Types of microbiome

There is no exact number, because microbes live almost everywhere on us: on the skin, in the mouth, in the gut and on the mucous membranes. Each of these places is a separate environment with its own make-up. The BugSpeaks platform covers four of them: the gut, skin, oral and vaginal microbiomes.

Both the microbes and their work are different. In the gut, trillions of microbes break down fibre and produce vitamins and short-chain fatty acids. The microbes on the skin protect its barrier and help it hold on to moisture. That is why the two are tested with different samples: the gut with a stool sample, the skin with a swab from the face.

The gut, skin and vaginal microbiome. The oral test is in preparation and is not on sale here yet.

No. Each test analyses its own sample: stool for the gut test, a facial swab for the skin test and a vaginal swab for the vaginal test. The gut and skin tests together cost €620 instead of €720.

No. Every person carries a different set of microbes, built up from birth onwards and shaped by their surroundings and diet. Even within one person, the microbes in the gut differ from those on the skin.