At-home-testing available to everyone throughout UK, Ireland and mainland Europe. Order your test kit below

Why is this Genova's Best Stool Test for Gastrointestinal Diagnostics?

Gastrointestinal (GI) function is critical for good health. Emerging evidence has associated overall GI function and gut microbiome status with a wide variety of common illnesses including, but not limited to:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Reflux / Heartburn
• Bloating
• Malabsorption
• Candida and thrush
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Celiac and Other Malabsorption Disorders
• Mood Disorders
• Autoimmunity
• Autism
• Intestinal Microbiota
• Gut dysbiosis
• Oral dysbiosis
• Oral infection
• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
• Long Covid

Uses the Best Technologies for Appropriate Interventions

• By utilising a combination of the most appropriate technologies (qPCR, culture, MALDI-TOF, EIA, computer-enhanced microscopy), GI Effects has the most accurate microbial identification
• Routinely identifies a limitless amount of relevant bacteria & yeast, helping to target treatment
• Recovering live organisms provides the most effective treatment options for yeast or bacteria, with sensitivities specific to the organism recovered from the patient sample
• Utilising multiple methodologies, including microscopic identification by highly trained laboratory personal, ensures accurate identification of parasites so that your interventions are appropriate for your unique patient
• Sensitivities can help guide the appropriate treatments including pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals

What is the GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile?

GI Effects is an innovative stool test measuring premier biomarkers of gastrointestinal function, providing valuable clinical insight into digestive performance, gut inflammation, and the gut microbiome — areas affecting not only GI health, but overall health as well.

The sophisticated biomarkers from the GI Effects Comprehensive Profile are reported using an intuitive DIG framework, providing key clinical information for three main gastrointestinal functional areas:

• Digestion/Absorption:
  • Pancreatic Elastase-1, a marker of exocrine pancreatic function
  • Products of Protein Breakdown, markers of undigested protein reaching the colon
  • Fecal Fat, markers of fat breakdown and absorption

• Inflammation/Immunology:
  • Calprotectin, a marker of neutrophil-driven inflammation; produced in abundance at sites of inflammation, this biomarker has been proven clinically useful in differentiating between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)*
  • Eosinophil Protein X, a marker of eosinophil-driven inflammation and allergic response
  • Fecal Secretory IgA, a marker of gut secretory immunity and barrier function
  • Additional biomarkers available: Fecal Lactoferrin

• Gut Microbiome:
  • Metabolic indicators, demonstrating specific and vital metabolic functions performed by the microbiota
    • Short-Chain Fatty Acids, a metabolomic indicator of GI microbiome health
    • Beta-glucuronidase, an inducible enzyme involved in the metabolism and bioavailability of food and drug compounds; also produced by gut bacteria

• Commensal Bacteria, demonstrating the composition, diversity, and relative abundance of gut organisms, all of which are linked to both gastrointestinal and general health
  • More than 95% of commensal gut organisms are anaerobic and are difficult to recover by traditional (aerobic) culture techniques; molecular DNA techniques are now considered the standard for anaerobic bacteria assessment in research, permitting identification and quantification of multiple organisms with a single specimen.
  • The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methodology can identify bacterial populations at any level of taxonomy, as broadly as phylum and as narrowly as species. This ability permits analysis of the gut microbiome at a desired degree of complexity.
  • GI Effects assesses a key set of 24 clinically relevant genera/species that map to 7 major phyla.

• Bacterial and mycological culture, which demonstrate the presence of specific beneficial and pathological organisms
  • Traditional bacterial culture complements DNA-based tests to provide an expanded survey of a patient's gut microbiota, beyond the specific organisms targeted by PCR.

• Parasitology
  • GI Effects provides microscopic examination of fecal specimens for ova and parasites (O&P), the gold standard of diagnosis for many parasites.
  • Enzyme immunoassay (EIA), widely recognized for its diagnostic utility in the detection of pathogenic antigens, is used for the identification of Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia lamblia.
  • Determination of one-day or three-day sample collection is based on clinician's clinical index of suspicion for parasitic infection. If no/low suspicion, a one day sample will likely be adequate. If high suspicion, a three day sample collection is optimal.

• Additional biomarkers available:
  • Campylobacter
  • Clostridium difficile
  • Escherichia coli
  • Faecal Lactoferrin
  • Helicobacter pylori Stool Antigen
  • KOH Preparation for Yeast (extra sensitive marker for yeast/fungi)
  • Macroscopic Exam for Parasites
  • Zonulin Family Peptide

When should the GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile be considered?

