Who should take the test?

With an area of ​​several hundred square meters, the gut is the largest organ of our body and also one of the most important. Its task does not only consist of digesting food and passing it as nutrients, minerals and trace elements to the organism. The intestinal mucosa forms a mechanical barrier in healthy people: it is permeable to nutrients and liquids, but impermeable to harmful substances.  Beyond that, the gut and its bacteria are of great importance for the immune system – nearly 80% of all immune cells are located there. However, the intestinal mucosa can fulfill its task only with an intact gut flora.

Our Intestinal Health Check Plus Parasites test helps you to get a comprehensive picture of your gut health as the state of your gastrointestinal system is extremely important for your overall well-being. We also check your sample for intestinal parasites.

How does it work?

Once your order has been processed, you will be sent a sample collection kit. You collect your stool sample from the comfort of your own home and send it right back to Verisana partner laboratory. The lab analyzes your samples. Following the completion of the analysis, you will receive a lab report with your level of each analyte and whether your level falls within the reference ranges for your age.

What will my results tell me?

Your results will provide detailed information about whether your levels are normal, low, or high compared to reference ranges in your age group. We also check your sample for intestinal parasites. You can then discuss the results with your doctor, who can give you further guidance and treatment recommendations.

Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a minority member of the gut microbiome, but a very important one. E. coli bacteria normally live in the intestines of healthy people and stimulates the intestinal immune system. It aids digestion and protects us from other harmful microbes. E. coli participates in folic acid production, promotes the absorption of iron and calcium. If there are low counts of E-coli, one can expect problems like osteoporosis and bone problems, low mood and poor gut motility, also may indicate the presence of intestinal parasites. Increased E. coli indicates putrefaction in the intestine and may burden the body with metabolic toxins.

Proteus

Proteus species are most commonly found as part of normal human intestinal flora, along with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species. Proteus is also found in multiple environmental habitats, including long-term care facilities and hospitals. As a particularly active proteolytic germ, proteus can burden the body considerably through its metabolic toxins.

Citrobacter

Citrobacter is a rod belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family. It is considered an opportunistic pathogen and therefore can be found in the gut as part of the normal flora. Citrobacter are also commonly found in water, soil and food and may be spread by person-to person contact. Some Citrobacter strains are potential enterotoxin producers – often without clinical manifestations.

Klebsiella

Klebsiella is a bacterium, which belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family. Klebsiella can be found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Klebsiella overgrowth is commonly asymtomatic. Some strains of Klebsiella may cause diarrhea and some are enterotoxigenic. A low-starch diet may be helpful if high levels of Klebsiella are present.

Other enterobacteriaceae

Increased enterobacteriaceae indicate disturbances of the intestinal flora, malnutrition or digestive insufficiencies. A larger amount of these bacteria does not belong in the normal intestinal flora.

Enterococci

Enterococci are part of the normal microflora of the small and large intestine. Enterococci are useful and necessary bacteria involved in carbohydrate metabolism.

Decreased Enterococci in the stool indicates disturbances in balance of the intestinal flora.

Pseudomonas

Pseudomonas can be found in water and soil as well as fruits ans vegetables. A common source of infection is bottled water, but increased Pseudonomas may also be due to an earlier antibiotic therapy.

Bacteroides

Bacteroides is the most abundant bacteria in the microflora. Decreased bacteroides indicate a lowered resistence to pathogenic species (such as salmonella, shigella and clostridia).

Bifidobacteria

Bifidobacteria make up a significant portion of the human gut flora. Along with Lactobacillia and Enterococci, Bifidobacteria control potentially pathogenic organisms and stimulate the intestinal immune system (GALT). Decreased Bifidobacteria indicate deficiencies in colonisation resistance, putrefaction in the intestine and can promote constipation.

Lactobacilli

Lactobacilli is a lactic acid forming bacteria, which produces large amounts of short chain fatty acids (SCFA). SCFAs lower the intestinal pH and thereby make the evironment alkaline and unsuitable for microbial pathogens (e.g. yeast). In addition, Lactobacilli secrete antifungal and antimicrobial agents.  Decreased Lactobacilli indicate disturbances of the intestinal flora.

Clostridia

Clostridia are prevalent flora in a healthy intestine. As clostirida produce gases it may cause flatulence. Increased Clostridia indicates putrefaction in the intestine and may burden the body with metabolic toxins.

Increased clostridia are often found in older people due to changes in their nutrition. Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens are one cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

pH-Value

With a balanced diet the fecal pH should lie between 6,2 and 6,8. Acid fecal pH indicates disorders of intestinal ecology. An alkaline fecal pH indicated an imbalanced intestine flora.

Candida albicans

The genus Candida is comprised of approximately 200 different species. Candida albicans is the most common strain of them. It is a normal part of the gut flora and most people have some level of Candida albicans in their intestines. But a combination of factors can lead to an overgrowth, which then leads to several undesirable symptoms including fatigue, weight gain, joint pain, and gas.

