work alongside conventional treatment. Just check with your doctor if you’re on blood thinners (due to curcumin) or have a history of liver disease (especially if taking Qing Dai beyond 12 weeks).

Is leaky gut recognised in medicine?

Yes, it’s referred to as increased intestinal permeability in clinical research and is widely studied in relation to IBD and autoimmune disease.

It’s Not Just One Thing. It’s the Triangle

If you’ve tried probiotics and seen no change, or taken anti-inflammatories only to flare again weeks later, the missing piece might not be the product.  It might be that you’ve only been addressing one part of the picture.

The Gut Health Triangle helps explain why symptoms keep returning and what needs to happen to stop the cycle.

By supporting inflammation, the gut barrier, and the microbiome, based on your current stage, we make space for real, long-term healing.

That’s the foundation behind every Proviscera formula,  and it’s why our protocols don’t just manage symptoms. They help rebuild your gut from the inside out.

You don’t have to guess your way through IBD. The triangle gives you a map.