A gut microbiome test, also referred to as a gut health testing, detects bacteria, fungus, and viruses in your digestive tract. It may provide you with a more comprehensive view of your intestinal health.
Blood and stool testing are examples of gut health tests. If you suffer digestive issues like bloating or diarrhea, your doctor may suggest them. Infections and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders including colon cancer can also be diagnosed with the use of these tests.
While not all bacteria can be detected by gut testing, they can provide information about microorganisms that may be causing symptoms and influencing your general health.
Your Gut Microbiome: What Is It?
Your gastrointestinal system is your gut. It consists of your colon (large intestine), intestines, and stomach. In order to maintain a healthy gut lining and digestion, the gut microbiome maintains a balance between 100 trillion helpful and possibly dangerous microorganisms. Overall health depends on a healthy microbiome, which can influence mood, immunity, and sleep patterns.
Dysbiosis, a medical term for an unbalanced gut flora, can result in digestive problems including bloating and diarrhea. An overabundance of potentially hazardous bacteria and a decline in helpful bacteria are the causes of dysbiosis. Additionally, it can harm the lining of your stomach, which can result in inflammation when toxins and partially digested food seep into your blood and tissues.
Is a Gut Health Test Necessary?
Although they are not required, at-home gut health tests can provide details about the microorganisms in your stomach.
Taking a gut health test might provide the following advantages:
Giving details on the ratio of helpful and dangerous microorganisms
Finding certain dangerous germs that can lead to disease
Providing information on how the balance of your gut microbiota may affect inflammation, digestion, and the health of your gut lining
According to research, an unbalanced gut microbiota is frequently present in patients with certain gastrointestinal disorders. Among these conditions are:
Constipation and diarrhea are symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic illness that occasionally flares up.
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are examples of gastrointestinal tract inflammation that is referred to as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Cancer of the colorectal region: Cancer of the colon or rectum, which is the area closest to the anus and the final segment of the digestive tract
At-home gut health tests, however, cannot take the place of a medical professional’s diagnosis.
Types of Tests for Gut Health
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing are commonly used in at-home gut health testing to identify specific bacteria from a stool sample. In a medical environment, doctors could suggest stool tests that involve microscopic analysis and DNA sequencing.
DNA sequencing, or shotgun metagenomic sequencing
Shotgun metagenomic sequencing is used in at-home gut health diagnostics to examine the DNA of gut bacteria and microbes. Similar to a blueprint, DNA contains an organism’s genetic information. The most widely used test for intestinal health is DNA sequencing.
Based on their distinct DNA composition, shotgun metagenomic sequencing can assist in identifying both good and dangerous gut microorganisms. Shotgun metagenomics examines the microbiome’s whole DNA content, which can assist in identifying a few, frequently overlooked microorganisms.
Knowing a microbe’s DNA also helps you understand how it works within your body. This data is used by gut health tests to determine your risk of developing specific gut-related disorders linked to inflammation, leaky gut, digestive health, and microbiome imbalances. A group of symptoms known as “leaky gut syndrome” are thought to be caused by a breakdown in the intestinal barrier, which permits toxins from the intestines to enter the bloodstream.
There are several drawbacks to shotgun metagenomic sequencing. It’s costly, and a specialist lab with cutting-edge equipment is needed to analyze the data.
RNA sequencing, or metatranscriptomics, can
Gut health tests use a method known as metatranscriptomics to look at the RNA in your gut flora. In viruses and living things, RNA is a molecule that aids in transporting genetic information, or “instructions,” that are necessary for cells to operate.
The functional activity of the microorganisms in your microbiome may be demonstrated by identifying RNA molecules. It informs you, in other words, how these microorganisms are acting in your stomach. RNA may reveal potentially dangerous microbial activity if your microbiome is out of balance. Additionally, RNA sequencing can reveal which microorganisms are actively compromising your gut health.
Gaining insight into the RNA in your gut may help you understand how bacteria raise your risk of inflammation and other illnesses. Furthermore, hyperactive microorganisms that can be causing intestinal imbalance are found using metatranscriptomics.
Compared to DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing provides even more details about your gut microbiota. However, compared to other gut health tests, the testing is more difficult and costly, much like DNA sequencing.
Tests for Clinical Stools
DNA from feces samples is analyzed in clinical stool testing. They can assist in identifying microorganisms and abnormalities in the gut microbiome, much as at-home gut health testing. They are not meant to provide you with a general picture of gut microorganisms, in contrast to at-home gut testing. Stool tests are used by medical professionals to identify colon cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, and infections.
To find infections and aberrant DNA, a stool test may include looking at the feces under a microscope or employing other laboratory techniques. A stool test can identify certain bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that are causing your disease if you are ill. Additionally, stool testing can detect changed DNA that could indicate malignancy.
A stool test can also detect blood in your stool, which is a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract. This aids in the diagnosis of ailments such as:
Diverticulosis: A disorder brought on by inflammation or infection of tiny pockets on the intestinal lining
One kind of IBD that irritates the intestinal lining is ulcerative colitis.
Stomach ulcers: Also known as peptic ulcers, these are regions where too much stomach acid damages the stomach lining.
Colorectal cancer: Rectal or colon cancer
Unlike at-home testing, stool tests cannot be bought over-the-counter and must be prescribed by a healthcare professional. However, your insurance could cover them.