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The gastrointestinal system is also known as the gut carries your overall health as the research has continually shown. Some symptoms like mood change, indigestion, and skin disease may point to imbalances in the gut but the truth is to understand the problem testing has to be done. The testing of the microbiome could potentially play a big role. Microbiome testing will measure types as well as the number of microbes like bacteria and viruses in your gut via a stool sample. The testing can be conducted at the doctor’s office or at home through testing kits on your own.
There is a variety of microbiome testing but the question you should ask yourself is if these are worth your time and money and can you get a piece of information that is concrete about your health from the results. This article is meant to help you understand the recommendation for the health of your gut and the types of test kits available.
A gut microbiome is known as microbes that are found in the digestive system. There are few members of your GI tract and they all have microbes that may affect the process of digestion. These members are the colon, stomach, intestines, as well as esophagus. Microbes contain both harmful and healthy strains of bacteria, fungi, and viruses as well. These organisms are microscopic and are known as gut microbiota or flora. Moreover, your microbiome is very key in helping your immune system to stay healthy.
There are various health effects that may arise as a result of imbalances of gut microbes. The following are the symptoms that may be recognized due to gut disruption: bloating and heartburn, and stool changes. Also, you may encounter the following though they are less obvious once there are imbalances in your gut.
You may consider seeking a doctor's consultation if you suspect that imbalances in your gut are affecting your overall health. Then the doctor may recommend microbiome testing to get to the bottom of the problem. The testing of the microbiome whether done in the office of the doctor or at home is conducted via a stool sample. Compared with other tests, you may be able to do it at home using saliva or blood but on this one, it requires a stool sample that is fresh. The purpose of having a stool sample that is fresh is to analyze microbes as well as potential imbalances in the gastrointestinal system. Stool samples can also provide other clues as well such as potential inflammatory conditions or diseases that are autoimmune such as inflammatory bowel disease as well as celiac disease.
In most cases, the test for gut microbiome involves checking for good and bad bacteria in your gut, potential pathogens signs, immune as well as inflammatory markers, and indications of how your digestive tract is working. Like I mentioned earlier in this article, you can test it by yourself at home by collecting the stool sample for three days as per the doctor's recommendations. The kit contains instructions that you should carefully follow. As many of the doctors in San Diego at Tulsi Del Mar recommend three days as some the infections like parasitic cannot be detected on the very first day of the test. You may find it disgusting doing it but the truth is you are not alone and not everyone can do it. The advantage is that you are doing the test in the privacy of your own home.
The test is necessary if you experience symptoms like chronic bloating, gassiness, diarrhea, or even constipation. You may also have diagnosed GI disorders such as inflammatory bowel ailments such as Crohn's as well as ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. According to some of the doctors in San Diego, These tests are much helpful especially when you have had the issues with gastrointestinal system for a long period of time and are not associated with what you take. If your diet is healthy but still straggling with GI symptoms, then you will definitely need to test for gut bacteria for your doctor to understand what is happening with you.
The gut health test should not only be done when you discover some GI symptoms, many of the doctors at Tulsi Del Mar will also recommend the test if you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder.
Be ready to learn more about your gut health, if you and your doctor decide that a gut health test is ideal for you. The digestive system is viewed as an extremely complex body part so these tests don’t check one or two bio marks. As a matter of fact, a bunch of different things can be tested here depending on the exact test used. This includes the following:
Under the microscope, the lab will try to check for signs of parasites and as well diagnose them by the presence of their DNA. You may find it surprising but the parasites are known to be common more than you may think. These common infections involve the presence of Dientamoeba fragilis as well as blastocysts hominins which results in symptoms such as nausea and stomach pain.
Excessive yeast like candida Albicans which is a very common yeast can actually explain GI symptoms of a wide range as well as other symptoms such as acne, weight gain, and also brain fog.
This involves both potentially pathogenic as well as pathogenic bacteria. Potentially pathogenic bacteria is known to be a type of bacteria that if allows overgrowing, then becomes pathogenic. Simply these bacterial are found in small numbers and won’t cause harm but if they develop in a large amount they become harmful. Pathogenic bacterial in contrast, such as salmonella are harmful whether many or few.
