Do you have symptoms such as persistent diarrhea, constipation, bloating, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, pain in the gut and malabsorption? This lab with help us evaluate the status of beneficial and imbalanced commensal bacteria including Clostridium species, pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria, yeast, fungus and parasites. The gut microbiome resides in your large intestine and is host to more than 1000 species of bacteria that perform certain important functions from shaping the immune system to influencing metabolism of nutrients to fortifying the intestinal mucosal barrier (gut barrier).
Your Gut and Your Health
80% of your body's immune system is in your gut. The health of the body and mind are especially dependent upon the health of the human microbiome. Cornerstones of good health include proper digestion of food, assimilation of nutrients, exclusion of pathogens and timely elimination of waste To obtain benefits from food that is consumed, nutrients may be appropriately digested and then efficiently absorbed. Microbes, larger-sized particles of fiber, and undigested foodstuffs should remain within the intestinal lumen. The idea ratio of progenic to pathogenic microbes is around 85:15. However, most people today have this ratio flipped. This is largely due to poor lifestyle choices and toxicity, which translates to inflammation and poor gut health.
Poor Gut Health and the Subsequent Effects
Poor bacteria balance of dysbiosis is a result of environmental toxins that have wiped out progenic species and created an environment conductive to parasite growth. Poor digestion and malabsorption of vital nutrients can contribute to degenerative diseases, compromised immune status, nutritional deficiencies, and an increase of toxic substances in the body. For example, excessive yeast produces toxic substances that can pass through the blood-brain barrier and alter neurological function causing "brain fog", behavior problems and learning difficulties. Impairment of intestinal functions can contribute to the development of food allergies, systemic illness, autoimmune disease, and toxic overload from substances that are usually kept in the confines of the bowel for elimination. Inflammation, metal toxicity, environmental toxins, food sensitivities/allergies, and the use of medication all significantly increase intestinal permeability and compromise assimilation of nutrients. This can lead to:
- Compromised immune status
- Extremely foul smelling feces
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Degenerative disease
- Anxiety
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Food allergies/sensitivities
- Overgrowths of pathogenic bacteria
- Bioaccumulation of toxic irritants.
This Comprehensive GI Test uses a proprietary microarray hybridization technology platform, using the whole-genome data to simultaneously detect over 300 microorganisms with 99% specificity and 98% sensitivity, unheard-of levels of accuracy in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms.
The results provides you with actionable recommendations that include potential risks for:
- Intestinal permeability (SCFA producing bacteria and tight junction integrity)
- Intestinal disorders (IBS and IBD related bacteria)
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)- related bacteria
- Cardiovascularhealth (inflammationinfluencing and TMAO-related bacteria)
- Autoimmune health (celiac, Crohn’s, rheumatoid arthritis, etc)
- Neurological health (MS, Parkinson’s, and more)
- Liver diseases (cirrhosis, hepatitis, cholangitis, and more)
- Metabolic health (Obesity, diabetes, etc)
- Nutrition (Vitamin production, oxalate metabolism)
- Microbiome and hormone connections (Beta-glucuronidase and Beta-glucosidase)
- 67 pathogenic bacteria
- 24 Intestinal parasites
- 8 viruses
- 5 Fungal or yeast species
- 5 worm species
- 6 antibiotic resistance genes measured
and newly added additional markers of functional digestive status:
- Calprotectin
- Pancreatic elastase 1
- Bile acids
- Cholic acid
- Chenodeoxycholic acid
- Deoxycholic acid
- Lithocholic acid
- Acetic acid
- Butyric acid
- Propionic acid
- Valeric acid
- Total SCFAs
- ß-glucuronidase
The test performs the most comprehensive analysis available of your intestinal microbiomeecosystem from a simple one-time stool collection. This test examines the complex and intricate relative abundance of each species or genus measured, in relation to the rest of the ecosystem, to provide a unique perspective on the gut microbiome and its connection to disease and inflammation.
Specimen Type: Stool