The published research behind our approach.

The most direct parallel to Progurt's MEND Method in clinical practice is faecal microbiota transplantation. FMT is the most studied and most effective form of microbiome restoration available. Its protocols are instructive.

FMT does not begin with bacteria. It begins with preparation. Clinical protocols include bowel cleansing to reduce competing microbiota, assessment of recipient gut health, and optimisation of the intestinal environment. The therapeutic bacteria are introduced only after this preparation is complete. Post-transplant, clinicians recommend dietary modifications and prebiotic supplementation to sustain the newly established community.

A French national survey of 658 FMT procedures across 17 clinical centres found that insufficient bowel preparation was associated with a 5.5-fold increase in disease recurrence. Partial product retention was associated with a nearly 10-fold increase in failure. The preparation phase was not optional — it was determinative.

This phased logic directly informs the MEND sequence.

Mineralise draws from the same principle as the FMT preparation phase. Mineral supplementation, pH buffering, and hydration support create an intestinal environment capable of receiving and sustaining new bacterial populations. Research confirms that zinc is essential for barrier integrity, magnesium for motility and ion channel function, and adequate hydration for mucus layer maintenance.

Establish is informed by the transplant phase itself. One trillion CFU of human-origin bacteria per sachet are introduced into a prepared environment across multiple doses. Research on the existing gut microbiome shows it actively resists incoming bacteria through ecological competition — bile acid metabolism, nutrient competition, and spatial niche exclusion. Preparing the terrain reduces this resistance and creates open ecological niches for the incoming strains. In vitro research on live vs inactivated bacterial preparations confirms that actively metabolising organisms are required for pathogen inhibition in laboratory settings.

Nourish is informed by the post-transplant support phase. Prebiotics and lactoferrin are introduced after beneficial bacteria are established. The timing reflects a consistent finding across multiple systematic reviews: prebiotic supplementation in patients with active gut dysfunction frequently worsens symptoms rather than improving them. A Cochrane review found significantly more total adverse events with prebiotics than placebo in ulcerative colitis patients (77% vs 46%). A separate meta-analysis found that inulin-type fructans worsened flatulence in irritable bowel syndrome and other functional bowel disorders. Published research confirms that prebiotic effectiveness depends on the composition of existing microbiota — and that in dysbiotic conditions, fermentable substrates may be metabolised by the wrong organisms. You nourish the ecosystem only after the right organisms are in place. Lactoferrin, tested in intestinal barrier models, provides independent barrier support, reducing inflammatory markers and protecting epithelial integrity.

Defend is the long-term maintenance phase. Ongoing yogurt preparation using Progurt's incubator sustains the bacterial community. Enzyme support aids digestion and nutrient absorption. This phase prevents regression toward the dysbiotic baseline.

No published research has tested this exact four-phase sequence as a single protocol. What the literature does support — consistently, across multiple research groups and clinical contexts — is that phased microbiome restoration outperforms single-intervention approaches, that gut preparation determines probiotic success, and that prebiotic timing matters.