Glossary 15 markers 7 test panels covered

Gut microbiome marker glossary

Every marker that shows up on a GI-MAP, Genova GI-Effects, Biomesight, or Doctor's Data report — explained in plain English. Click any marker to see what it means, what causes it, and the foods that move it.

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Bacteria 6

The dominant residents of your gut. Imbalances drive most of the symptoms people walk in with.

Low Akkermansia muciniphila Akkermansia muciniphila is a Gram-negative, oval-shaped, anaerobic bacterium that lives in the mucus layer lining your colon. See protocol Low Bifidobacterium spp. Bifidobacterium is a genus of Gram-positive, anaerobic bacteria that dominates the infant gut (especially in breastfed infants, where it can exceed 80 percent of total bacteria) a… See protocol Low Faecalibacterium prausnitzii Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is one of the single most abundant bacteria in a healthy human colon, typically 5 to 15 percent of total gut bacteria, and one of the most important. See protocol Positive H. pylori CagA CagA (cytotoxin-associated gene A) is one of the most clinically important H. See protocol Positive Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped, microaerophilic bacterium that colonizes the lining of the human stomach. See protocol Low Lactobacillus spp. Lactobacillus is a genus of lactic acid-producing bacteria that lives throughout the human GI tract, vaginal tract, and oral cavity. See protocol

Archaea 1

A separate domain of life, not bacteria. The methane producers behind constipation-predominant SIBO.

Elevated Methanobrevibacter smithii Methanobrevibacter smithii is not a bacterium. See protocol

Fungi 1

Yeasts that live as commensals in small numbers. The clinical concern is overgrowth, usually post-antibiotic.

Elevated Candida species Candida species, most commonly Candida albicans, are yeasts that live as normal commensals in small numbers on most adults' skin, mouth, and gut. See protocol

Parasites & protozoa 1

Almost always require clinical treatment. Dietary protocols support eradication, they do not replace it.

Positive Blastocystis hominis Blastocystis hominis is the most common protozoan parasite found in human stool worldwide. See protocol

Host markers 6

Inflammation, immunity, and digestion markers your own body produces. Often the most actionable findings.

Elevated Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes Ratio The Bacteroidetes-to-Firmicutes ratio (B/F or F/B ratio, depending on which is in the numerator) compares the two largest bacterial phyla in the human gut. See protocol Low Butyrate (n-Butyrate) N-butyrate is the most studied of the short-chain fatty acids and the most important for colon health specifically. See protocol Elevated Calprotectin Calprotectin is a protein released by neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) when they migrate into the gut wall to fight inflammation. See protocol Low Secretory IgA Secretory IgA (sIgA) is your gut's primary antibody. See protocol Low Total Short-Chain Fatty Acids Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), primarily butyrate, propionate, and acetate, are the end products when your gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber. See protocol Elevated Zonulin Zonulin (technically pre-haptoglobin 2) is a protein your own gut cells secrete that controls how tightly the cells lining your intestine are bound together. See protocol

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