What changed?
Which chapters were revised when, and why: new studies, notes from users or expert review.
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New
New chapter "What a household shares": how many bacterial strains people living together have in common (about a third in the mouth, about one in eight in the gut), why the length of cohabitation counts for more than being related, the role of the mouth, kisses and swallowed saliva, and what is shared with dogs and cats. Plus the flip side: norovirus and Clostridioides difficile in the family, Helicobacter pylori, resistant bacteria between animal and human – and why shared bacteria are not proof of transmission.
What a household shares: microbes between people, dogs and cats,Dogs and cats: what pets do to your gut, immune system and nerves,The first microbiome: birth, breastfeeding, antibiotics and what remains,Building microbial diversity,Mouth and gut: how teeth, gums and mouthwash touch the gut flora,After antibiotics: C. difficile and faecal transplants
Corrected
Expert review of all chapters: the interaction check now gives the correct spacing for bile acid binders (other medicines four hours before or four to six hours after; previously it wrongly said one hour after). Length and surface area of the gut corrected to newer measurements (around five metres and 30 square metres instead of eight metres and a tennis court). Thyroid and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth now mention the older opposite finding, and the gut check no longer presents the breath test as the only reliable answer. Plus smaller clarifications on antacids, meal breaks and the EFSA advice on liver.
Your gut in ten minutes,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives,Immune system and inflammation,Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics,Medications that change the gut,A gut-friendly everyday life,IgA: the antibody that keeps the gut clean, and what vitamin A, D and omega-3 have to do with it,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea
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New
New overview chapter “Big effect, small budget”: low-cost measures for the gut with their level of evidence, from slow breathing and belly breathing to cooled potatoes, supermarket potato starch, legumes, kiwis, psyllium and peppermint oil to gut hypnosis by app. Plus why expensive microbiome tests and supplement combinations often achieve little.
Big effect, small budget: low-cost measures for your gut,The vagus nerve: the data line between belly and head,Butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids,A gut-friendly everyday life
New
New chapter “The first microbiome”: how bacteria pass from mother to baby, why breast milk specifically feeds bifidobacteria, and how the gut microbiota matures in three phases. Plus what caesarean section, antibiotics, siblings, pets and farm life change, what evens out, and what demonstrably helps: breastfeeding, early allergens, probiotics for preterm babies and colic. The chapter is in the problem tree as an early root of the gut immune system and allergies.
The first microbiome: birth, breastfeeding, antibiotics and what remains,Building microbial diversity,Immune system and inflammation,Allergies and intolerances: how the gut learns to tolerate food,Dogs and cats: what pets do to your gut, immune system and nerves
New
New chapter “When the supplement itself is the problem”: why iron tablets irritate the gut and shift the gut microbiota, why magnesium is laxative, how many excipients such as lactose and sorbitol are in tablets, and what protein powders, creatine, fibre supplements and probiotics can trigger. With community reports from forums, a new test phase “Two weeks without supplements” and the new diary entry “Supplement”.
When the supplement itself is the problem: iron, magnesium, excipients and more,Medications that change the gut,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives,The “leaky gut stack”: colostrum, zinc carnosine, aloe and co.,Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way,Constipation: more than too little fibre,Bloating and fullness: gas that will not move on
New
New chapter “Gut and cancer”: how fibre and butyrate protect against colorectal cancer, what a two-week diet swap showed, why colorectal cancer is rising in younger people and which bacteria are suspected (colibactin-producing E. coli, Fusobacterium, Streptococcus gallolyticus), plus processed meat, bile acids, inflammation and Helicobacter. Also why the gut microbiota helps decide whether immunotherapy works, and what screening, aspirin in Lynch syndrome and probiotics during cancer treatment offer.
Gut and cancer: what the gut microbiota protects against, what harms, and why it matters in cancer treatment,Butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: understanding inflammatory bowel disease,Mouth and gut: how teeth, gums and mouthwash touch the gut flora,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives
New
New chapter “Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis”: how the two forms differ, what genes, smoking, antibiotics, gut microbiota and stress contribute, what lies behind the MAP hypothesis, and which companions are common, from iron deficiency and anxiety to IBS-like symptoms in remission. Plus why early strong treatment matters and what the Mediterranean diet, the Crohn’s disease exclusion diet, E. coli Nissle, curcumin and faecal transplants show. The chapter is in the problem tree and is recommended first in the gut check when IBD is stated.
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: understanding inflammatory bowel disease,Immune system and inflammation,Eating against silent inflammation,Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea
New
New chapter “Gut and endurance sport”: why long, hard sessions briefly damage the gut and make it leakier, why running, heat and ibuprofen make it worse, and where many runners’ iron deficiency comes from. Plus what studies show about gut training, sugar mixes, light food before a race, probiotics, glutamine and the right time to take iron. The chapter is in the problem tree as a cause of diarrhoea, heartburn and nutrient deficiency.
Gut and endurance sport: runner’s gut, cramps and what helps,The gut barrier,Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way,Heartburn and reflux,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives
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New feature
New page “Give feedback”: with an account you can tell us anything about the platform, even without reference to a chapter. Replies appear on the same page.
