GI Effects Total Commensal Abundance Test

Total Commensal Abundance adds up the levels of your measured commensal bacteria, which are the routine resident microbes in your gut that usually help with digestion, immune function, and gut barrier health, and compares that total to a large healthy cohort. Results are plotted as a percent above or below that healthy range.

Lower-than-average total commensal abundance often shows up after courses of antibiotics or other antimicrobial therapies, or when the diet is low in fiber and prebiotic-rich plant foods; this can signal a “microbiome deficiency” and the need to rebuild gut bacteria through nutrition and other microbiome-supportive strategies. Conversely, higher-than-average total commensal abundance may reflect potential bacterial overgrowth (for example, in the setting of SIBO) or heavy probiotic supplementation, and is interpreted alongside symptoms and other stool markers rather than as a stand-alone diagnosis.