Have you been grappling with gut-related issues lately? Is your health taking a turn for the worse with stomach upsets, giddiness, nausea becoming an everyday affair? If you have been facing digestion related issues then it’s quite possible that there are some irregular changes taking place within your body. There’s also a strong possibility that you’ve been missing your good old healthy self and want to get back to the days when you were absolutely fit and fine. What can you do to achieve that state?
Testing your gut microbiome is one way of getting to know more about these recent changes that are your cause for worry. Gut health examinations will help you get answers to why you’ve been feeling listless or low recently. Yes, as per researchers and experts who study the microbiome, the link between your microbiota and health cannot be undermined in any manner. Because of this, it becomes essential to realize its importance and get it tested intermittently. And if you’re worried about your health, fret not for there are options for patients with LPR.
Why is Healthy Microbiome Essential?
A healthy microbiome is responsible for the regulation of your overall immune system. It has a strong influence on the metabolic activities performed by your body. Extremely critical for the absorption of nutrients consumed by your body, a healthy microbiome is what you need to keep your digestive functions in order. The article “Are Gut Microbiome Tests Accurate Or Worth It? What To Do Instead” from Microbe Formulas explains that there isn’t a perfect gut microbiome, but it differs from person to person. For instance, unhealthy or imperfect gut microbial ecosystems can lead to the incidence of cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disorders, liver diseases, asthma, and so forth.
Given the significance of microbiome in maintaining your system, especially if you’ve been feeling sick or uneasy recently, it’s essential to get it tested. To ascertain what could have gone wrong with your gut, you may want to take an appointment for microbiome testing. Though the test is expensive, it will give you a fair insight into whatever’s taking place within your system. The question that may come to the mind of some readers is how accurate are microbiome testing results? What do they convey? Is the test worth the cause? The answers can be found in the following paras.
Your Microbiome – How Important is it?
The microbes present in the gut and your intestines have often been referred to as the “second brain” by researchers. This is because the grey matter that’s present in your brain is also found in your gut. The unhealthy microbiome living in the gut can make changes to the functioning of your brain. The gray matter therein may start deteriorating, thereby leading to depression, brain fog, cognitive/memory issues, and anxiety in some people. This is the reason why more research is being conducted to understand the relation between the GI tract and the microbiome living in it.
Functions of Microbiome
The main functions performed by the microbiome in the gut are as follows:
- Synthesis of different amino acids and vitamins
- Transformation of bile into a potent health-giving substance referred to as TUDCA
- Production of enzymes for breaking down food substances in order to increase energy levels
- Production of short-chain fatty acids and other essential chemical constituents, and so forth.
Microbiome Testing for Knowing Gut Health
A lot of research and lab-based study is underway to understand the significance of gut tests and what they are capable of revealing. Their accuracy is often questioned. This because of even a bit of stress, or eating the wrong food, just before the test is performed, can lead to changed outcomes. In most cases, the test reports serve to showcase what your gut is going through at any given moment. They may or may not be in sync with the real and present state of your intestinal ecosystem. In addition, there are several kinds of organisms that are found in the microbiome system. Out of these, some are nocturnal in nature or are active in specific periods only. In fact, the composition of the microbiome is capable of varying to an extent of 60 percent across the day. Given this, you are bound to get different results if you get the test done during the evening or morning.
Does the Test Reveal the Presence of Parasites?
The microbiome stool test may not be able to reveal if there are parasites present in your gut. This is because most parasites get killed once they leave the host that they were surviving upon. These parasites may also give off enzymes and chemicals that start decomposing their bodies when they have no oxygen supply. Given this situation, when your stool reaches the lab for testing, it’s quite possible that the parasites have already dissolved by then. Thus, it will not be possible for you to get accurate results or the answer to whether parasites are living in your gut or not. The same counts for the presence of parasitic infections.
Microbiome Tests – Varied Outcomes?
Another important thing to understand with respect to the difference in the outcome of microbial tests is that there are various tests being used by different companies. The difference in testing can be attributed to how the stool sample is collected, transported, kept in storage, or analyzed. For instance, you’ll come across some test labs that’ll keep your sample under sub-zero temperatures. This may ruin certain microbiome, thereby skewing the results. Then, there are some tests that include the detection of toxins in your sample stool to provide advance test reports. You may discuss the different types of tests you’re your health specialist before taking a call.
The Way Forward
The taking and management of these tests require a lot of refinement so that the conclusions can be reliable. The processes connected with a microbiome test are not as simple as you may think. It is recommended that you get in touch with experienced lab experts and technicians to get the results you seek. Once the diagnosis is complete, you’ll find it easy to handle your health issues in a better fashion.
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