Corrected
Several sketches checked and corrected: in fat digestion, bile first breaks up the fat, then lipase splits it (previously the other way round). GLP-1 goes from the L cell into the blood. For skin and gut, no direction is established between bowel inflammation and psoriasis. Also more precise labels for lectins, lactose and reflux. Four trial phases (exercise, coffee, probiotic, psyllium husk) have their own pictures instead of another chapter’s sketch. The “less fructose and sorbitol” trial phase now has its own picture too.
Bile, lipase and lecithin: what fat digestion really needs,GLP-1 from the gut: what bacteria do and what “natural Ozempic” cannot do,Skin and gut: what there is to the gut-skin axis,Oxalate, salicylate, lectins: hidden culprits or internet myth?,Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances,Heartburn and reflux
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Corrected
The evidence ratings of the test phases have been reviewed. They show how well it is established that a change relieves gut symptoms, not whether it is healthy in general. Rated higher: psyllium husk (5, recommended by guidelines), less fructose and sorbitol (3, small blinded studies), no alcohol (3, consistent observational studies) and regular meals without snacks (2, established physiology).
Updated
The chapter on the Herxheimer reaction now also covers triggers beyond antibiotics: strong probiotics and ferments such as milk kefir from grains, faecal microbiota transplants, herbal cures and antifungal drugs. It explains why early symptoms usually have ordinary causes and describes genuine reactions to dying parasites in tissue. Plus a new tip on starting strong ferments slowly.
New feature
With an account you can save tips: next to every tip under “What often helps” there is a small +. One click adds the tip to your test phases, a − removes it again. The test phases page lists all saved tips by chapter and type (lifestyle, supplements, medical), and where a matching template exists, you can evaluate the tip right away as a test phase with the diary. Only you can see what you save.
New
New chapter “Autoimmune diseases and the gut”: how the immune system learns tolerance in the gut, what studies on the gut microbiome show in Hashimoto's, autoimmune gastritis, type 1 diabetes, vitiligo, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, multiple sclerosis, lupus and alopecia areata, and where there are only animal studies. Also why coeliac disease and autoimmune gastritis are more common with Hashimoto's and type 1 diabetes, what disturbs the absorption of thyroid tablets, and what the evidence says about vitamin D, selenium and a gluten-free diet. The chapter is part of the problem tree and is recommended in the gut check when an autoimmune disease is reported.
Autoimmune diseases and the gut: Hashimoto's, vitiligo, type 1 diabetes and more,Immune system and inflammation,Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives
New
New chapter “PEA (palmitoylethanolamide)”: how this fatty substance made by the body calms mast cells, glial cells and inflammation in the gut, what the two IBS trials with PEA and polydatin show, how good the evidence for pain is and what is known about safety with longer use. Cross-links from the chapters on mast cells and abdominal pain.
PEA (palmitoylethanolamide): the body's own inflammation brake in a capsule,Mast cells: alarm cells in the gut, histamine and the disputed MCAS,Abdominal pain and cramps: where the pain comes from
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Corrected
Level 2 of the trust score is now called “Plausible” instead of “Well founded”. The old name sounded almost like level 4 “Well supported”, although there is a big difference between them: level 2 stands for first small studies or undisputed basic knowledge, level 4 for several randomised studies with the same result. The scores themselves have not changed.
Updated
The chapter on intestinal parasites has a new tip under natural supplements on Saccharomyces boulardii as an add-on to treatment, with three small studies on Giardia, amoebae and Blastocystis.
Corrected
The problem tree was missing connections that the chapters themselves describe. 29 links have been added, for example: a sensitive stomach, gastroparesis and POTS can lead to fear of eating; post-infectious IBS to diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating; long Covid and POTS to fatigue and brain fog; mast cells and painkillers to a leakier gut barrier; parasites and some medicines to nutrient deficiencies; hormones to heartburn, bloating and looser stools. Fear of eating reinforces and is reinforced by the gut-brain axis and by constipation; both are now drawn as feedback loops.
Fear of food: when your list of safe foods keeps shrinking,Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter,Gastroparesis: when the stomach empties too slowly,POTS and hypermobility: when circulation and connective tissue drag the gut along,Long COVID and the gut: when your stomach won't settle after COVID,When the gut does not settle after an infection,Hormones, the cycle and the gut,Mast cells: alarm cells in the gut, histamine and the disputed MCAS,Parasites in the gut: worms, protozoa and Blastocystis,Medications that change the gut,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,Diverticula, haemorrhoids and fissures: what can go wrong at the end of the gut,Heartburn and reflux,Brain fog and fatigue: when your gut makes your head tired,The vagus nerve: the data line between belly and head,Acid blockers (PPIs): what they change in the gut and how to stop them properly,Constipation: more than too little fibre
New
New chapter "Dogs and cats: what pets do to your gut, immune system and nerves". It summarises what studies show about pets and gut bacteria, allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammation markers, stress hormones and the vagus nerve, where only associations are known and which germs animals can transmit. Cross-references from the chapters on allergies and a gut-friendly everyday life.
Dogs and cats: what pets do to your gut, immune system and nerves,Allergies and intolerances: how the gut learns to tolerate food,A gut-friendly everyday life
New feature
Every chapter now has a level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert. It shows how much prior knowledge a chapter assumes. You can filter by it in the chapter list and in search; if you are new, the Beginner chapters are the best place to start. The chapters recommended after the gut check are now also ordered by level: Beginner at the top, Expert at the bottom.