Candida spec.

Increased candida species indicates deficiancies in colonisation resitance, disturbances of the intestinal flora and or a defect mucosa. Candida species may burden the body with toxic metabolites. Some patients respont to even low rates of yeast overgrowth.

Geotrichum candidum

Geotrichum candidum belongs to the Endomyceteaceae family. This organism can be found in soil, dairy products and in human skin and mucosae. Symptoms of Geotrichum infection have been associated with diarrhea and enteritis.

Mold

Mold can grow almost anywhere there is moisture and organic material such as in soil, on foods and plants, and in people's homes. An infection with mold can have many reasons. Possible causes are things like corticosteroid therapy, stress, diabetes, malnutrition, antibiotics or birth control pills. All of them weaken the immune system and a weakened immune system cannot control mold or help you get rid of it.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin

Alpha-1-antitrypsin is an acute phase protein and is synthesized in liver and intestinal cells. In case of inflammation, it limits tissue damage. Its release is observed during the inflammatory process.

Secretory IgA

Secretory IgA (sIgA) is an immune protein, which reacts anti-inflammatory. It coats the intestinal lining, especially the mucosal surfaces and is supposed to protect us from inside. As secretory IgA represents the first line of defense of the GI, immunological activity in the GI tract can be assessed using secretory IgA. Low levels of fecal sIgA increase the risk of leaky gut syndrome and promote the growth of microbial pathogens in the intestine. The risk of inflammatroy immune reactions to undigested food and protein is also increased if low levels of sIgA are present. Low fecal IgA levels can result from physical or mental stress and/or inadequate nutrition. High fecal sIgA indicate immune reactions to antigens from bacteria, yeast or other microbes.

Helicobacter pylori

The detection of Helicobacter pylori antigen in stool indicates an infection with this germ. Helicobacter pylori is the most common chronic bacterial pathogen in humans. It lowers stomach acid levels while damaging the mucosal protection within the stomach. It has therefore been attributed with causing stomach and duodenal ulcers.

Pancreatic elastase -1

Elastase-1 (pancreatic elastase-1) is a specific enzyme produced in the pancreas. Unhealthy food, alcohol and drugs can overload the pancreas. The first symptoms are usually digestive problems, but since stomach problems are not paid attention to in time, long-term overload and unhealthy habits can lead to pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. Reduced pancreatic elastase in stool indicates insufficiency of exocrine pancreatic function. Pancreatic elastase-1 levels below 100 are strongly correlated with severe pancreatic insufficiency. Pancreatic elastase-1 levels between 100 and 200 indicate moderate pancreatic insufficiency.

Parasiitide analüüs:

Worm eggs

Under the microscope we examine your sample specifically for worm eggs and then determine the possible types of eggs found.

Note: Eggs of the fox tapeworm are not released into the stool and therefore cannot be determined via a stool test. In this case, imaging procedures must be performed. Similarly, pinworms, whose eggs also do not show up in the stool because the worms deposit them directly on the perianal skin.

Cryptosporidium spec.

Cryptosporidium belongs to the genus of unicellular parasites that use various vertebrates as hosts. They occur worldwide and are usually transmitted through contaminated water, but also through raw food or pets. An infection usually heals on its own after a few weeks. However, chronic symptoms can occur in people with weakened immune systems. In addition to diarrhea, symptoms often include weight loss, mild fever, and dizziness.

Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica is a single-celled parasite and causes the so-called amoebic dysentery. The parasite causes purulent intestinal ulcers, which in turn lead to a variety of symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, bloody-mucous diarrhea or constipation. In rare cases, the parasites migrate to the liver, where they destroy tissue and cause abscesses. Often, however, an infection is completely asymptomatic or the disease breaks out years or decades after infection. Transmission occurs, for example, through food contaminated with human feces, but also during sex.

Giardia lamblia

The Giardia lamblia parasite is widespread throughout the world. It is transmitted through contaminated food, water (either through drinking water or when bathing in contaminated water) or also directly from person to person, e.g. during sexual intercourse. The incubation period is approximately 1 week. Symptoms range from a feeling of pressure in the right upper abdomen, to flatulence, nausea and diarrhea, to vomiting and fever. Malabsorption often also causes weight loss.

• Swollen stomach
• Flatulence
• Stool of unstable consistency (constipation and diarrhea or alternation of these conditions).
• Hair loss, deterioration of nails and skin.
• Loss of appetite
• Exhaustion, fatigue
• Vaginal discharge, recurrent vaginitis♀)
• Headache
• General immunodeficiency (you often suffer from respiratory infections, herpes breaks out and other infections occur)
• Sleep disorders (insomnia, teeth grinding, restless sleep).