Gut Microbiome Testing is Now Available in South Africa

In recent years, scientists have called the microbiome the “forgotten organ” and it has been recognised as playing a key part in affecting everything from your mood to your risk of disease, and even our ability to process fat and gluten. Many scientists believe that the communities of bacteria living in our guts, and elsewhere in our body, influence a wide range of health factors and that a better understanding of the gut microbiome can help individuals tackle both small and larger underlying health issues more effectively.

As a result of these new findings, ‘gut-healthy’ products and meal plans, promising to help boost the vital community of life in your gut, have become increasingly popular over the past few years. Taking a probiotic, eating yoghurt, or adding pickled vegetables to your meals are believed to be the simplest ways to increase the health of your microbiome but, for some people, taking supplements and eating gut-healthy foods doesn’t quite cut it, and they need a better, more detailed understanding of what’s really going on in their body. That’s where gut microbiome testing comes in.

To help empower South African consumers, South African biotech company, Next Biosciences, has announced a partnership with Viome, to bring its Gut Intelligence Test to South Africa. The Viome Gut Intelligence Test analyses an individual’s microbiome and helps determine which foods a person should eat more of and which ones they should be minimising and avoiding based on their individual needs. Personalised supplement recommendations are also included in the test report.

Viome leverages cutting-edge artificial intelligence and metatranscriptomic technology to sequence RNA (gene expression), a high-resolution view of both an individual’s microbial composition and activity. Combined with artificial intelligence, biological pathway analysis and translational science, this allows Viome to make personalised recommendations to help consumers balance their gut microbiome.

What Is the Perfect Skincare Routine?

New technologies used by microbiologists to identify and analyse organisms like bacteria, viruses, archaea, and fungi are ushering in a new era of medicine and a new understanding of the forces at work within the body. Through this partnership between Viome and Next Biosciences, individuals are able to not only identify but also understand how certain microorganisms residing in the gut interact with the body and eventually impact overall health.

South Africans wanting a better picture of their gut microbiome can order the Viome Gut Intelligence test kit online and have it delivered to their home. The Viome Kit and testing ree costs R 3,990 per test.