Dr Naomi explains why taking a gut microbiome test could help reveal what’s causing your bloating, trapped gas upset and IBS symptoms.
By Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart (PhD), Health Expert and Registered Nutrition Therapist
One week your gut feels completely normal and you can eat what you want. Next, you’re unable to wear your jeans and feel bloated after every meal. The week after that, you haven’t been to the loo for three days and feel gassy and uncomfortable. Sound familiar?
For many women, particularly from their mid-30s onwards, digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation and changing bowel habits can become frustratingly common and even dictate their social lives. And when routine GP investigations don’t reveal an obvious explanation, it’s understandable to start wondering what else might be happening inside your gut.
One area receiving an enormous amount of scientific attention right now is the gut microbiome – the vast community of microorganisms living within our digestive tract are now gaining a lot more attention for their important role in our overall health
Scientists are discovering that these microorganisms do far more than simply coexist with us. They interact with our food, our immune system and our metabolism, and communicate with other systems throughout the body. But microbiome science is still developing rapidly, so it’s equally important to understand what your microbiome can tell you; and what it can’t.
First, what actually is the gut microbiome?
Think of your gut as an incredibly complex ecosystem. It contains trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes. Collectively, these organisms and their genetic material make up what we commonly call the gut microbiome.¹
Some gut bacteria help break down components of food that our own digestive enzymes can’t fully process, particularly certain fibres. In doing so, they can produce substances such as short-chain fatty acids, which have important roles in the health of the gut lining and wider metabolic and immune processes.¹
The relationship between the gut microbiome and the immune system is particularly well established. Gut microbes and their metabolites interact continually with immune cells and help regulate the intestinal environment. And then there’s the fascinating gut–brain axis: the two-way communication network linking the gut and brain through neural, hormonal, metabolic and immune pathways.⁴˒⁵˒⁶
Your microbiome can change a lot
One of the most important things to understand about the microbiome is that it isn’t static. Diet is a major influence, but our microbial communities can also be affected by medication, particularly antibiotics, illness, stress, lifestyle and environmental exposures. Even travelling can temporarily alter our usual eating patterns, sleep, stress levels and exposure to different microorganisms, which may help explain why some people’s digestion seems to change a lot when they’re away from home.
Antibiotics deserve a particular mention. They’re incredibly important medicines when they’re needed, but research shows that they can also disrupt the composition and activity of the gut microbiome. How quickly someone’s microbiome recovers appears to vary considerably between individuals.
Our microbiome also changes across the lifespan.¹˒⁶ This is especially interesting for women approaching midlife because researchers are investigating whether the hormonal changes associated with menopause may be accompanied by changes in the gut microbiome.²˒³
Some studies have reported differences in microbial diversity and composition following menopause, and there’s increasing interest in the relationship between gut bacteria and oestrogen metabolism. However, this is still an emerging area. We don’t yet have a single identifiable ‘menopause microbiome’, and much larger human studies are needed before we can say precisely what these changes mean for an individual woman’s health.²˒³
What about bloating, constipation and IBS?
This is where things become particularly interesting, but also where we need to avoid getting ahead of the science. People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been found in studies to have differences in their gut microbiota compared with people without IBS. But IBS is a complex disorder, and researchers haven’t identified one particular microbiome pattern that causes it.
Bloating is similarly complicated. Gas production by gut microbes can contribute to bloating, but feeling bloated isn’t simply a sign that you have “bad bacteria”. Constipation, altered gut motility, food intake, hormonal changes and the way the gut and brain communicate can all play a part.
Your gut and brain talk to each other
We’ve all experienced the gut–brain connection in some form. Think about feeling butterflies in your stomach before an important meeting or suddenly needing the loo when you’re nervous. The gut–brain relationship is bidirectional: so the brain can influence what’s happening in the digestive system, while signals originating in the gut can communicate with the brain through several pathways.⁴˒⁵
Research into the connection between the gut and brain is really exciting. Scientists are discovering that the bacteria in our gut produce substances that can send signals around the body, including to the brain. The gut and brain can also communicate through the immune system and nerves, particularly the vagus nerve, which connects the brain with many of our internal organs, including the digestive system. Research has found links between the gut microbiome and things such as stress and mood, although we’re still learning more about exactly how these relationships work.⁴˒⁵
So why would you test your microbiome and how to do it?