New feature
Chapters are now rated by readers instead of being approved one by one. With an account you answer up to five questions below each chapter with 0 to 5 stars: helpful for me, had new information for me, easy to understand, matches my understanding, and correct and up to date. Every question is optional. Everyone can see the averages, from 3 ratings per question; only you see your individual rating. If readers on average consider a chapter rather wrong or outdated, this is shown at the top of the chapter. The label “Researched, not yet reviewed” is gone.
New feature
The filters in the chapter overview and in search are tidier: one row of buttons for topic area, keywords, rating and “Well supported”, each button opens its choices. Topic areas, keywords and ratings can be combined, a second click deselects. Selected filters appear below and can be removed one by one with ×. New is the rating filter, for example “New information”: it shows chapters that readers rate at 4 out of 5 stars or more on average for that question. The numbers next to the filters now take the other selected filters into account.
New
New chapter "Bile, lipase and lecithin: what fat digestion really needs". It explains why digesting fat takes more than bile, what bile salt, TUDCA, ox bile and lecithin capsules really show, and what choline is needed for. The reason: until now TUDCA appeared only as a community report without context in the chapter "Life without a gallbladder". Plus four new glossary terms (TUDCA, ursodeoxycholic acid, choline, lecithin) and cross-references from the chapters on bile acids and without a gallbladder.
Bile, lipase and lecithin: what fat digestion really needs,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery
Updated
54 chapters have become much more detailed, on average about twice as long. They now explain more connections across the whole of digestion: chewing and saliva, stomach acid, bile and enzymes, the cleansing wave in the small intestine, the gut lining, IgA and the immune system, nerves and hormones, as well as bacteria, phages, fungi and parasites. They also cover common misunderstandings, differences between people and around 200 new tips with a trust score. 66 new sources have been added, all checked for existence and content. Technical terms stay explained so that newcomers can follow along.
After antibiotics: C. difficile and faecal transplants,Bacteriophages: the hunters in the gut,Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly,Prebiotics beyond inulin: HMOs, arabinogalactan, polyphenols,DAO: the enzyme that intercepts histamine from food,The gut-brain axis,Your gut in ten minutes,The gut barrier,Gut-directed hypnotherapy and psychological therapy: treatment via the gut-brain axis,Gut tests: what they show and what they do not,When the small intestine is too densely colonised,Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way,Fermenting at home: milk kefir, water kefir and S. boulardii soda,A gut-friendly everyday life,Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter,Eating against silent inflammation,Using fermented foods well,Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and body weight,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,GLP-1 from the gut: what bacteria do and what “natural Ozempic” cannot do,Longer fasting: water fasting, therapeutic fasting and fasting-mimicking,Herxheimer reaction, die-off and toxins,Histamine intolerance: much searched, little proven,Hormones, the cycle and the gut,Immune system and inflammation,Intermittent fasting and meal timing: 16:8, 5:2 and Ramadan,Butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids,Low-dose naltrexone (LDN): hope, studies and limits,Doing low-FODMAP right,Medications that change the gut,Building microbial diversity,Mouth and gut: how teeth, gums and mouthwash touch the gut flora,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives,Opportunistic pathogens,Parasites in the gut: worms, protozoa and Blastocystis,Phage therapy: viruses as medicine,Fungi in the gut: what is true about Candida,Prebiotics that build up gently,When the gut does not settle after an infection,Saccharomyces boulardii: the probiotic yeast,Acid blockers (PPIs): what they change in the gut and how to stop them properly,Mould: mycotoxins in food and damp in the home,The mucus layer and additives,The second-meal effect: why dinner helps decide your blood sugar in the morning,IgA: the antibody that keeps the gut clean, and what vitamin A, D and omega-3 have to do with it,Heartburn and reflux,Spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus and co. as probiotics,Stress, sleep and the gut,Where the small intestine meets the colon: ileum, valve and caecum,Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances,Digestive enzymes from mouth to colon: who breaks down what,The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,Constipation: more than too little fibre
Corrected
Corrections after another critical specialist review. Now incorporated: bifidobacteria are no longer listed among the strict anaerobes (they tolerate oxygen), and Eubacterium rectale carries its current name Agathobacter rectalis; the vitamin C note on DAO is framed as a possible measurement artefact; the celandine-free Iberogast version STW 5-II is added; high-dose oral vitamin B12 as an alternative to injections; concrete alcohol figures for water kefir; iron preferably on an empty stomach and every other day; the discussion about high erythritol doses; the normal range of the Bristol scale and the phage count in the glossary; in the problem tree the labels “bile acids” and “Long Covid” plus new causes; two new rules in the interaction check (bile acid binders, peppermint oil with reflux).
Anaerobic gut bacteria: why the good ones do not fit in a capsule,DAO: the enzyme that intercepts histamine from food,Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics,Abdominal pain and cramps: where the pain comes from,Where the small intestine meets the colon: ileum, valve and caecum,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives,Fermenting at home: milk kefir, water kefir and S. boulardii soda,Sweeteners and sugar alcohols,Building microbial diversity,Fear of food: when your list of safe foods keeps shrinking
New feature
The sketches next to the text can now be viewed larger: the small magnifier button in the caption opens the drawing in a window over the page, on a computer about three times as wide as beside the text. The heading says whether it is the healthy or the disturbed state, with the caption below. You can close the window with the cross, with the Escape key or by clicking next to it; the page stays where it was.
