Gut Maintain (IBS-C)
The step that decides whether your Gut Repair-4 IBS-C result lasts. A daily probiotic pack designed to be taken for a minimum of 6 months after the 28-day Repair-4 program — because supplemented probiotic strains begin to decline within 7–10 days of cessation, and the IBS-C microbial pattern (methane-producing archaea, depleted F. prausnitzii, low diversity) reasserts itself without ongoing support. Built to be reordered every 2 months, no thought required.
Eradication is half the job. Maintenance is the other half.
Gut Repair-4 IBS-C clears the pathogens, rebuilds diversity, and reseeds the butyrate-producing species your gut was missing. It cannot, in 28 days, make those colonisations permanent. Research consistently shows that supplemented probiotic strains begin to decline within 7–10 days of cessation — and the IBS-C microbial pattern (methane-producing archaea, depleted F. prausnitzii, low diversity) is the steady state your gut returns to without ongoing support.
Daily maintenance is the difference between rebuilding and rebuilt. Diet alone does not provide the concentration of beneficial organisms required to hold the gains made in Phase 2 — even with a high-quality, fibre-diverse diet. Daily targeted supplementation bridges that gap until the microbiome is self-sustaining, which takes months, not weeks.
Gut Maintain IBS-C is built to be the easy answer: two daily capsules, reordered every two months for at least six months. Nothing to think about, nothing to deviate from.
Two daily capsules. One ongoing routine.
Daily Multi-Strain Probiotic
Lactobacillus + Bifidobacterium species (60 capsules — 1 per day for 2 months)
A daily multi-strain probiotic chosen for the IBS-C terrain — Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species that have demonstrated bowel-regularity, transit, and bloating benefits in controlled trials. Holds the rebuilt diversity in place after the more intensive Phase 2 dosing.
Daily — keep the right bugs where the wrong ones used to dominate.
Resilient Spore-Based Backup
Bacillus species (60 capsules — 1 per day for 2 months)
Spore-based probiotics survive gastric acid intact and germinate in the colon — adding antimicrobial-resistant beneficial flora to the lower bowel. Bacillus coagulans specifically has been shown to support bowel regularity and reduce abdominal pain, bloating, and irregular bowel habits in IBS-C patients.
Daily — reinforce regularity and crowd out methane producers.
Maintain the Conditions That Worked
Continued GutBiome Restore Diet principles + 25–30g fibre + 2L water daily
Probiotics need substrate to do their work. Continue the dietary fibre, hydration, and meal-timing patterns established in Repair-4 — diversifying fibre sources, sustaining adequate water, and keeping a 12–14 hour overnight fast. Reintroduction of restricted foods happens gradually, under your Microbiome Doctor's oversight.
Daily — feed the flora you're paying to keep.
Why six months is the minimum.
From Repair-4 to durable remission.
Transition straight into Maintain.
Order at the start of Week 3 of Gut Repair-4 IBS-C so the first 2-month pack arrives before Phase 2 ends. The handover should be seamless — no gap, no waiting for symptoms to nudge you back.
Daily dosing + dietary continuity.
One multi-strain capsule and one spore-based capsule per day, with food. Continue the GutBiome Restore Diet™ principles — 25–30g fibre per day, 2L water, varied plant intake — and the meal-timing patterns from Repair-4. Reintroduction of restricted foods happens gradually under your Microbiome Doctor's oversight.
Re-test your gut microbiome.
Repeat your gut microbiome test at the 6-month mark to validate diversity improvements, confirm methane-producer levels have stayed down, and decide — with your Microbiome Doctor — whether to step down, continue, or extend Maintain further.
Questions, answered.
Do I have to finish Gut Repair-4 IBS-C before starting Maintain?
Yes. Gut Maintain is designed as the step that follows the full 28-day Repair-4 program — Phase 1 eradication + Phase 2 rebuild. Starting Maintain without first clearing pathogens and reseeding the butyrate-producing species means dosing daily probiotics into a microbiome that's still dominated by the wrong organisms. Complete Repair-4 first, then transition directly into Maintain at the end of Phase 2 with no gap.
Why six months minimum? Can I stop earlier if I feel fine?
Feeling fine is not the marker — sustained microbial diversity is. Supplemented probiotic counts begin declining within 7–10 days of cessation, and the IBS-C dysbiosis pattern can re-establish before symptoms come back. The 6-month minimum exists because that's the timeframe over which the rebuilt diversity consolidates and the butyrate-producing species (notably F. prausnitzii) re-establish self-sustaining populations. Stopping earlier is the most common cause of recurrence we see in clinic.
How do I take the two components each day?
One multi-strain capsule and one spore-based capsule per day, taken with food — most patients dose both with breakfast for consistency. Your digital Maintenance Guide includes a worked daily schedule plus dietary continuity prompts (fibre, hydration, meal spacing).
When should I order my next 2-month pack?
Order your next pack 1–2 weeks before your current supply runs out so there's no gap. The product is set up to be reordered every 2 months across the 6-month minimum maintenance window — three packs back-to-back. Most patients set a calendar reminder at week 6 of each pack.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
Discuss with your Microbiome Doctor before continuing in pregnancy or breastfeeding. The probiotic strains in this maintenance pack are generally considered well-tolerated, but supplementation in pregnancy should be supervised — and dietary support alone may be the more appropriate approach during this window. Do not start or continue without clinical clearance.
What about diet during Maintain?
Continue the GutBiome Restore Diet™ principles from Repair-4 — 25–30g of varied fibre per day, 2L water, a 12–14 hour overnight fast, and the meal-timing patterns established in the program. Reintroduction of any foods restricted during Phase 1 happens gradually under your Microbiome Doctor's oversight, usually beginning after the 6-month re-test.
Should I re-test at 6 months?
Yes. A repeat gut microbiome test at the 6-month mark objectively validates diversity improvements, confirms whether methane-producer levels have stayed down, and decides whether to step down, continue Maintain, or extend further. Symptoms alone are an unreliable guide — testing is the only way to know.
Important — general advice only. Information presented on this page is general health information and is not personal medical advice. Always consult your treating practitioner before starting any new supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, immunocompromised, or taking prescription medications.
These products are listed complementary medicines and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The Microbiome Clinic has no commercial affiliation with any specific supplement brand included in this protocol — supplements are selected on the basis of clinical evidence alone, in line with the Microbiome Clinic Independence Guarantee.