{"id":5883,"date":"2023-07-22T20:41:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-22T13:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5883"},"modified":"2023-07-22T20:41:00","modified_gmt":"2023-07-22T13:41:00","slug":"what-i-learned-from-the-thorne-gut-health-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5883","title":{"rendered":"What I Learned From the Thorne Gut Health Test"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">T<\/span>hey say knowledge is power. But when it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/healthy-gut-microbiome\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/healthy-gut-microbiome\/\">understanding the ins and outs of the gut<\/a>, there\u2019s a lot left to learn. One company hoping to change that is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/\">Thorne HealthTech<\/a>, the makers of the innovative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/gut-health-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/gut-health-test\">at-home gut health test<\/a> with the first-to-market, user-friendly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gut-microbiome\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gut-microbiome\/\">microbiome<\/a> wipe (yep, we\u2019re talking about number two) that helps folks become more in touch with what\u2019s inside\u2026literally.<\/div>\n<p>To further understand how the gut health test works and the ways it can help you learn more about the state (and health) of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-improve-gut-health\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-improve-gut-health\/\">gut microbiome<\/a>, I caught up with <a href=\"https:\/\/isbscience.org\/bio\/nathan-price\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/isbscience.org\/bio\/nathan-price\/\">Nathan Price, PhD<\/a>, the chief scientific officer at Thorne. After taking the microbiome test myself, I had the opportunity to review my results with Dr. Price, who helped me understand the findings and ways to apply them in a meaningful way to help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gut-health-foods\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gut-health-foods\/\">bolster my gut health<\/a> moving forward. Needless to say, the test was eye-opening, and applying the changes to better my gut has been easier than I had anticipated\u2014ahead, I share the nitty gritty details of why.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What does taking an at-home Thorne gut health test entail?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s address the elephant in the room: Collecting a (stool) sample to assess the state of the microbiome. Most traditional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/at-home-tests\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/at-home-tests\/\">at-home gut health tests<\/a> involve collecting stool in very hands-on ways that most would consider far from ideal; I think it\u2019s safe to say we\u2019d prefer to flush <em>it<\/em> away rather than handle it (literally).<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, the makers at Throne heard folks loud and clear. \u201cI apologize if this gets, <em>uh<\/em>, a little graphic, but I&#8217;m a scientist,\u201d says Dr. Price. \u201cTypically, if people want to do a microbiome test, you have to poop in a bucket or on a piece of paper or something. Then, take a little shovel and scoop up a little bit of the feces into a container.\u201d What\u2019s more, he notes that some tests call for freezing the sample. Yep, next to the foods you eat. Thankfully, Thorne\u2019s gut health test involves none of that.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, Dr. Price made it his mission to develop a product that was as user-friendly and mess-free as possible. This is how the revolutionary microbiome wipe was born. \u201cWe sat around and thought, well, what would be the easiest way to get a sample from somebody without changing their daily behavior,\u201d he says. The answer was simple: A \u201cspecial\u201d kind of toilet paper that collected a sample for testing with one easy wipe. To that end, the brilliantly-designed wipe is made out of a polymer that, after wiping, is stored in a vial filled with a salt solution that preserves the high-quality DNA sample\u2014no refrigeration necessary. <em>Phew.<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/CqDbSP3NsWk\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/thorne-gut-health-test-review\/\" current-title=\"\u2018I Tried an At-Home Gut Microbiome Test and Followed Their Recommendations for 3 Months\u2014Here\u2019s the Impact It Had on My Gut Health\u2019\" current-image=\"thorne-gut-health-test-foods-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-01-22\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/thorne-gut-health-test-review\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/thorne-gut-health-test-review\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/thorne-gut-health-test-review\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><strong>My experience taking the at-home gut microbiome test from Thorne<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Like many of you may feel, I, too, was <em>very<\/em> apprehensive about taking an at-home gut microbiome test. The thought of having to handle my you-know-what was enough to send me running for the hills. However, once I got word of a brand-new microbiome wipe that was designed for people like me, there was no turning back. A few emails later, I had a kit on the way to my home and was able to connect directly with the team at Thorne to learn as much as possible about the new developments in the world of gut health.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll start with the unboxing. The entire gut health test kit arrives in a small, sleek box that contains five simple items: A resealable plastic bag, a pair of gloves, <em>the<\/em> wipe, a container for the wipe filled with a solution, and a prelabeled return envelope. (In addition to a small booklet with four easy steps on what to do with it all.) After activating the test online and answering a short questionnaire, it was collecting-the-sample time\u2014which, honestly, was even easier than I could\u2019ve imagined.<\/p>\n<p>Using the items in the box, I was able to (TMI) collect a mess-free sample without feeling totally grossed out. Indeed, it was no different than wiping with a piece of toilet paper. The only difference was instead of flushing it away, I simply placed the dissolvable wipe in the solution, sealed the container, and shook it until it was fully dissolved (about 30 seconds or so).<\/p>\n<p>Once the wipe was completely untraceable, I pressed the button on the lid to release salt into the vial, which stabilized and preserved the DNA sample. Finally, all that was left to do was place the container in the resealable, leak-proof bag and into the return envelope it went to ship off for testing. The whole process took no more than a few minutes. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Reviewing my results\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>After a few weeks of waiting, I finally received my results which I accessed directly through Thorne\u2019s online portal. I was absolutely shocked to find that there were over 20 (!) pages of a comprehensive analysis of my gut microbiome. Although navigating through all of the scientific jargon was a bit intimidating at first, Thorne\u2019s user-friendly layout helps make things easier by providing in-depth information and definitions regarding each data point.