New Probiotic & Gut Health Testing

Probiotics (along with prebiotics & postbiotics) have been gaining popularity due to their effectiveness on gut health. Certain probiotics have been linked to increasing the level of gut microbiota diversity, which can potentially lead to health benefits including immune system health and help with digestion (among others).

Although probiotics have helped many people with various gut-related issues, determining if a person will benefit from probiotic supplementation has been a guessing game. Thankfully, modern medicine has been working on a way to determine if a given person will benefit from probiotic supplementation.

Screening & Probiotics

While the exact mechanisms behind probiotic effectiveness are not completely understood, genetic information can be used to determine potential uses. Genome testing and matching is a cost-effective process than can be used to quickly compare many samples.

Screening genetic tests that compare new (or, in some cases, existing) probiotics allows researchers to see what probiotics are in products.

Using genetic information to compare probiotics may allow researchers to find specifics on types and strains of probiotics associated with specific outcomes or benefits.

Screening for Personalized Probiotic Supplementation

The technology is not here yet, but the research on determining whether or not a specific person will benefit from a specific strain or blend of strains of probiotics is ongoing. Researchers are also using genetic testing to compare probiotic effects on human gut microbiota.

Genetic testing could not only show where specific probiotics can help people–it may also lead to an increased understanding of how probiotics affect the gut microbiota. Gene databases allow tons of data to be compared at a small cost. The ability to process so much data may help scientists and researchers discover specific genetic interactions when probiotics are introduced to the gut.

The methods being used for this type of personalized genetic testing are still in their infancy. The potential benefits of being able to screen both probiotics and people for effectiveness on health are very exciting. As more studies are conducted on the usefulness of genetic testing and probiotics, the more information we will have as to how viable probiotics can be for any number of health conditions.

Research at Biofortis

Biofortis is dedicated to protecting consumer health throughout the world by delivering a wide range of testing and consultancy services to the food, supplement, and nutrition industries. Biofortis supports this mission in two ways—through clinical trials and sensory and consumer insights testing. We specialize in clinical research targeting foods, ingredients, and dietary supplements that affect body structures, function, and overall health. Contact us with any clinical trial or scientific consulting needs.