Currently, testing for the gut microbiota includes collecting a portion or all of feces and submitting it to a lab for study. Laboratory examination may involve test-tube tests to identify bacteria that cause infections, similar to how we screen for urinary tract infections in a urine sample. This procedure might take up to a month. The bioinformatic analysis is sophisticated and difficult to comprehend for the average individual.
Additionally, skilled expertise is required for bioinformatics analysis and data visualization. Typically, investigations are performed at a single timepoint, despite the fact that the microbial composition is very dynamic, shifting according to nutrition, circadian rhythm, sampling time of day, and age.