The gut contains 2kg of microorganisms!
The gut flora is as unique to you as your fingerprint. Your microbiome has many useful functions which include absorbing and producing nutrients, maintaining the gut lining to keep out toxins and unwelcome microorganisms, providing immunity, and producing mood regulating hormones. The microbiome can be disrupted by a number of lifestyle and environmental factors including medications and antibiotics, chronic constipation, stress and diet. Refer to our demo for an example set of test results.
The modern diet has reduced the diversity of the microbiome
Dysbiosis is an unhealthy imbalance in the gut microbiome which not only affects bowel function (causing irritable bowel symptoms), but can also lead to inflammatory and autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, and even mental health problems. This comprehensive digestive stool analysis will show you if you have an undergrowth of overgrowth in specific gut microbes. If you'd like a nutritional review and assessment of your test results by our Clinical Nutritionist, consider adding on a Nutrition Assessment.
What we test
Faecal Macroscopy
Macroscopy looks at stool colour and formation, as well as for evidence of mucous or blood which may require further investigation.
Brown is the colour of normal stool. Other colours may indicate abnormal gastrointestinal conditions.
A formed stool is considered normal. Variations to this may indicate abnormal gastrointestinal conditions.
Mucous production may indicate the presence of an infection, inflammation or malignancy.
This test is used to detect bleeding in the digestive tract. This test can detect tiny traces of blood in the stool, and can indicate the presence of disease at a relatively early stage when stools may appear normal.
Digestive & Metabolic Markers
The presence of meat fibres may indicate poor digestion from too little gastric acid or reduced output from the pancreas.
Imbalances in gut pH influence short chain fatty acid production and their effect.
The presence of red blood cells in the stool may indicate the presence of an infection, inflammation or haemorrhage.
The presence of white blood cells in the stool may indicate the presence of an infection, inflammation or haemorrhage.
The presence of food remnants may indicate maldigestion.
The presence of meat fibres may indicate maldigestion from too little gastric acid or reduced output from the pancreas.
The presence of vegetable fibres may indicate maldigestion from gastric hypoacidity or diminished pancreatic output.
Too much fat in your faeces is called steatorrhoea which can be a sign of malabsorption. This means your body either isn’t absorbing nutrients properly or isn’t making the enzymes or bile needed to digest food effectively.
The presence of starch grains may indicate carbohydrate maldigestion.
Beneficial Bacteria
Significant numbers of bacteria are normally present in the healthy gut. Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in particular, are essential for gut health because they help to inhibit gut pathogens and carcinogens, control pH, reduce cholesterol and synthesise vitamins.
Bifidobacteria are considered "friendly” bacteria that are found in fermented foods like yogurt and cheese, and are used in probiotics. The gut needs these bacteria to perform several jobs, including breaking down foods, taking in nutrients, and preventing overgrowth of "bad” pathogenic bacteria.
Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria are essential for gut health because they prevent overgrowth of gut pathogens, and contribute to managing intestinal pH, cholesterol, and synthesis of vitamins and disaccharidase enzymes.
Most E. coli strains are harmless and play an essential role in keeping the digestive system healthy, helping to digest food and producing Vitamin K. However, some E. coli bacteria are pathogenic and can cause disease.
Together with other healthy bacteria and fungi, enterococci work to keep unhealthy (pathogenic) bacteria from flourishing and helps to restore the balance of the microbiome.
Pathogenic Bacteria
These bacteria and pathogenic and are those that have the potential to cause disease in the gut.
Aeromonas are bacteria that can cause an acute diarrhoeal illness that normally clears without treatment. It is a fairly common cause of gastroenteritis, which occurs most often throughout the warm summer months in most countries.
Campylobacter infection (campylobacteriosis) is a bacterial infection which most commonly causes gastroenteritis (also known as 'gastro') but may also cause illness affecting the entire body.
Salmonella infection usually results from ingestion of the bacteria from contaminated food, water or hands. Eggs, milk, meat or poultry are particularly high risk foods.
Shigella infection (shigellosis) is a type of gastroenteritis caused by Shigella bacteria. Signs and Symptoms: The symptoms of Shigella infection include fever, diarrhoea, (sometimes with blood and mucous), vomiting and stomach cramps.