New feature
Chapters and other text pages are wider now: the text uses 20 % more width, so less space stays empty on the left and right. The sketches next to the text stay as large as before, and the problem tree now shows five boxes side by side instead of four.
New feature
In the problem tree, a box now keeps its connections visible as soon as you move the mouse over it: the box itself and everything directly connected to it are highlighted, while all other lines and boxes step back. That way your own connections are clear even in a large tree with many lines. Works in the preview and in the large map. Nothing changes on a phone.
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Updated
The sweetener paragraphs now also say what each substance does to the gut microbiome. Sucralose reaches the large intestine largely unchanged; large reviews of randomised trials find no clear average change there, but individual studies and animal experiments do. Saccharin is the substance behind the oldest microbiome finding (2014). Aspartame was considered unremarkable because it is broken down early, yet it still changed the microbiome in the 2022 study. Gut bacteria can break down acesulfame K; for cyclamate, dedicated microbiome studies are lacking. For stevia there is the additional finding that stevia and rebaudioside A wake dormant bacteriophages inside gut bacteria and change their infectivity. In the large intestine, sugar alcohols are food for the bacteria – erythritol promoted butyrate production in a gut model, while sorbitol promoted inflammatory signals in a mouse study.
Updated
The sweetener chapter now introduces the individual substances: sucralose, saccharin, aspartame, stevia, acesulfame K, cyclamate and neotame as well as the sugar alcohols sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol and erythritol — each with its E number, typical products (zero drinks, chewing gum, protein bars, table-top sweeteners) and whether it reaches the large intestine. The salt forms sodium cyclamate and sodium saccharin are named as well, because that is how they appear on the ingredients list. It also notes that “naturally sweetened” with honey or agave syrup is no progress for the gut, adds a tip on the amount and covers the 2023 WHO guideline.
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New feature
The header has been tidied up: “Chapters” and the “My account” menu stay visible. Inside the menu you will find the check, the tools, your suggestions, your progress, your result and — as an admin — the review queue; at the very bottom you can log out. Without an account it holds “Log in / Create account”; the check and the tools stay reachable as a guest. On a laptop the logo gets its own line and the search and the menu share the second, so nothing wraps awkwardly any more. Everything still works without JavaScript.
Corrected
The trust score now also rates settled basic knowledge. Level 2 is no longer only “Preliminary” but “Well founded”: when something is not in dispute and has simply never been tested for symptoms — eating calmly and slowly, chewing thoroughly, three to four hours between meals, movement or sleep —, it no longer sits at level 1. Sixteen tips were raised, among them “Eat calmly” and “Chew thoroughly” from 1 to 2. Level 3 now also covers many consistent observational studies, such as smoking and gums. And the explanation page now says plainly: a low score does not mean something does not work, it means there are few studies on it.
A gut-friendly everyday life,The mucus layer and additives,After antibiotics: C. difficile and faecal transplants,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,When the small intestine is too densely colonised,Intermittent fasting and meal timing: 16:8, 5:2 and Ramadan,Using fermented foods well,Spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus and co. as probiotics,Mouth and gut: how teeth, gums and mouthwash touch the gut flora,Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery,The “leaky gut stack”: colostrum, zinc carnosine, aloe and co.,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,Longer fasting: water fasting, therapeutic fasting and fasting-mimicking,IgA: the antibody that keeps the gut clean, and what vitamin A, D and omega-3 have to do with it
Corrected
The problem tree has been tidied up. The chapter on pressure under the right ribs is now called “Bile & liver” and covers only those two organs; rib cartilage, trapped skin nerves and gas in the colon are no longer part of it. Two nodes are new in the tree: the digestive chain (if one link fails, the whole digestion weakens) and the weak cleaning wave that drives a relapse of small-intestinal overgrowth. Mast cells and allergies, and heartburn and acid blockers, are now drawn as double arrows. The reasons behind the root-cause scores were sharpened, above all for DAO (usually acquired after damage to the gut lining), for intolerances (missing enzymes, plus overgrowth and a more permeable lining) and for the digestive-chain chapter, which now also explains how too little stomach acid can cause heartburn.
Pressure under the right ribs: bile, liver and gallstones,The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics,Acid blockers (PPIs): what they change in the gut and how to stop them properly,Heartburn and reflux,Mast cells: alarm cells in the gut, histamine and the disputed MCAS,Allergies and intolerances: how the gut learns to tolerate food,DAO: the enzyme that intercepts histamine from food,Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances,GLP-1 from the gut: what bacteria do and what “natural Ozempic” cannot do
Corrected
Problem tree refined: mast cells now come before histamine, because they release it, and low digestive enzymes lead to weak digestion rather than the other way round. New double arrows mark feedback loops that reinforce each other: mast cells and histamine, stress and the vagus nerve, methane and constipation, gut flora diversity and the immune system.
