My Results- Genova GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile:
I have been anxiously awaiting my stool test results for a couple of weeks now. And of course, the day they decide to arrive is the day before a big exam! At first my mind was completely torn between studying (for my exam) and researching (to interpret my stool test), but I cleverly decided to use researching as a reward for studying. NERD ALERT!
One of my favorite activities is to try and put the puzzles pieces of my health story together. When I was 17 years old, I developed toxic shock syndrome and was injected with a hefty amount of an antibiotic called vancomycin in order to save my life. My stool test revealed elevated levels of proteobacteria which I found can be caused by vancomycin:
“For example, vancomycin administration resulted in a dramatic increase in Proteobacteria levels accompanied with a decrease in the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla, but only vancomycin resulted in an improvement in the metabolic abnormalities associated with obesity. These results further highlighted the link between the gut microbiota and health, and indicate the potential benefits of using gut microbiota-manipulating strategies to improve health”
I also found several sources that indicate elevated proteobacteria as a factor in many cases of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Also consistent with large intestine microbiota of individuals with IBS, my stool test indicated a lack of diversity of commensal intestinal flora. Although stool testing is not considered a reliable measure of IBS/SIBO, I find it very fascinating that the large intestine of individuals with IBS frequently indicates abnormalities that may warrant further investigation.
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