Yersinia infection (yersiniosis) is a bacterial infection of the bowel (intestine). It occurs worldwide, but is fairly uncommon. Many domesticated and wild animals carry Yersinia in their intestines, and spread to people occurs by eating food or water contaminated by infected faeces.
Opportunistic and Dysbiotic Bacteria
Our gut bacteria can be divided into ‘bad’ and ‘good’. The good ones for the most part benefit us, whreas the bad 'pathogenic' ones can cause disease. Pathogens are usually present in small quantities in the microbiome, however in excessive amounts they can have adverse effects on the body. The beneficial bacteria of the microbiome have a protective function against colonisation by pathogenic bacteria.
Enterococcus species are part of normal flora in the human gut, but can however be implicated in a variety of infections of which urinary tract infections are the most common.
Raoultella ornithinolytica is known to inhabit aquatic environments. R. ornithinolytica is an emerging hospital-acquired infection and is particularly associated with invasive procedures.
Streptococcus is common in the gut flora. With the exception of very rare cases, streptococcus species are not implicated in gastric disease.
Klebsiella forms part of the normal gut flora in small numbers, but can be an opportunistic pathogen
Citrobacter is considered an opportunistic pathogen and therefore can be found in the gut as normal flora. It is occasionally implicated in diarrhoeal disease, particularly C. freundii, C. diversus and C. koseri.
Pseudomonas is found in water and soil as well as fruits and vegetables, and is considered an opportunistic pathogen.
Part of the normal flora of the gastrointestinal tract, though has been shown to be an independent causative agent of intestinal disorders. May also play a role as an opportunistic organism in enteric infection due to other pathogens. Food has been implicated as a vehicle of infection.
Most E. coli strains are harmless and play an essential role in keeping the digestive system healthy, helping to digest food and producing Vitamin K. However, some E. coli bacteria are pathogenic and can cause disease.
Food poisoning is often attributed to staphylococcus. Symptoms of staphylococcal food poisoning usually appear within 1 to 6 hours after ingestion but depends upon the amount of contaminated food eaten. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, and diarrhoea are the most common symptoms. Recovery generally takes two day, but can sometimes take longer.
Yeasts
This test looks for evidence of candida or other yeast overgrowth. Whilst yeasts are a normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract, they may become an opportunistic pathogen after disruption of the mucosal barrier, imbalance of the normal intestinal flora or impaired immunity. This can be caused by things like antibiotics, antacids and stress.
Candida albicans is the main type of yeast which colonises the human body. It normally lives in the gastrointestinal tract and other areas of the body without causing problems, but imbalance in the microbiome can lead to overgrowth.
Geotrichum yeasts can be found in soil, dairy products and in human skin and mucosae, and are usually only considered an opportunistic pathogen in immune-compromised hosts. Geotrichum may play a role in IBS.
A common environmental yeast which is not considered pathogenic in nature. These yeasts are ubiquitous in the environment and can be found on fruits, vegetables and other plant materials.
Whilst yeasts are a normal inhabitant of the gut, they may become an opportunistic pathogen after disruption of the mucosal barrier, imbalance of the normal intestinal flora or impaired immunity. This can be caused by things like antibiotics, antacids and stress.
Parasites
Some gut problems can be a consequence of an undetected gut infection. A significant number of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) cases could actually be due to undiagnosed gut parasites such as Blastocystis hominis and Dientamoeba fragilis.
Some research suggests that people with IBS may be more likely to have Blastocystis hominis organisms in their stool.
The bacteria can be present in the gut for months or year and misdiagnosed as IBS. Infection can cause diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cramping, anal itching, nausea, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, depression, weight loss and fatigue.
Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrhoeal disease cryptosporidiosis. Both the parasite and the disease are commonly known as "Crypto."
Symptoms of Giardia infection can occur with 3 to 25 days and may include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, pale greasy foul-smelling stools, stomach cramps, passing excess gas, bloating, weight loss and fatigue.
Amoebiasis is a parasitic disease (also known as amoebic dysentery) caused by infection with Entamoeba histolytica or another amoeba (for example, E. dispar). The disease may not cause symptoms in most individuals.
Test instructions
Your test kit and all instructions are posted directly to you, and there is no need to visit a collection centre.
Mail your sample back to the lab according to the instructions provided with your kit
Results for this test available in 2-4 weeks depending on region and will be published in your online dashboard.
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