Mast cells: alarm cells in the gut, histamine and the disputed MCAS,Histamine intolerance: much searched, little proven,Digestive enzymes from mouth to colon: who breaks down what,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,Stress, sleep and the gut,The vagus nerve: the data line between belly and head,Hydrogen sulfide and methane: the other gases in the gut,Constipation: more than too little fibre,Building microbial diversity,Immune system and inflammation
New
Thirty-four chapters now carry their own section, “From the community: what those affected report”, below “Ways back”. It gathers recurring experiences from peer forums and patient communities on topics for which there is no meaningful evidence yet – clearly marked as experience and not as evidence, with the state of the evidence, how widespread the reports are, and where they come from. It appears only where a recurring theme was recognisable and the evidence is thin or contradictory; where research already covers a topic well, the chapter stays unchanged. Individual reports are summarised, never quoted, and never attributed to a user name. The texts can also be found through the keyword search, with the lowest weight so that backed statements stay in front; a hit from the box is marked “Community” in the results list, as are chapters with reports in the chapter list and in the learning paths.
Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,Pressure under the right ribs: bile, liver and gallstones,Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery,Bloating and fullness: gas that will not move on,The “leaky gut stack”: colostrum, zinc carnosine, aloe and co.,Histamine intolerance: much searched, little proven,DAO: the enzyme that intercepts histamine from food,Mast cells: alarm cells in the gut, histamine and the disputed MCAS,Fermenting at home: milk kefir, water kefir and S. boulardii soda,Saccharomyces boulardii: the probiotic yeast,Spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus and co. as probiotics,Prebiotics that build up gently,Fungi in the gut: what is true about Candida,Parasites in the gut: worms, protozoa and Blastocystis,Biofilms in the gut and “biofilm busters”,Herxheimer reaction, die-off and toxins,Mould: mycotoxins in food and damp in the home,Oxalate, salicylate, lectins: hidden culprits or internet myth?,Carnivore and keto: less gas, but at what cost?,SCD, GAPS and the autoimmune protocol: what strict elimination diets can and cannot do,Gut tests: what they show and what they do not,The vagus nerve: the data line between belly and head,Brain fog and fatigue: when your gut makes your head tired,Long COVID and the gut: when your stomach won't settle after COVID,POTS and hypermobility: when circulation and connective tissue drag the gut along,Gastroparesis: when the stomach empties too slowly,Low-dose naltrexone (LDN): hope, studies and limits,When the small intestine is too densely colonised,SIBO treatments compared: rifaximin, herbs, elemental diet and faecal transplant,Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics,Hydrogen sulfide and methane: the other gases in the gut,Skin and gut: what there is to the gut-skin axis,Allergies and intolerances: how the gut learns to tolerate food,Fear of food: when your list of safe foods keeps shrinking
Corrected
The German texts were checked for readability and word choice and smoothed in 140 places. The English, Spanish and French versions are unchanged. Two of these places were also imprecise in substance and have been corrected in German.
Your gut in ten minutes,A gut-friendly everyday life,The mucus layer and additives,Opportunistic pathogens,After antibiotics: C. difficile and faecal transplants,Building microbial diversity,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,Phage therapy: viruses as medicine,The gut-brain axis,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,When the small intestine is too densely colonised,When the gut does not settle after an infection,Constipation: more than too little fibre,Histamine intolerance: much searched, little proven,Sweeteners and sugar alcohols,Butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids,Heartburn and reflux,Gut tests: what they show and what they do not,Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and body weight,Prebiotics beyond inulin: HMOs, arabinogalactan, polyphenols,Herxheimer reaction, die-off and toxins,Spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus and co. as probiotics,Saccharomyces boulardii: the probiotic yeast,Fermenting at home: milk kefir, water kefir and S. boulardii soda,Intermittent fasting and meal timing: 16:8, 5:2 and Ramadan,Longer fasting: water fasting, therapeutic fasting and fasting-mimicking,Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter,Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly,Hormones, the cycle and the gut,Anaerobic gut bacteria: why the good ones do not fit in a capsule,The vagus nerve: the data line between belly and head,IgA: the antibody that keeps the gut clean, and what vitamin A, D and omega-3 have to do with it,Mast cells: alarm cells in the gut, histamine and the disputed MCAS,The second-meal effect: why dinner helps decide your blood sugar in the morning,Mouth and gut: how teeth, gums and mouthwash touch the gut flora,Pressure under the right ribs: bile, liver and gallstones,GLP-1 from the gut: what bacteria do and what “natural Ozempic” cannot do,Acid blockers (PPIs): what they change in the gut and how to stop them properly,The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off,Where the small intestine meets the colon: ileum, valve and caecum,Allergies and intolerances: how the gut learns to tolerate food,Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics,SIBO treatments compared: rifaximin, herbs, elemental diet and faecal transplant,Hydrogen sulfide and methane: the other gases in the gut,Fear of food: when your list of safe foods keeps shrinking,Carnivore and keto: less gas, but at what cost?,SCD, GAPS and the autoimmune protocol: what strict elimination diets can and cannot do,Oxalate, salicylate, lectins: hidden culprits or internet myth?,The “leaky gut stack”: colostrum, zinc carnosine, aloe and co.,Biofilms in the gut and “biofilm busters”,Low-dose naltrexone (LDN): hope, studies and limits,Brain fog and fatigue: when your gut makes your head tired,Gut-directed hypnotherapy and psychological therapy: treatment via the gut-brain axis,POTS and hypermobility: when circulation and connective tissue drag the gut along,Long COVID and the gut: when your stomach won't settle after COVID,Gastroparesis: when the stomach empties too slowly,Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery,Diverticula, haemorrhoids and fissures: what can go wrong at the end of the gut
New
Four new chapters on the most common gut complaints: bloating (what distends the belly, FODMAPs, biofeedback for visible abdominal distension), diarrhoea (acute and chronic, replacing fluid and salts, what needs checking by a doctor), abdominal pain (pain in IBS, oversensitive nerves in the gut, warning signs) and nutrient deficiency (iron, vitamin B12, fat-soluble vitamins, zinc and when blood tests are worthwhile). The four complaints are now their own nodes in the problem tree, the gut check recommends the chapters for the matching answers, and two new tags, “Travel” and “Nutrients”, round off the overview.