<\/p>\n<p>For context, the results were broken down into several categories, including \u201cgut pillars\u201d like digestion, inflammation, gut dysbiosis (an imbalance in the composition of the gut microbiota that can lead to various health problems and symptoms), intestinal permeability, and nervous system. Additionally, there was a general health section with a diversity and immune readiness score and an examination of over 10 potential pathogens. Finally\u2014and quite possibly the most exciting part about this test\u2014there were personalized recommendations on what type of diet to follow and ways to better my gut health on the day-to-day based on my results.<\/p>\n<p>But why does all of this microbiome talk even matter in the first place? Dr. Price broke it down for me in Layman\u2019s terms. \u201cOur entire body is essentially coated by an envelope of microbes, many of which help carry out essential functions that we need to live and especially to live healthfully,\u201d Dr. Price says. According to him, this means that every single thing that we put into our body, whether it be food, a supplement, or a drug, passes through the microbiome before it can essentially \u201cget\u201d into us.<\/p>\n<p>Although the at-home Thorne gut health test isn\u2019t meant to be diagnostic, aka diagnose a specific disease, it can help folks better understand the state of their microbiome and find ways to support overall health. Dr. Price explains that this is done through metagenomic sequencing, which means assessing the genetic information in the DNA of the microbes tested. This data allows you to track, for example, how probiotic supplements or a new diet are affecting your microbiome. What\u2019s even more reassuring is that the scientists analyzing the data at Thorne\u2019s facilities will also flag any significant findings in testing by personally contacting an individual if something out-of-the-ordinary comes up.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Why you should test often\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In order to reap the most benefits of microbiome testing, Dr. Price suggests retaking the test every few months (three to six months or so) to track changes over time. \u201cFor example, if you&#8217;re going through a really significant dietary change, then you may want to test more frequently; meanwhile, if you\u2019re just living your life normally, every six months is probably fine,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>And although the tests aren\u2019t the cheapest (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/gut-health-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/gut-health-test\">Thorne\u2019s kit retails for $198<\/a>), Dr. Price says it\u2019s worthwhile having a catalog to monitor the state of your gut as you implement any lifestyle or dietary changes. The good news? The company does offer discounts if you subscribe or purchase multiple products at once.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>How you can translate the findings to fit your personal lifestyle<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>My favorite part of this test is that there are key takeaways to help individuals make a material difference in their wellness journey that are easy and digestible (pun intended). \u201cWe did a clinical trial on people that were suffering from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-treat-ibs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-treat-ibs\/\">irritable bowel syndrome<\/a> [IBS] a couple of years ago. During the trial, we took people through a program where we gave them personalized recommendations based on their reports. We found that within a one-month period, there was a very significant improvement in their gut health score,\u201d Dr. Price says. The more you know, right?<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How I applied the findings in my test<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Fortunately, my results showed that my gut health was\u2014for the most part\u2014in good shape. According to the exam, my current dietary preferences were largely a-okay. Although, I was encouraged to eat more fresh, whole fruits, consume more nuts and seeds, and avoid eating habits that could potentially interfere with my sleep. And in addition to the dietary recommendations, Thorne also provides product recommendations from their own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\">line of supplements<\/a> to help balance out the gut.<\/p>\n<p>Although my gut was in good standing on the whole, Dr. Price pointed out a few red flags when analyzing the \u201cadditional insights\u201d in my results. He noted that I should work on increasing my <em>Akkermansia muciniphila<\/em>, a type of good bacteria, and lowering calprotectin, an indicator of inflammation. Both of which he recommended I do via changes to my diet and potential supplementation.<\/p>\n<p>Since taking the test three months ago, I\u2019ve focused on eating more fruits and vegetables in hopes of balancing some of the deficiencies found in my microbiome. In turn, I\u2019ve become more regular than ever and experience fewer bouts of stomach-related issues. But the real proof will be retaking the test to see if the changes have translated into real progress\u2014which is TBD.<\/p>\n<p>At-home health testing has emerged as a convenient and accessible option for individuals seeking to take a proactive approach to their well-being. These tests offer numerous benefits, including convenience, privacy, and the ability to monitor specific health markers. By providing valuable insights and enabling early detection, at-home health testing empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their health, leading to improved overall well-being and a greater sense of control over their own bodies.<\/p>\n<p>So while I wait to retest my gut microbiome, I\u2019ve got my eye on a few of the other at-home kits Thorne offers like a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/sleep-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/sleep-test\">sleep test<\/a> that assesses the hormone rhythms that regulate the sleep-wake cycle, as well as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/stress-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/stress-test\">stress test<\/a> that measures hormone levels and provides a personal plan to instill calmness based on the findings. That said, the next one in my queue is their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/biological-age\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.thorne.com\/products\/dp\/biological-age\">biological age health panel<\/a>, which analyzes the impact that lifestyle, nutrition, illnesses, and genetics have had on your body and vital organs such as your liver and kidneys. Perhaps, I\u2019ll discover that I\u2019m 30 going on 13?<\/p>\n<p><em>Discover an RD&#8217;s guide to gut health:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"A Dietitian&#039;s Guide to Gut Health | You Versus Food | Well+Good\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cpAjl3cFn6A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimers__after_content mb-[18px] mt-[16px] pt-[16px]\">\n<div class=\"outline-earmark relative mt-[8px] pt-[10px] pl-[20px]\">\n<p>\n            Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>They say knowledge is power. But when it comes to understanding the ins and outs of the gut, there\u2019s a lot left to learn. One company hoping to change that is Thorne HealthTech, the makers of the innovative at-home gut health test with the first-to-market, user-friendly microbiome wipe (yep, we\u2019re talking about number two) that &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5884,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5883\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}