For me, the value is information rather than diagnosis.
If you’ve been struggling with your digestive health, learning more about the community of microorganisms living in your gut may add another layer to your understanding of your own gut ecosystem.
The YorkTest laboratories Gut Microbiome Test is one I recommend for ease of use and effective reporting. They use advanced DNA sequencing technology to analyse genetic material from bacteria and other microorganisms within a stool sample.
The resulting personalised report looks at areas including microbiome diversity, overall microbial load, beneficial and potentially less favourable microorganisms, and aspects of microbial function such as fibre breakdown and metabolite production.
It also includes indicators showing microbiome patterns that research has associated with certain areas of health. These are informational only – the test doesn’t diagnose a specific condition.
What actually happens when you take the test?
Firstly there’s no need to wait for a health practitioner or GP referral to start the process, which is very helpful as referrals can slow things down.
The gut microbiome test kit is sent to your home, where you collect a small stool (poo) sample using the kit provided. The sample is then safely returned in the prepaid packaging for laboratory analysis. DNA sequencing is then used to carefully analyse the microorganisms present, and results are typically available within 10–15 days after the laboratory receives the sample.
You’ll then receive a personalised report you can have available via YorkTest’s secure Wellness Hub, with explanations of your results and practical recommendations. If you’d like help making sense of the information, YorkTest also offers access to qualified Nutritional Therapists who can discuss the findings and provide personalised dietary and lifestyle guidance.
For me, that interpretation is important. Microbiome reports can contain a lot of information, and I’d much rather somebody used their results to make sensible, sustainable changes than started cutting out numerous foods because they’d spotted the name of a bacterium they didn’t like.
You can find out information on the YorkTest Gut Microbiome test www.yorktest.com https://www.yorktest.com/products/gut-microbiome-test/
What else can you do to improve your gut microbiome right now?
One of the simplest things you can do is feed your microbiome variety. Try gradually increasing the range of plant foods in your diet: vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices all count. Different plants contain different fibres and plant compounds, which can support a diverse microbial ecosystem. Fibre is particularly important, but if you’re currently eating very little, don’t suddenly double your intake overnight. Increasing fibre too quickly can actually make bloating and wind worse, so build it up gradually and drink enough fluid.
Fermented foods such as live yoghurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut can be useful additions for some people, although no individual food is essential for a healthy microbiome. Regular movement matters too. So does sleep. And because the relationship between stress and the gut works in both directions, finding realistic ways of reducing or managing chronic stress may be just as relevant to your digestive health as what’s on your plate.
Most importantly, don’t assume persistent symptoms are ‘just your microbiome’. New or persistent changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, blood in your stool, persistent or severe abdominal pain, iron-deficiency anaemia, or other symptoms that concern you should be discussed with your GP. And if digestive symptoms have changed significantly for you, the first thing you should do is seek medical advice.
References
- Bradley E, Haran J. The human gut microbiome and aging. Gut Microbes. 2024;16(1):2359677.
- Liaquat M, Minihane AM, Vauzour D, Pontifex MG. The gut microbiota in menopause: Is there a role for prebiotic and probiotic solutions? Post Reproductive Health. 2025;31(2):105–114.
- Peters BA, et al. Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights. International Journal of Women’s Health. 2022.
- Sah RK, et al. Decoding the role of the gut microbiome in gut-brain axis, stress-resilience, or stress-susceptibility: A review. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2024;91:103861.
- Zhuang M, et al. Microbiota-gut-brain axis: interplay between microbiota, barrier function and lymphatic system. Gut Microbes. 2024.
- Conway J, Duggal NA. Ageing of the gut microbiome: Potential influences on immune senescence and inflammaging. Ageing Research Reviews. 2021;68:101323.