Bloating and fullness: gas that will not move on,Diarrhoea: understand it, place it and react the right way,Abdominal pain and cramps: where the pain comes from,Nutrient deficiency in gut problems: when food no longer arrives
Corrected
Rome V (2026) replaces the Rome IV criteria. Wherever the site names the current criteria, it now says Rome V — in the glossary, in the chapters on abdominal pain, pelvic floor and sensitive stomach, and in the check’s patterns. For IBS, Rome V also counts discomfort and lowers the threshold to three days per month; continuous pain is assigned to a separate disorder. The rules used in the analysis have been adjusted accordingly.
Abdominal pain and cramps: where the pain comes from,Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly,Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter
Corrected
The English, Spanish and French texts were checked for readability and smoothed in about 170 places: phrases carried over too literally from German, incomplete sentences and a consistent form of address. Nothing has changed in the content.
Allergies and intolerances: how the gut learns to tolerate food,Anaerobic gut bacteria: why the good ones do not fit in a capsule,After antibiotics: C. difficile and faecal transplants,Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly,Prebiotics beyond inulin: HMOs, arabinogalactan, polyphenols,Biofilms in the gut and “biofilm busters”,Carnivore and keto: less gas, but at what cost?,The gut-brain axis,Your gut in ten minutes,The gut barrier,Gut-directed hypnotherapy and psychological therapy: treatment via the gut-brain axis,Gut tests: what they show and what they do not,Diverticula, haemorrhoids and fissures: what can go wrong at the end of the gut,Pressure under the right ribs: bile, liver and gallstones,When the small intestine is too densely colonised,Fermenting at home: milk kefir, water kefir and S. boulardii soda,A gut-friendly everyday life,Fear of food: when your list of safe foods keeps shrinking,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,Herxheimer reaction, die-off and toxins,Hormones, the cycle and the gut,Immune system and inflammation,Intermittent fasting and meal timing: 16:8, 5:2 and Ramadan,Butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids,The “leaky gut stack”: colostrum, zinc carnosine, aloe and co.,Long COVID and the gut: when your stomach won't settle after COVID,Low-dose naltrexone (LDN): hope, studies and limits,Medications that change the gut,Mouth and gut: how teeth, gums and mouthwash touch the gut flora,Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery,Opportunistic pathogens,Parasites in the gut: worms, protozoa and Blastocystis,Phage therapy: viruses as medicine,POTS and hypermobility: when circulation and connective tissue drag the gut along,Prebiotics that build up gently,When the gut does not settle after an infection,Saccharomyces boulardii: the probiotic yeast,Acid blockers (PPIs): what they change in the gut and how to stop them properly,Mould: mycotoxins in food and damp in the home,Hydrogen sulfide and methane: the other gases in the gut,SIBO treatments compared: rifaximin, herbs, elemental diet and faecal transplant,Heartburn and reflux,Spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus and co. as probiotics,Stress, sleep and the gut,Sweeteners and sugar alcohols,Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances,The vagus nerve: the data line between belly and head,The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,Constipation: more than too little fibre
New feature
New keyword search at the top of every page: it searches all chapters, and matches in the title come first. Upper and lower case and accents do not matter, and parts of words are enough: “histamine” also finds “histamine intolerance”. Results can be filtered like the chapter overview, by topic area, keyword, evidence and rating. All four languages are searched: “Blähungen” also finds the chapter on bloating on the English site.
New feature
New: every chapter now shows where it sits in the chain. A box at the top gives a root-cause score from 0 to 5 — whether a topic tends to come first or tends to be a consequence; below it, a problem tree draws the possible causes (above) and consequences (below) across all levels, and every node links to the matching chapter. The map appears in all 48 chapters that describe a problem; treatments, tests, diets and overview chapters deliberately have none.
When the small intestine is too densely colonised,After antibiotics: C. difficile and faecal transplants,The gut barrier,Stress, sleep and the gut
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New feature
Each chapter now shows the average of all reader ratings (easy to understand, helpful, new) once there are at least three ratings. In the chapter overview you can filter by “Well rated (4 out of 5 or more)”, also together with the other filters.