GI Effects assesses three critical areas of gut health: digestive function, gut inflammation, and the gut microbiome—areas affecting not only GI health, but overall health as well. For patients with symptoms that may have gastrointestinal dysfunction as their root cause, comprehensive stool diagnostics provide an effective tool for gaining clinical insight into next steps.

In addition to performing critical digestive functions, the intestinal tract contains significant amounts of organisms — the gut microbiome. Imbalances in this internal ecosystem have been associated in the scientific literature with a wide variety of common illnesses including, but not limited to:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Coeliac and Other Malabsorption Disorders
• Mood Disorders
• Autoimmune
• Autism

Assessing and normalizing GI function can have profound effects on overall health, leading to improvement in these and other conditions. The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile is a critical clinical tool in the management of patients presenting with symptoms that can be associated with compromised gut health.

What advantage does the profile offer compared to other diagnostics?

GI Effects® represents the best technical platform to assess gut health, including an optimized PCR molecular assay for anaerobic bacteria, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technology for identification of cultivable species, as well as premier biomarkers for stool-based gastrointestinal diagnostics.

The test report is organized so that the reader may move through results in a logical order that enhances clinical utility, starting with an innovative Interpretation-At-A-Glance cover page.

• Using evidence-based rules and weighted algorithms, this page synthesizes patient test results into Four Functional Pillars of clinical significance (Infection-Inflammation-Insufficiency-Imbalance) and provides a directional indication of potential therapeutic next steps in patient management.
• Diversity Association and Relative Abundance of gut microbiota is also reported on this page, providing both a proxy measure of gut biodiversity and the patient's levels of selected key organisms relative to similar measures in a healthy cohort of individuals.

What can clinicians and patients expect from GI Effects Comprehensive Profile stool testing?

Functional testing can help uncover the root cause of many chronic conditions that often frustrate both physician and patient. The scope of the premier biomarkers on the GI Effects Stool Profile provides comprehensive information to the clinician for the development of strategic interventions. As identified functional imbalances and inadequacies become more normalized through targeted dietary, lifestyle, and supplementation therapeutics, intractable symptoms often improve for many patients.

Each biomarker is associated with specific pertinent therapies, but general therapeutic considerations include:

• Discerning general evidence of bowel inflammation and providing intestinal mucosal and anti-inflammatory support
• Addressing any identified infection with appropriate pharmacological and botanical treatments
• Supporting commensal bacteria with pre/probiotic supplements and dietary changes

A structured diagnostic panel, like the GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile, is easier for patients and clinicians to implement in practice compared to the stressors associated with serial testing. The GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile also helps to provide enhanced clinical accuracy in determining which patients may need additional, more invasive testing.

Test Details:

Specimen Requirements:

• Stool specimens required. Refer to test kit instructions for details

Genova Diagnostics

Test name(s) and prices - accurate at December 2022:

• 2200 - GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile: £375

• Additional biomarkers to order where indicated:
  • Campylobacter (£45)
  • Clostridium difficile (£60)
  • Escherichia coli (£45)
  • Helicobacter pylori (£90)
  • Zonulin Family Peptide (£45)
  • Faecal Lactoferrin (£55)
  • Macroscopic Exam for Parasites (£45) - Code DIG08
  • KOH Preparation for Yeast (£25)

Sample Shipping:

• UK: £15 per shipment
• Mainland Europe: £28 per shipment

Useful Health Tests to Run Alongside GI Effects:

• NutrEval - Comprehensive Nutritional Profile including microbial organic acids and homocysteine with optional genomic add-ons
• Gut-Food Combo - State of the Art testing for food iIntolerances and leaky gut
• Cyrex Gluten Test - Advanced screening for wheat and gluten sensitivities including but not limited to markers for Coeliac Disease
• SIBO Screening - Choose from SIBO-laculose and SIBO-glucose breath tests, as well as IBS-SIBO screen via blood testing
• Histamine Intolerance Test - Measures ability to break down histamine which impacts on intestinal health
• Lyme Disease Testing - Comprehensive testing via Armin Labs in Germany - ChronicLyme Disease is often implicated in gastrointestinal health complaints
• DNA-Health Tests - Genomic Test to identify and report upon single nucleotide polymorphisms (genetic SNPs)

Order your Test Below:

Please complete details below to order the GI Effects Comprehensive Profile, indicating which add-on markers are required (if any). You may then expect to receive invoice via email for the test(s) you have ordered. Once paid, the test kit(s) will be sent out to your address with full instructions on how to collect /store samples and return them to the laboratory. You can also use this form to order other lab tests.  Please note that details should be submitted for each patient if ordering tests for more than one individual.