Do you have regular GI (gastrointestinal) problems? You know, gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, etc.? Maybe you even experience non-GI symptoms like brain fog, joint pain, anemia, or fatigue, yet you cannot find the root cause. Whichever symptoms you’re having, the gut is often the best place to look first since it contains 70% of the immune system. Read on to learn about testing you might consider if you have any of these unsolved gut issues.

The Gut Zoomer Test

We order the Gut Zoomer test through Vibrant America for our patients who experience the symptoms listed above or others that are simply unexplained. This Gut Zoomer helps reveal issues we cannot see from the outside. It shows us the amount and diversity of bacterial strains living in the gut. This is helpful because research has shown that certain bacterial strains are linked to the risk of specific diseases and GI symptoms.

This test also helps us to see if you have imbalances of bacteria in the gut that could also be contributing to your symptoms. We know that imbalances in the gut microbiome can lead to many problems, including autoimmune disorders, GI symptoms, skin conditions, inflammatory disorders, and more.

Vibrant uses a proprietary microarray hybridization technology platform, using the whole-genome data to simultaneously detect over 300 microorganisms with 99% specificity and 98% sensitivity, which is impressively accurate.

The Gut Zoomer report provides you with actionable recommendations that include potential risks for:

• Intestinal permeability (SCFA-producing bacteria and tight junction integrity)
• Intestinal disorders (IBS and IBD-related bacteria)
• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)- related bacteria
• Cardiovascular health (inflammation influencing and TMAO-related bacteria)
• Autoimmune health (celiac, Crohn’s, rheumatoid arthritis, etc)
• Neurological health (MS, Parkinson’s, and more)
• Liver diseases (cirrhosis, hepatitis, cholangitis, and more)
• Metabolic health (Obesity, diabetes, etc)
• Nutrition (Vitamin production, oxalate metabolism)
• Microbiome and hormone connections (Beta-glucuronidase and Beta-glucosidase)
• 67 pathogenic bacteria
• 24 Intestinal parasites
• 8 viruses
• 5 Fungal or yeast species
• 5 worm species
• 6 antibiotic resistance genes measured

It also shows you markers of digestive function including:

• Calprotectin
• Pancreatic elastase 1
• Bile acids
• Cholic acid
• Chenodeoxycholic acid
• Deoxycholic acid
• Lithocholic acid
• Acetic acid
• Butyric acid
• Propionic acid
• Valeric acid
• Total SCFAs
• ß-glucuronidase

This is a stool test that examines all of these markers to help us understand what could be causing your symptoms. The test also provides information regarding what diet, supplement, and lifestyle changes may aid you in healing your gut.

Are you interested in having this test done? Reach out to our office to set an appointment!