Your Gut and Your Health, Part II: At-Home testing–What are the options?

by Million Marker

You may have read Part I of this blog where we discussed the gut microbiome and how toxic chemicals can affect it. Read Part II of this series where we discuss ways to test your microbiome and how to keep it healthy!


Every person has over 100 trillion microbes living on or inside their bodies.

Microbes, bacteria, fungi, viruses, or protozoa, make up our microbiome.

What is the Microbiome? 

Our microbiome affects our health, weight, and ability to fight disease. Each person has a unique microbiome based upon his/her environment, genetics, and diet. We also know that everyday toxic chemicals can alter the microbiome.

When the microbiome is unbalanced or unhealthy, it is referred to as dysbiosis. Dysbiosis has been linked to: 

  • Inflammatory bowel disease

  • Gastritis

  • Peptic ulcer disease 

  • Irritable bowel syndrome

And non-gut effects such as:

  • Obesity

  • Diabetes

  • Depression and other mental disorders

  • Cardiovascular disease

  • Asthma

The microbiome is linked to many areas of health. It is important to understand your own unique microbiome.

At-Home Microbiome Testing Companies 

Several direct-to-consumer companies offer personalized testing kits. They also recommend lifestyle changes to support your specific microbiome.

Thryve’s Gut Health Test 

The Thryve Gut Health Program offers a personalized microbiome support plan based on your results. The kit and program is priced at $149. They often have offers and discounts. They provide a recommended diet and customized probiotics to bring balance back to your gut.

The Thryve program helps consumers remove stubborn body fat. It also helps improve digestion, mood, immune function, and energy levels. 

Florè by Sun Genomics 

Floré also provides a test kit and customized probiotics. This kit is priced around $147. They work to help their clients with abdominal pain, bloating, SIBO, and leaky gut.

Florè’s mission is to inform their customers about their unique gut bacteria, and recommend lifestyle changes to improve health and longevity. 

Viome 

Viome offers a gut intelligence testing platform for individual microbiome and cellular testing. Their kits and plans range from $149-349. The company aims to improve weight, energy, stress, sleep, immunity of its clients. Viome also gives customized diet and supplement recommendations.

Viome uses a technique known as Metatranscriptomic Sequencing Technology. This uses DNA to determine the microorganisms inhabiting your microbiome. 

Other Microbiome Companies

Thryve, Floré, and Viome offer at-home testing to help individuals optimize their microbiome. 

Other biotech companies are working to research and  improve microbiome health. These include companies like Ginkgo Bioworks, Zymergen, Kaleido BioSciences, and Seres Therapeutics.

For example, Ginkgo designs customized microbes for consumers. Seres Therapeutics is working towards developing medications to treat dysbiosis. 

What can you do to improve your microbiome today? 

Get your microbiome tested. It is a great start to a healthy gut.

There are also several ways to maintain a healthy microbiome:

 

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