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Please do not book until you have ordered and completed your test. The results can take 3 weeks. What is Metagenomic Analysis? The bacteria present in our gut, mouth, skin and other sites in the human body are often referred to collectively as the human Microbiome or “second genome”. Composed of more than a 100 trillion microorganisms the human microbiome outnumbers the total number of human genes by a factor of a hundred to one. This means, for every gene in your genome there are 100 bacterial genes. Genomic technology now has the capacity to view this second genome by sequencing specific regions or variable regions in the bacterial genome. It is these variable regions that enable bacteria to be identified down to species level. Each bacterial species has a unique “finger print”. This means that the analysis is similar to a crime scene investigation. If the sequence is detected then that particular bacteria is present in your gut. Why are the bacteria in my gut important? Bacteria perform essential functions such as digesting food and synthesising vitamins. Recent studies have also linked the microbiome to human mood and behaviour via the gut-brain axis, as well as many gut disorders, weight gain, eczema, and chronic sinusitis. What will this analysis tell me? The percentage of the types of bacteria in your gut. How the bacteria in your gut may be affecting your overall heath. If any known pathogenic bacteria are present. How your diet is affecting your microbiome.

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