The myBioma microbiome analysis expert team will enlighten you!
Not only do we passionately drink kombucha, but we are also interested in all important topics related to gut health and everything that goes with it. Therefore, it made sense to exchange ideas with the experts from myBioma and test their myBioma microbiome analysis. Above all, we were interested in how our kombucha affected our gut. More on that after the interview!
Who is behind myBioma and how did you come up with the idea of developing a microbiome analysis?
myBioma was founded in 2018 by Dr. Barbara Sladek and Dr. med. univ. Nikolaus Gasche. Our founding team has a relevant background in molecular biology and medicine. Barbara Sladek holds a PhD in Biochemistry (Oxford, UK) and a diploma in Molecular Biology (University of Vienna). Nikolaus Gasche is a medical doctor and serial entrepreneur.
The first discussions about the importance of the gut microbiome took place far from Vienna – in Ghana. Barbara was there as a traveler, Nikolaus as a medical intern. Three years and many discussions later, they implemented their plan and founded the biotech start-up myBioma with a focus on "Next-DNA-Generation Sequencing," a scientific and IT-intensive process.
The goal is to highlight the importance of the gut microbiome and to establish gut health analysis as a routine measure.
What does the term microbiome mean?
The microbiome is the collection of trillions of microorganisms that live in and on our bodies. It primarily consists of bacteria, but also contains fungi, viruses, and archaea. In total, over 30 trillion bacteria from over 1000 bacterial species live within us – that's more bacteria than we have cells of our own body.
It's fascinating how much influence the microbiome has on our overall health: In addition to typical digestive problems like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, or abdominal distension, issues with calorie utilization, skin, cardiovascular health, insulin balance, or even our psyche can stem from it. Our microbiome communicates directly with our brain and thus also influences our behavior. This makes it all the more important to pay attention to the health of your own microbiome!
The myBioma founding team, Dr. med. univ. Nikolaus Gasche and Dr. Barbara Sladek
What distinguishes myBioma from a conventional stool sample at the doctor's?
A common question is why the analysis at the family doctor is cheaper and much faster. While this is true, the analysis at the doctor is based on stool cultures. Such cultures are one of the oldest analytical methods (around 200 years old) and are inaccurate in the quantitative detection of different bacteria. Furthermore, an analysis using stool culture typically identifies only 10 different bacterial species, whereas the myBioma method (Next Generation Sequencing) can identify over 1000 different bacterial species. Due to the complexity of Next Generation Sequencing, the analysis is very costly. However, it also yields a completely different result. You don't just find out which bacteria live in your gut, but also what they are responsible for. This is clearly presented in an individual microbiome report, including suggestions for improvement. We have also developed our own app, where the results can also be accessed.
How exactly does the myBioma microbiome analysis work?
We have tried to make the process as simple as possible. The kit can be ordered directly to your home online on our homepage: www.mybioma.com, which also makes stool collection more pleasant. The sample can therefore be taken in the familiar comfort of your own toilet and sent back to us with a pre-franked return envelope. Detailed instructions, as well as assistance for stool collection, are included in the kit. Afterwards, the sample only needs to be activated either on our homepage or in the app. We always provide status updates on where the sample currently is. Once the sample arrives at our facility, we immediately forward it to our partner laboratory, which is located at the AKH Vienna. We also collaborate with the Medical University of Vienna. Here, the stool is sequenced, which can take up to 6 weeks. Afterwards, we receive a huge dataset, which our bioinformaticians process clearly, so that you receive a health report of your own microbiome. You are welcome to view our sample report here.
What tips do you give your testers for an imbalanced microbiome?
First off: We do not recommend probiotics, medications, or any other miracle pills. With the right foods and lifestyle, we can feed and multiply the right bacteria so they work for us again. Generally speaking, a healthy lifestyle positively affects our microbiome. At myBioma, we summarize five pillars of a healthy gut microbiome: First and foremost – nutrition. This includes not only the quality of our food, but especially how we eat. Hasty eating can stress our gut – which brings us to the second point: Stress is one of the No. 1 causes of illness in our society, and our microbiome is also negatively affected by it. Another important aspect is regular exercise, which activates our gut, preferably outdoors. Sufficient sleep also benefits our microbiome. Finally, toxins such as alcohol, nicotine, and medications should be largely avoided. In the microbiome report, everyone receives scientifically based dietary suggestions tailored to their results, which are easy to integrate into everyday life. For example, to strengthen the gut-brain axis, it is important to include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of brain-related diseases and promote positive gut bacteria. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish, such as trout, salmon, and sardines, avocado, spinach, nuts and seeds, and also in cold-pressed organic olive oil.
What diet can support the microbiome?
A varied and diverse diet consisting of predominantly vegetables & fruits is the best choice to feed our good gut bacteria. The right diet lays the foundation for a healthy microbiome. It is also important to integrate sufficient prebiotics and probiotics from natural sources.
Prebiotics are indigestible food components that are helpful by specifically stimulating the growth of good gut bacteria. Prebiotic foods include onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, asparagus, beans, bananas, chicory, artichokes, dandelions, apples, flaxseed, or cabbage.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are added to various foods. They have health-promoting effects and are found, for example, in natural yogurt (unsweetened!), sauerkraut, or even kombucha.
What do you think about fermented foods, such as kombucha, can it improve gut health?
Fermented foods like kombucha can contain different microorganisms depending on how they are produced. The effects these have on the gut or microbiome depend on the specific microorganisms contained and the current state of research. For example, it has also been shown that such bacteria can alter brain activity related to stress and emotion regulation, leading to an improvement in antioxidant status. This in turn influences the balance of insulin metabolism. We therefore find fermented foods brilliant and also recommend them in our report for various ailments.
Would you also recommend a microbiome analysis for psychological problems to rule out a possible imbalance in the gut?
Of course, for serious problems, we always recommend contacting a doctor. Nevertheless, it can be useful to look at the microbiome for mental problems. The gut is home to over 100 million nerve cells that lead to the brain. That's even more nerve cells than all those that lead from the brain to the entire body. This means that the gut is in constant information exchange with the brain. The nervous system of the gut uses the same neurotransmitters (information transmitters between cells) as the brain, and neurotransmitters play an important role in psychological illnesses, such as depression. The metabolism of bacteria in the digestive tract can disturb the balance of brain neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline, dopamine, or serotonin and thus influence mood.
We have also dedicated ourselves to this topic in our report, so that with myBioma you can learn more about your own gut-brain axis.
My experience with the myBioma microbiome analysis!
I actually had the pleasure of testing the myBioma microbiome analysis myself. The test in combination with the very well-structured app was really interesting. Even beforehand, interesting questions were asked about various eating habits and complaints etc.
After sending in the sample, I eagerly awaited my results and was regularly informed about the latest status of the sample.
My personal microbiome report turned out to be above average. The microbial composition, nutrition and nutrient utilization, and overall health were excellent. The composition of the bacteria was also meticulously detailed. My species richness and probiotic bacteria were also exceptionally good.
I am very happy that for me, a balanced diet in combination with kombucha seems to contribute to a healthy gut microbiome. The app also offers important tips to address various complaints and truly guides the user in detail. Here are a few excerpts from my personal test. However, this is only a very small part of the complex analysis.
With the code KOMBUCHERY10, you'll receive 10% off the myBioma microbiome analysis!
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