As online influencers continue to promote at-home gut microbiome tests as a way to “hack your health,” experts warn that these so-called “GI mapping” kits often oversimplify complex factors and can cause unnecessary distress.
For a few hundred pounds, individuals can send off a stool sample to a laboratory, receiving a report detailing their food sensitivities, metabolic fitness, and any pathogens or fungi they may be harbouring. However, even experts struggle to interpret the results of these at-home tests.
Professor Rupert Leong, a gastroenterologist and microbiome researcher at Macquarie University Hospital, says that while gut microbiome testing can be “very powerful and accurate” in detecting certain microbial markers, interpreting what those markers mean for an individual remains a major challenge. Different laboratories also use varying methodologies, leading to differing results.
“We are still in the infancy of understanding how to interpret them,” Leong explains. He cautions that for the vast majority of people who order these tests online, “there are no translatable benefits” as temporary dietary changes, medications, or illness could all affect the results, and the implications for an individual’s health outcomes are not well understood.
Dr. Erica Zurawski, an assistant professor in environmental studies, says that at-home microbiome tests are often pitched “as a wholesale solution to myriad health issues when, in fact, they oversimplify the complexity of the inner workings of the gut, its malleability, and the impact external factors have on it.” This, she argues, encourages consumers to internalise health responsibility while giving their personal data to large, for-profit companies.
So, what is the best way to support gut health? Leong recommends a diverse, high-fibre diet as a sensible starting point. Zurawski adds that governments also have a responsibility to address the broader social and environmental conditions that influence gut health, including poverty, housing, pollution, and access to affordable, nutritious food.
If you are experiencing gut-related symptoms or concerns, both experts advise seeing a qualified dietitian or GP before jumping to expensive, at-home testing.
