The 5R Gut Health Protocol

Concerns around gut health and digestion are likely a common topic in your practice. A 2018 survey of over 71,000 Americans found that 61% of individuals reported some form of occasional gastrointestinal discomfort.1

The stress of today’s fast-paced lifestyles—combined with alcohol use, increasingly high-processed diets, and a culture that makes quality sleep difficult to achieve on a regular basis—can make maintaining healthy, comfortable digestion feel impossible for some patients.

Many of these gut-health frustrations are driven by lifestyle and can’t be solved quickly. That’s why it’s important to include personalized nutrition and nutritional support when creating a care plan, making sure to select supplements that are designed by practitioners—and formulated to physiology.

The 5R Protocol, also known as the 5R Framework for Gut Health, was pioneered by the Institute for Functional Medicine in the early 2000s. It brought a holistic approach to gastrointestinal wellness that addressed the entire process, rather than single aspects.

5 Steps to an Optimized GI System

The 5R Protocol offers a simple, step-by-step method to help address the common gastrointestinal challenges that you experience in your practice:*

  1. Remove... to help reduce common triggers that irritate the gut.
  2. Replace... to help restore quality nutrients and promote optimal digestion.
  3. Reinoculate... to help boost beneficial bacteria and nourish the flora.
  4. Repair... to help strengthen and support the gut lining.
  5. Rebalance... to help maintain a healthy digestive environment.

Our guide will dive deeper into the specifics of each step, as well as help you match DaVinci® Laboratories digestive health products with each step of this beneficial framework.

Remove Replace Reinoculate Repair Rebalance

1 Remove

Promote a healthy microbiome and normal inflammatory response by “weeding out” unwanted gut irritants and triggers.* For this purpose, supplements help to promote a healthy balance of bacteria and yeast in the body.* Many clinicians also remove inflammatory foods—such as gluten, dairy, and products made with processed sugars—to set the GI system up for success.*

Explore DaVinci® products that help to support this step:

Vira-Shield

  • Helps to balance the microbiome*
  • Supports immune health*
  • Promotes a healthy inflammatory response*
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Grapefruit Seed Extract 400 MG

  • A rich source of polyphenols
  • Helps to support a healthy microbial and fungal balance*
  • Supports a healthy pH balance in the body*
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Olivir™ 15

  • Supports natural immune defenses*
  • Maintains a healthy microbial balance*
  • No disruption of beneficial flora*
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Candid-Away™

  • Supports detoxification of the digestive tract*
  • Helps maintain a healthy balance of intestinal microflora*
  • Promotes an optimal balance of yeast and bacteria*
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2 Replace

Support the digestive system with what it needs to properly break down foods, absorb nutrients, and respond appropriately to foreign organisms like environmental allergens.* Digestive factors such as enzymes, betaine hydrochloride, and bile acids promote optional digestive function and comfort.*

Explore DaVinci® products that help to support this step:

Digestive Enzymes

  • Supports digestive tract functions*
  • Promotes optimal nutrient absorption*
  • Enteric coating ensures timely release for maximum impact*
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Digestive Enzymes Pro

  • Supports digestive tract functions*
  • Promotes optimal nutrient absorption*
  • Helps break down proteins and peptides*
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Enzyme Benefits™

  • Helps break down proteins, fats, carbs, and fiber*
  • Helps break down fruit pectin and sugars*
  • Support more efficient nutrient utilization*
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3 Reinoculate

Help to restore the microbiome balance by reintroducing prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber to boost the diversity of beneficial bacteria in the GI tract.* An optimal microbial balance supports healthier digestion and a strong immune system.*

Explore DaVinci® products that help to support this step:

Daily Best Probiotic™

  • Guarantees 2.25 billion CFU per serving
  • Helps replenish beneficial bacteria*
  • Supports a balanced microbiome*
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Mega Probiotic™ ND 50

  • Guarantees 52.5 billion CFU per serving
  • Helps replenish beneficial bacteria*
  • Supports a balanced microbiome*
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Digestive Enzymes Chewable with Prebiotics + Probiotics

  • Guarantees 2.25 billion CFU per serving
  • Promotes optimal nutrient absorption*
  • Supports digestive tract function*
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Prebiotic Fiber

  • Guarantees 5g of dietary fiber per serving
  • Supports bowel regulatory and healthy fecal volume*
  • Promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria*
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Arabinogalactan Powder

  • A source of prebiotic fiber
  • Supports microflora balance in the GI tract*
  • Helps promote an optimal immune response*
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4 Repair

A cornerstone for optimal gut health includes a strong, functional intestinal barrier.* This step is critical for supporting gastrointestinal concerns while also promoting digestion, bowel function, balanced immune response, and a healthy microbial environment.*

Explore DaVinci® products that help to support this step:

GI Benefits®

  • Helps maintain integrity of the intestinal lining*
  • Helps soothe occasional discomfort in the GI tract*
  • Promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria*
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Immuno Benefits™

  • Supports the immune system's adaptability*
  • Promotes a healthy microbial balance in the body*
  • Made with clinically proven Wellmune®
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Prebiotic Mushroom Blend

  • Helps build and nurture the gut microbiome*
  • Supports optimal butyrate levels*
  • Helps to strengthen the gut lining*
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5 Rebalance

A cornerstone for optimal gut health includes a strong, functional intestinal barrier.* This step is critical for supporting gastrointestinal concerns while also promoting digestion, bowel function, balanced immune response, and a healthy microbial environment.*

Explore DaVinci® products that help to support this step:

Clear G.I.™

  • Promotes microflora balance in the GI tract*
  • Supports colon health*
  • Maintains a healthy gastrointestinal system*
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The DaVinci Impact in Practitioner-Informed Frameworks

The 5R Protocol offers a simple, step-by-step method to help address the common gastrointestinal challenges that you experience in your practice:*

Our guide will dive deeper into the specifics of each step, as well as help you match DaVinci® Laboratories digestive health products with each step of this beneficial framework.

Designed by Practitioners. Validated by our Scientific Review Board.

All DaVinci® products—from gut health to sleep support to cortisol management—are designed with input from healthcare practitioners. During initial formulation, all products must be reviewed in deep consultation with our Scientific Review Board.

The Scientific Review Board is comprised of multiple talented individuals from varied medical disciplines with one common goal: to help develop superior formulas that shape the future of personalized nutritional support in Complementary and Integrative Medicine care plans.

To learn more about how DaVinci® supplements can seamlessly integrate into the 5R Protocol for your patients, contact our team today.

Whitepaper

A 21st Century Approach to Gastrointestinal and Systemic Health: Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics

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References

1. Almario, Christopher V et al. “Burden of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in the United States: Results of a Nationally Representative Survey of Over 71,000 Americans.” The American journal of gastroenterology vol. 113,11 (2018): 1701-1710. doi:10.1038/s41395-018-0256-8