The immune markers testing is of much help as it reveals the status of the immune system, whether it’s under or overactive. Inflammatory markers that are specific like IgA may predict food sensitivity or maybe something else in the GI tract such as bacteria or fungi. This might the highest trigger to immune response. Eosinophils levels that are elevated may have an indication of parasite or allergy.
Your doctor can tell how good your digestion is in terms of digestion and absorption of food after testing the presence of fat and protein in your stool.
Pancreatic elastase is known to be an enzyme that you should have and the right amount. However, the amount that is not appropriate for pancreatic elastase can lead to malfunction of your pancreas, and breaking down of food might be a problem as a result.
The gut microbiome test does not only test the beaten part but also tests good stuff. According to many of the doctors in San Diego, the test also look for short-chain fatty acids that should be found in your colon as well as a stool in high quantities if you have a vast, robust microbiome and if your consumption does not include fiber, this bacteria might be missing.
Executing this test is will give your doctor a bunch of information that will enable him to be more specific when it comes to treatment. The test carries the truth about your gut bacteria, if you have low beneficial bacteria then your doctor will have to load you up with probiotics as well as fibers. You may not be lucky as well because in your gut bad bacteria may be too much which according to doctors at Tulsi Del Mar San Diego pharmaceutical-grade antimicrobial supplements might be ideal for you as they kill the colon bacteria. If the doctor after the test realizes possible inflammation, he might recommend you to an anti-inflammatory diet and additional supplements of anti-inflammatory.
The gut micro-biome testing results are extremely helpful but are better to know that the microbiome is surrounded by a science that is very new. The doctors will say it’s always changing and morphing and studies available are still small. So this test sometimes does not show or tell everything and you can rely on them hundred percent to execute the treatment. For instance, there has been a bacteria specifically linked to a health condition but the science yet is not strong enough to come up with its conclusion. It is much helpful to initiate a gut microbiome test under the doctor’s guidance so as to help you interpret your result. This will allow you to avoid the risk of self-diagnosing as well as inappropriately treating.
The cost of the testing will depend on the brand and whether you have ordered the kit on your own. The average cost of the test of the stool is under 200 dollars but it can be more expensive depending on your selection. You may select in-depth kits that may need other samples like saliva or blood which might be a bit expensive. Moreover, your doctor may order a test of the microbiome for specific medical reasons, for this case the insurance cover might chip in. it is important that you communicate with your provider ahead of the time so that you can understand which type of test may be covered under your plan if have the insurance cover.
For the information only, microbiome testing at home can be the first step in understanding how your gut is operating. The test should not be used to utilized do a self-diagnose of any potential health issues. Testing of the microbiome at home may not be that reliable. This is because any chronic symptoms should always be addressed by the doctor after a series of tests as well as a physical examination but not a single home test. The kits that are used here are also not recognized by the food and drug administration. After your home test, you decide to go with your sample to the doctor during your next appointment and have a discussion further on steps to be taken regarding your health.
After reading this article, this is what should be learned. The microbiome is viewed as a living community that is changing constantly and as well can look significantly different from day to day in response to stimulation externally. The test from the stool can give useful information or insight into microbiome overall health. Following the dietary guidelines that are given by most of the testing companies and as well taking probiotic supplements of good quality and when required, it is very possible to enhance the microbiome health. Getting a company that offers a second test after a few months will be much better so as to track the progress. This can be very encouraging checking at the improvement or the altered picture.
I believe stool testing is of much value as a health practitioner myself. If the patient’s symptoms suggest pathogens overgrowth or dysbiosis, a gut flora test can be able to identify the involved pathogen. Specific pathogens react differently to certain nutrition protocols than others, so identifying specifically what you are dealing with can be of much help. These diagnostics are very helpful as they send right to the overall health of the patients and can help much in speeding up the recovery of the patients. There may be people working alone or trying to have this test without the health practitioners trying to identify the root cause of the problem. My recommendation is they research the available test before purchasing.
