Both Ombre and Biomesight do 16S testing.
16S testing is nothing like traditional gut testing.
Traditional gut testing uses culture medium to grow the bacteria. Since around 96% of the species in our gut are anaerobes they die in air and so we can only ever culture a maximum of 4%.
Whereas 16S testing looks at the genetic material and doesn't requite the bacteria to be alive (in fact the sample medium kills them to preserve them).
Therefore 16S testing detects 100% of the species in the gut, or at least the colon. And, critically, it also can tell you how much of each species there are (in fact, right down to the strain level). Letting you know what's overgrown and what you may need more of.
Note: 16S testing doesn't show up H. pylori, which lives in the stomach. Or any other non-bacterial parasite. I've been persuaded that a CSA (Comprehensive Stool Analysis) or a GI360 still do have a great deal of use in showing up pathogens that really need to be addressed first.
We have seen huge, huge changes in our son within three weeks of starting supplements that we worked out from the test results:
Much less aggression.
Ten consecutive full nights of sleep (we've never had a run of more than seven nights since 2019, and that was only on five occasions).
Started being far more interested in toys and suddenly engaging in imaginative play again (feeding them his food) for the first time since he regressed at around 18 months old (he's six).
Best of all he started playing a game with another child; “feeding” each other imaginary food with sticks! He’s never played with another child in his life before!
As time has gone on we've also seen:
Where he would normally have a meltdown and perhaps become aggressive, he'd simply cry. Like a child normally would. Previously he's almost never cried. Hearing him simply crying again was shocking.
He learned how to pull on his shoes, how to put on his swimming shorts and (remembered) how to pull up a zip. All in about three days.
His receptive language has improved and improved and he will occasionally now do things like help look for a missing shoe (he's not done that since before he regressed).
And I know personally of other parents who have seen even more amazing things.
I think the keys for us so far have been:
Making absolutely certain he is going regularly and emptying his bowels properly, every day, using things like Smooth Move tea and Coconut Oil.
More on that here.
Higher doses than I've given previously of very targeted probiotics.
Buy a test from Ombre or Biomesight (discount codes for Biomesight below!)
Do not take any supplements that might affect the test for 48 hours
It's not necessary to stop everything, just things like:
Probiotics
Prebiotics
Antimicrobials
The test is extremely easy, it's just a cotton swab that you post back in normal post
Ombre:
Ombre only ships to the US currently (Spring 2022) They show other countries in their shipping details but those countries only work for their other products, not their tests:
Discount codes (partly from the microbiomeprescription.com blog):
GUTREST50
OR
THEGUTCLUB15
Once you have the Ombre results, you need to download the FASTQ file.
Then create an account on Biomesight, and upload the FASTQ file:
https://biomesight.com/user/register
Biomesight:
Biomesight ship to most countries:
Discount code (from the microbiomeprescription.com blog):
BIOMEDASD <- Likely the best
OR
THEGUTCLUB50
OR
Micro
Return shipping for people outside the UK:
https://biomesight.com/customs
Biomesight say it's best to send to the USA if you are not in the UK/EU (the address will be on the return package that they send out)
They say just ship it back in normal post. Only bother sending by something more expensive if you want the speed and slight degree of extra certainty. They send a new kit for free if your kit fails to get back to them!
Test samples last around three years after they are taken so there is no rush to return them in terms of them degrading. Not like traditional, cultured stool samples.
For UK folks you can get 18.2% cashback on it at Top Cashback (Note: I am not sure if you do get this if you use the discount code!): https://www.topcashback.co.uk/biomesight/
No, they may not at first and in fact things very commonly worsen at first.
It's counterintuitive but this is extremely common and is likely caused by pathogenic species dying back and releasing toxins.
This is common overall in "Biomed" treatments and is often called a "healing regression". Every practioner we've worked with has warned it will probably happen and is actually taken as a good sign since improvements tend to happen on the other side of one.
However it's possible that with enough "support" these problems can be minimised or even avoided. This looks like things like Colostrum, Mega IgG2000/SBI Protect, Milk Thistle, Zeolite etc.