Best rated microbiome test provider: It’s never too late to test! Gut health matters at every age. And the sooner you have a baseline sample, the better. During the first year, a baby’s microbiome sees dramatic shifts. This path sets the trajectory for their health, all the way through adulthood. For this reason, we encourage parents to sample as soon as possible, from age 0 to 3 years old and beyond. A child’s gut is still maturing until the age of 3 to 5 years old. Up to this point, you have the best opportunity to check in on your little one’s gut health and make changes, if needed. Even if your child’s gut has reached maturity, you can still take steps to influence their health! For older children and adults, gut health testing can reveal a lot. Discover even more info at gut health test. Get to the root cause of chronic conditions – Reduce microbiome risk and relieve eczema, colic, allergies, constipation, and other gut-related issues.
The gut microbiome and infant cognitive development – Did you know that the tiny organisms living in your baby’s gut can talk to their brain? Yep, they use something called the gut-brain axis to send messages back and forth. What foods should you introduce? Download our free ‘Eat the Rainbow’ guide. Scientists are just starting to explore how the gut microbiome could be linked to cognitive development in infants. While many studies suggest that the right balance of microbes during the first few years of life is important for brain growth, it’s important to note that these studies only show associations—not causation. Basically, research has found that certain types of microbes are linked to better cognitive outcomes in little ones, but they can’t say for sure if these microbes are the direct cause.
At any age, the microbiome can become unbalanced. This may trigger inflammatory symptoms in our bodies. This can weaken the gut lining, cause leakiness or inflammation, and trigger the immune system. It is important to address these imbalances. Better gut health is possible at any age. Tending to your gut health is beneficial for overall health and wellness. But your gut may not be the only factor contributing to inflammatory conditions. Many families have successfully reduced or eliminated symptoms by testing and taking action. When you use Tiny Health tests, you can rest assured that a team of gut health specialists are here to support your health journey.
Ideally, infant gut microbiome maturation is low before 4 months old and steadily increases until reaching adult-like maturity by the time your child is 3-5 years old. Early microbiome maturation in babies 0 to 6 months has been associated with higher risk of eczema. Tiny Health’s maturation index measures the trajectory of your baby’s gut microbiome as it matures. The Maturation index is displayed in the Balance and robustness category of your report. When present in high levels, opportunistic pathogens may cause trouble by promoting inflammation and disrupting the gut barrier. A weakened gut barrier is more permeable, something that has been detected in those with eczema. Having too much of one species is not ideal for gut health. Unfriendly or variable species can stir up trouble at high levels. Too much of a single beneficial species is not optimal either, as by taking too much space, they contribute to low diversity. We want to see diversity increase as your baby’s gut microbiome matures. If any overabundant species are detected in your sample, they are displayed within the Balance and robustness category.
You receive a comprehensive list of all microbes found in your sample. We categorize them as beneficial, unfriendly, variable, or unknown and provide detailed descriptions of each microbe. You can see how much of each microbe is present, down to a 0.05% abundance level. (No other baby gut test does this!) This section of the report identifies if you have microbiome signatures for certain conditions. These markers could predict an increased risk of developing that condition. We provide personal, evidence-based suggestions based on your test results and survey responses. Our suggestions may include actual products and brands that we recommend. You’ll also receive useful diet, supplement, and lifestyle tips. See even more information at tinyhealth.com.