Most probiotic supplements, especially lactobacilli and bifidobacterium, do not permanently change the microbiome–they only deliver temporary benefits as visitors before departing after a few weeks.

Microbiome Breakthrough uses a synergistic 4-pronged approach to optimizing the gut barrier and microbiome. Here’s how the ingredients work in different ways, but together, to soothe the gut lining, seed good bacteria, and create a hospitable environment for the good bacteria to stay.

• Escorts out suboptimal bacteria with IgYmax, making room for healthier ones in the gut. Clinical studies also found that IgYmax supports healthy inflammatory responses at the gut barrier and reduces zonulin levels[18].
• Improves the gut flora composition with synbiotics – the combination of high-potency probiotics and prebiotics– enhances the survival of the probiotics and increases the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
• Builds healthy biofilms. These three Lactobacilli strains in Microbiome Breakthrough are strong biofilm formers, so they’re more likely to form healthy biofilms in your gut. They may also be more likely to inhibit suboptimal biofilms in your mouth and gut[19].
• Feeds and rebalance the gut lining cells. with collagen and bone broth as sources of bioactive peptides, nutrients, and amino acids like glutamine, which feed the gut lining cells. The short-chain fatty acids produced by the synbiotics are also preferred fuels for your gut lining cells. All of these make the gut more hospitable for a healthier flora.

More importantly, unlike most gut healing powders on the market, Microbiome Breakthrough mixes readily in water, tastes great, and mixes seamlessly into shakes and any cold beverage. It doesn’t have a gritty or mucousy texture, or herbaceous flavor that makes it impossible to stomach.

Your gut barrier is designed to keep its contents separate from your immune system and bloodstream.  However, certain foods and lifestyle factors, like gluten, stress, and high-fat meals, can temporarily open the gut barrier and expose some gut content to the bloodstream[22,23,24]. These day-to-day occurrences aren’t necessarily signs of disease, but leaky gut has been linked to suboptimal health. That’s why many functional medicine practitioners focus on repairing the gut and reinforcing the intestinal barrier through targeted lifestyle protocols.

Zonulin is a protein that regulates tight junctions. It may help protect the intestine and modulate immune function, especially during leaky gut. Zonulin levels tend to rise after leaky gut triggers. For those with optimal gut health and immune balance, zonulin levels should return to baseline[25]. However, for others, persistent zonulin elevation indicates that the gut cannot reseal itself.

Each individual ingredient of Microbiome Breakthrough has been researched to support healthy gut barrier function, but Microbiome Breakthrough with IgYmax is the most potent at reducing zonulin levels after exposure to gut-disrupting triggers.

Dr. Gus Vickery, MD, a board-certified family physician in Asheville, North Carolina, monitored the zonulin levels in 11 of his patients as they worked on their gut health. Their protocols initially included other probiotic products. He found that while his patients experienced overall health improvements, their zonulin levels remained elevated. Once he introduced Microbiome Breakthrough, zonulin levels decreased, on average 92.8%, back into normal ranges.

Your gut is connected to your brain through the gut-brain-microbiota axis. This means your gut bacteria can influence your overall mood and well-being.

In a randomized controlled trial enrolling 46 healthy students, a yogurt with L. rhamnosus significantly reduced stress perception during exam periods. This was even more the case with subjects who had higher cortisol levels. The probiotic also protected the gut barrier from temporary stress-induced permeability [32].

In an open-label trial with IgYmax, subjects also reported improved energy, suggesting that improving gut barrier function and balance may improve well-being and subjective energy levels [18].

Microbiome Breakthrough’s probiotics are strong producers of acetylcholine. They also produce low levels of dopamine, histamine, and GABA. While these neurotransmitters don’t necessarily enter the brain, the acetylcholine produced in the gut may have similar effects to vagus nerve stimulation, which can support parasympathetic (relaxation) nervous response and good mood.

About 80% of your immune system is located in the gut. The microbes in your gut interact with your immune cells, training the immune cells for both balanced and robust functions.

Nowadays, suboptimal immune health is more common thanks to the increase in C-section births, antibiotic use, excessive cleanliness during infancy, and nutrient deficiencies. Stress, travel, day-to-day pollutants, and poor sleep can also contribute. It’s, in fact, normal to have less than ideal microbiome and immune functions.

The right probiotic strains ferment the prebiotics, producing postbiotics that strengthen your gut barrier and secrete the right substances that modulate your immune function. These postbiotics include short-chain fatty acids, bacterial cell components, and antimicrobial peptides.

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 30 elite athletes evaluated the effect of L. helveticus supplementation. By tracking antibody levels, researchers found that the placebo group experienced declines in immune response, likely due to the immune-suppressing effects of intense training. However, these immune responses were unchanged in the probiotic group, suggesting that the appropriate probiotic strains can protect immune responses amidst physical stress[8].

By restoring the gut flora and intestinal balance, Microbiome Breakthrough helps modulate your immune responses.

Your gut barrier is like your body’s border control between your gut content and your body. It selects for nutrients and water while blocking out microbes and undigested foods from getting through[38]. Your gut barrier has four key layers: gut microbiota, the protective mucus, a layer of lining cells, and the immune cells underneath.

Below the physical barrier, our body has a network of immune cells – T cells, B cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells – which work together to patrol the area[38]. This layer identifies and responds to particles that manage to slip through the outer defenses, preventing them from doing more damage[40].

The IgYmax in Microbiome Breakthrough works by escorting out suboptimal microbes, minimizing the need for the gut immune barrier to respond to these microbes. At the same time, the synbiotics provide balancing postbiotics, like short-chain fatty acids, which can support a balanced immune response. The collagen peptides (only available in chocolate flavor) may also help beneficially modulate the immune response in the gut[42].