Course
4

Advanced Gut Health

Overview
Develop a systems-based approach to gut dysfunction, interpreting digestive health using a top-down analysis to restore nutrient absorption, microbial health and barrier integrity.
Format
Online
Units
44
Recommended for
  • SIBO
  • Leaky gut
  • IBS
  • Parasites
  • Candida
Advanced Gut Health

The learning framework

1
Why digestive dysfunction is widely misunderstood
Up to 40% of adults experience digestive symptoms weekly, yet most approaches focus on symptom relief through acid blockers, laxatives, or restrictive diets, without investigating why digestion fails: inadequate stomach acid, insufficient bile flow, enzyme deficiency, intestinal permeability, dysbiosis, SIBO, or chronic inflammation, leaving practitioners unable to assess gut integrity functionally, connect digestive dysfunction to skin conditions, autoimmunity, mood disorders, hormonal imbalances, and chronic fatigue, or design protocols that restore optimal digestion for whole-body health.
2
The limitations of conventional gut-focused care
Conventional care treats IBS, reflux, bloating, and food sensitivities in isolation, overlooking the gut's central role in immunity, detoxification, hormone metabolism, neurotransmitter production, and systemic inflammation, while practitioners rarely learn to assess digestive function systematically, interpret gut-related markers, apply the 5R framework strategically, or recognise when gut dysfunction is the missing piece preventing progress in other health areas.
3
A functional framework for advanced gut health
The Advanced Gut Health module trains you to investigate root causes of digestive dysfunction using functional frameworks that connect the gut-brain-immune-liver axis, equipping you to assess gastrointestinal integrity, microbial balance, and metabolic function, identify where and why imbalances occur, and design phase-based protocols that restore barrier integrity, optimise digestion, and support long-term recovery.

What you'll learn

By the end of this module, you will be able to:
Assess digestive function systematically
Evaluating salivary amylase, stomach acid production, bile flow and gallbladder function, pancreatic enzyme output, intestinal motility, and gut barrier integrity across the entire GI tract.
Interpret functional markers of gut dysfunction
Using inflammatory markers, nutrient malabsorption indicators, liver enzymes, and symptom patterns to identify where digestion breaks down.
Understand intestinal permeability and leaky gut
Recognising how gut barrier breakdown allows undigested proteins and endotoxins into circulation, triggering systemic inflammation, food sensitivities, autoimmunity, and brain-gut symptoms.
Assess and support dysbiosis and SIBO
Understanding microbial imbalance patterns, interpreting breath testing and symptom presentation, and applying antimicrobial herbs, probiotics, and dietary interventions.
Evaluate candida overgrowth and fungal dysbiosis
Recognising systemic candida symptoms, assessing contributing factors, and implementing antifungal protocols with biofilm disruptors.
Understand histamine intolerance and mast cell activation
Identifying symptoms, assessing DAO enzyme function and histamine-producing bacteria, and applying low-histamine diets and gut healing strategies.
Build phased gut restoration protocols
Sequencing interventions through the 5R framework: Remove pathogens and irritants, Replace digestive factors, Reinoculate beneficial bacteria, Repair gut lining, Rebalance lifestyle,restoring function without overwhelming clients or creating dependency.

Why this matters

The ability to resolve stubborn, multi-system presentations
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Gut dysfunction underlies fatigue, skin conditions, autoimmunity, mood disorders, and hormonal imbalances unresponsive to other interventions.
Confidence in complex digestive cases
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You'll systematically assess where digestion fails and design targeted protocols rather than generic recommendations.
Better client outcomes
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Restoring gut integrity creates breakthrough improvements across energy, immunity, skin, mood, and hormonal balance.
Professional differentiation
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Gut health expertise positions you as a root-cause practitioner connecting digestive symptoms to whole-body health.
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Advanced Gut Health
IBS
SIBO
Leaky Gut
Intestinal Permeability
Dysbiosis
Candida Overgrowth
Histamine Intolerance
Food Sensitivities
Reflux
Your path to becoming a Certified Practitioner

How to get started

1st Step
Submit your Application
Apply online in just a few minutes. Our team will review your experience, education and goals to ensure this certification aligns with your professional path.
2nd Step
Join the IOH community
Once accepted, you’ll gain instant access to our global network of practitioners, mentors and resources that support your learning from day one.
3rd Step
Begin your first module
Start your studies inside the IOH learning portal — with guided mentorship, live calls, and access to the Oracle AI system that turns knowledge into action.

Expand your knowledge

All Courses
What does an Integrative Nutritional Therapist do?
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An Integrative Nutritional Therapist utilises the latest evidence-based research to create an integrative approach to optimising each client’s health and wellbeing.

They design bio-individual nutrition plans, personalise supplementation where appropriate, and interpret functional laboratory data, including blood work, to gain deeper insights, achieve better accuracy and tailor every intervention to the individual.

How is functional medicine different from conventional medicine?
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Conventional medicine often waits until a disease is clearly present before intervention begins. Treatment is focused on managing or suppressing a diagnosed condition.

Functional medicine looks upstream. It assesses the early drivers of dysfunction and works to prevent disease from developing in the first place, or restore balance in the body. It uses a whole-systems view of the body, then applies personalised, preventative nutrition and lifestyle interventions to support long-term health rather than only reacting once things have gone wrong.

What will be my scope of practice after completing this certification?
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After completing the certification, you will be recognised and insured as a Integrative Nutritional Therapist inclusive of Nutritional Therapy and Functional Blood Work, with a clearly defined scope of practice.

You will be trained and insured to:

  • Design bio-individual nutrition plans
  • Recommend and prescribe over-the-counter supplementation up to safe, optimal intake thresholds
  • Utilise functional blood work from a wellness perspective to guide your reasoning and recommendations
  • Collaborate with and refer to medical professionals when red flags, pathology or out-of-scope conditions are identified

Our scope of practice has been aligned with nutritional therapy standards and externally audited, so you can work with confidence and clarity.

Is your course accredited?
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Yes. Our certifications are accredited by multiple independent professional bodies, including the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT) and the Complementary Medical Association (CMA).

To receive these accreditations, our curriculum undergoes forensic external auditing to ensure every component is up to date, evidence-informed, ethically delivered and aligned with recognised Nutritional Therapy and Functional Health standards. This includes rigorous evaluation of our academic content, assessments, delivery methods and scope of practice frameworks.

This external oversight gives you confidence that the qualification you are investing in is credible, robust and widely recognised within the industry, with clear pathways for insurance, professional membership and global practice.

Will I be able to practise internationally?
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Yes. Our graduates are eligible for insurance through IICT that is recognised across 36 countries, including:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden & United Kingdom.

This allows you to work with clients internationally, including in online practice, provided you respect local regulations and the scope of practice defined by your insurer and professional associations.

Need help?
Get in touch with us
Clarity, confidence, and real results start with one conversation. Let’s map your next chapter — together.