Healthy Gut

WHAT?

At-home sample collection device for monitoring gut function. Laboratory results are provided within 5 days.

WHY?

A healthy gut is essential for the absorption and digestion of nutrients. Different things can affect digestion. Gastritis can cause inflammation and damage to the stomach lining. H. pylori infection, celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease can all affect the function of the stomach and bowel, reducing the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Over time, they can increase the risk of stomach and bowel cancer.

WHO & WHEN?

An unhealthy gut, which can affect your well-being in many ways, can be due to a range of lifestyle choices as well as other factors including:

• Not eating a diverse range of foods, resulting in a poor gut flora
• Food allergies (e.g. peanuts and dairy), food intolerances (e.g. gluten and lactose) or celiac disease
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Antibiotic use
• Lack of regular physical activity
• Cigarette smoking
• Lack of sleep
• Excessive stress

If your lifestyle includes some of the above or you have symptoms, a gut health check is a good idea. Doctors may suggest gut function tests for people experiencing the following symptoms:

• Bloating
• Excessive gas
• Reflux
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhoea

HOW?

This sample kit contains a finger-prick blood collection device, along with clear instructions. The sample should be taken first thing in the morning, before eating or drinking anything. Samples collected at home are couriered to and tested at the BioSmart accredited pathology laboratory.

Blood is tested for:

• Pepsinogen I (PGI) & Pepsinogen II (PGII)
• Calculated PGI/PGII Ratio
• Vitamin B12
• Iron
• H. Pylori IgG

The results of the test will:

• Provide a useful indication of stomach and gut health
• Analyse the risk of gastritis and stomach ulcers
• Detect a current and/or past H. pylori infection, which is a common cause of stomach ulcers, estimated to affect as many as half of the world’s population

A healthy gut improves mental and physical energy, productivity, alertness and much more.

Your digestive health report will come in an easy-to-understand format with a detailed breakdown of results, what they mean and your next steps.