New feature
New filter in the chapter overview: “Well supported or better only” hides preliminary and experimental topics and shows only chapters with a trust score of 4 or 5. It can be combined with topic area and keyword and also applies to the random chapter.
Corrected
Corrections after two independent expert reviews of all chapters. Where a criticism was verifiable, it has been incorporated: clearer safety notes (green tea extract, S. boulardii, ibuprofen, GLP-1 drugs and pregnancy, fasting, home-made ferments), corrected figures and sources (lactose amount, post-infectious IBS, a probiotic study, outdated or wrong links), and lower scores where the evidence is weaker than stated (low-FODMAP, rifaximin for SIBO, among others).
After antibiotics: C. difficile and faecal transplants,Prebiotics beyond inulin: HMOs, arabinogalactan, polyphenols,A gut-friendly everyday life,GLP-1 from the gut: what bacteria do and what “natural Ozempic” cannot do,Histamine intolerance: much searched, little proven,Intermittent fasting and meal timing: 16:8, 5:2 and Ramadan,Mouth and gut: how teeth, gums and mouthwash touch the gut flora,Phage therapy: viruses as medicine,When the gut does not settle after an infection,Stress, sleep and the gut,The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off,Allergies and intolerances: how the gut learns to tolerate food,Bacteriophages: the hunters in the gut,DAO: the enzyme that intercepts histamine from food,When the small intestine is too densely colonised,Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter,Longer fasting: water fasting, therapeutic fasting and fasting-mimicking,Hormones, the cycle and the gut,Butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids,Medications that change the gut,Opportunistic pathogens,Saccharomyces boulardii: the probiotic yeast,The mucus layer and additives,Heartburn and reflux,Sweeteners and sugar alcohols,Stomach acid, bile and enzymes,Anaerobic gut bacteria: why the good ones do not fit in a capsule,Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly,Gut tests: what they show and what they do not,Fermenting at home: milk kefir, water kefir and S. boulardii soda,Eating against silent inflammation,Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,Herxheimer reaction, die-off and toxins,Doing low-FODMAP right,Building microbial diversity,Parasites in the gut: worms, protozoa and Blastocystis,Prebiotics that build up gently,Acid blockers (PPIs): what they change in the gut and how to stop them properly,The second-meal effect: why dinner helps decide your blood sugar in the morning,Spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus and co. as probiotics,Where the small intestine meets the colon: ileum, valve and caecum,Digestive enzymes from mouth to colon: who breaks down what,Constipation: more than too little fibre,The gut-brain axis,The “leaky gut stack”: colostrum, zinc carnosine, aloe and co.,Lactose, fructose, gluten: making sense of intolerances,Gut-directed hypnotherapy and psychological therapy: treatment via the gut-brain axis,Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery,SIBO treatments compared: rifaximin, herbs, elemental diet and faecal transplant,Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics,The gut barrier,POTS and hypermobility: when circulation and connective tissue drag the gut along,Mast cells: alarm cells in the gut, histamine and the disputed MCAS,Your gut in ten minutes
New feature
New: chapters can be listened to. At the top of a chapter a listen button plays the text, and a small speaker icon in the chapter list marks the chapters that have audio. The short summary and the two main sections are read aloud, not the tips. The voice is machine-generated and stored ready-made on this server: nothing is sent to outside services, and playback continues without an internet connection.
New
Eighteen new chapters on topics people ask about again and again in forums: why SIBO comes back, SIBO treatments compared, hydrogen sulfide and methane, fear of food, carnivore and keto, SCD/GAPS and elimination diets, oxalate, salicylate and lectins, the “leaky gut stack”, biofilms, low-dose naltrexone, brain fog and fatigue, skin and gut, long COVID, gut-directed hypnotherapy and psychotherapy, POTS and hypermobility, gastroparesis, life without a gallbladder, and diverticula, hemorrhoids and fissures. Popular but poorly supported approaches are explained, not recommended. Plus nine myths, twelve glossary terms and links from existing chapters.
Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics,SIBO treatments compared: rifaximin, herbs, elemental diet and faecal transplant,Hydrogen sulfide and methane: the other gases in the gut,Fear of food: when your list of safe foods keeps shrinking,Carnivore and keto: less gas, but at what cost?,SCD, GAPS and the autoimmune protocol: what strict elimination diets can and cannot do,Oxalate, salicylate, lectins: hidden culprits or internet myth?,The “leaky gut stack”: colostrum, zinc carnosine, aloe and co.,Biofilms in the gut and “biofilm busters”,Low-dose naltrexone (LDN): hope, studies and limits,Brain fog and fatigue: when your gut makes your head tired,Skin and gut: what there is to the gut-skin axis,Long COVID and the gut: when your stomach won't settle after COVID,Gut-directed hypnotherapy and psychological therapy: treatment via the gut-brain axis,POTS and hypermobility: when circulation and connective tissue drag the gut along,Gastroparesis: when the stomach empties too slowly,Life without a gallbladder: diarrhoea, fat and symptoms after surgery,Diverticula, haemorrhoids and fissures: what can go wrong at the end of the gut
New feature
New: “Random chapter” in the chapter overview, at the end of every chapter and in your account. It opens a chapter you have not read yet, optionally within the selected topic area or keyword. “My account” also has a new “My result” tab with your check result and matching learning paths, trial phases and myths.
