Your gut already contains a complex community of microorganisms. The microbiome you have before taking a probiotic may influence what happens when new microorganisms are introduced.
Why does your existing microbiome matter?
A probiotic enters an ecosystem that is already established.
The microorganisms living there compete for nutrients and space, interact with each other and produce substances that influence the intestinal environment.
Human studies have shown that the same probiotic microorganisms can behave differently in different people. Features of the existing microbiome and the individual can influence whether probiotic microorganisms successfully interact with the gut environment.
Can a microbiome test tell you which probiotic to take?
A microbiome test can provide information about microorganisms detected in a stool sample. This can help build a more detailed picture of an individual’s gut microbiome.
But choosing a probiotic involves more than finding a bacterium reported as low and trying to replace it.
Microbiome composition, microbial function, diet, medications, health conditions and the evidence for the specific probiotic all need to be considered.
Research is increasingly exploring whether these different types of information can be combined to predict which microbiome-directed interventions are most likely to benefit an individual.
This is an important step towards more personalized microbiome care.