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New
Twelve new chapters: the vagus nerve, IgA with vitamin A, D and omega-3, mast cells and MCAS, the second-meal effect, mouth and gut, pressure under the right ribs, GLP-1 from the gut, acid blockers (PPIs), the digestive chain from acid via bile to the pancreas, digestive enzymes from mouth to colon, the transition from small intestine to colon, and allergies and the gut. Plus four new tags, eleven glossary terms and four myths.
The vagus nerve: the data line between belly and head,IgA: the antibody that keeps the gut clean, and what vitamin A, D and omega-3 have to do with it,Mast cells: alarm cells in the gut, histamine and the disputed MCAS,The second-meal effect: why dinner helps decide your blood sugar in the morning,Mouth and gut: how teeth, gums and mouthwash touch the gut flora,Pressure under the right ribs: bile, liver and gallstones,GLP-1 from the gut: what bacteria do and what “natural Ozempic” cannot do,Acid blockers (PPIs): what they change in the gut and how to stop them properly,The digestive chain: how stomach acid, bile and pancreas set each other off,Digestive enzymes from mouth to colon: who breaks down what,Where the small intestine meets the colon: ileum, valve and caecum,Allergies and intolerances: how the gut learns to tolerate food
New
New: “Anaerobic gut bacteria: why the good ones do not fit in a capsule”. How the gut keeps itself low in oxygen, what Faecalibacterium, Akkermansia and others need to grow, and why these species can hardly be made into supplements.
Anaerobic gut bacteria: why the good ones do not fit in a capsule
New feature
New: every chapter starts with “Short and simple”, three sentences in plain language: how it normally works, what goes wrong and what helps.
New
Three new chapters on questions from the new gut check: “Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly” (defecation disorder, biofeedback, footstool), “Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter” (functional dyspepsia according to the Rome criteria, Helicobacter testing, treatment steps) and “Hormones, the cycle and the gut” (period, endometriosis, pregnancy, menopause, thyroid).
Pelvic floor: when stool won’t come out properly,Sensitive stomach: fullness, upper abdominal pain and Helicobacter,Hormones, the cycle and the gut
New feature
New: a glossary with 35 technical terms from butyrate to coeliac disease. In the chapters, these terms can be tapped at their first mention to show a short explanation.
New feature
New: a symptom diary with simple pattern detection and guided test phases. With an account you can record symptoms, stool form and possible triggers every day. Test phases such as “Two weeks without lactose” run in three stages (baseline, test, check phase) and are evaluated with the diary.
New
Two new chapters on fasting: “Intermittent fasting and meal timing” (16:8, early eating window, Ramadan, the cleansing wave in the small intestine) and “Longer fasting: water fasting, therapeutic fasting and fasting-mimicking” (remodelling of the gut microbiota, studies on blood pressure and IBS, risks such as gallstones and refeeding syndrome). New tag “Fasting”.
Intermittent fasting and meal timing: 16:8, 5:2 and Ramadan,Longer fasting: water fasting, therapeutic fasting and fasting-mimicking
New feature
New gut check: 44 questions in seven sections, including questions based on the Rome criteria, reactions to dairy, fruit, histamine and fatty food, medical history and individual warning signs. The analysis now detects patterns across several answers, such as IBS, bile acid diarrhoea or a risk of SIBO, each with reasons and sources. Also new: a profile you can take into an AI chat.
New feature
New tools: doctor visit sheet, interaction check, evidence map, myth check, learning paths, this changes page and reading without internet.
New
Two new chapters: the enzyme DAO with inhibiting drugs and DAO from sprouts, and homemade ferments such as milk kefir, water kefir and S. boulardii soda.
DAO: the enzyme that intercepts histamine from food,Fermenting at home: milk kefir, water kefir and S. boulardii soda
New
Two new chapters: spore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus as probiotics, and the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii.
Spore-forming bacteria: Bacillus and co. as probiotics,Saccharomyces boulardii: the probiotic yeast
New feature
New page for community suggestions, with links to studies and shared experiences.
New
Three new chapters: special prebiotics (HMOs, arabinogalactan, polyphenols), the Herxheimer reaction and die-off, and mould and mycotoxins.
Prebiotics beyond inulin: HMOs, arabinogalactan, polyphenols,Herxheimer reaction, die-off and toxins,Mould: mycotoxins in food and damp in the home
Updated
Every chapter now has its own sketches for "how it works" and "how it tips" instead of placeholders.
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New
Four new chapters: short-chain fatty acids, Firmicutes and body weight, gentle prebiotics, and parasites.
Butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids,Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and body weight,Prebiotics that build up gently,Parasites in the gut: worms, protozoa and Blastocystis
Updated
Seven chapters expanded with mechanisms, such as primary and secondary bile acids, cross-feeding and histamine-producing bacteria.
Bile acids: when bile causes diarrhoea,After antibiotics: C. difficile and faecal transplants,The gut barrier,When the small intestine is too densely colonised,Histamine intolerance: much searched, little proven,Building microbial diversity,Opportunistic pathogens
New feature
Launch of the platform with gut check, chapters in four languages, accounts and anonymous statistics.
Noticed something in a chapter? You can report it below every chapter. Go to the chapters