Analyzing your intestinal microbiota: what is it really for?

The intestinal microbiotal fascinates. It is often presented as a pillar of our health. So, the idea of ​​“analyzing” him to understand his digestive problems seems logical… And reassuring. But be careful: in practice, these tests are still far from keeping all their promises. Explanations from Cédric Ben Chemhoun, dietitian nutritionist specializing in intestinal microbiota.

On paper, the objective is simple: draw up a list of bacteria present in your intestine to identify a possible imbalance, also called dysbiosis. Concretely:

This document generally details the main families of bacteria identified et possible excesses or deficits.

The dietitian’s answer is clear: the interest of current tests is very limited.

These analyzes promise to better understand the origin of your digestive disorders. But in practice, they come up against several important limitations…

The intestinal microbiota is a very complex ecosystem.

“It is estimated that around 2,100 different bacteria can live in the human gut. However, the tests offered today cannot identify that 60 to 80 different bacteria », underlines Cédric Ben Chemhoun.

This poses an obvious problem: if the bacteria responsible for your problems cannot be detected, the results obtained only reflect a partial view of your microbiota.

Many patients are waiting for a clear diagnosis. But in reality, the conclusions are often disappointing.

The problem is that these tests do not answer the essential questions:

In short: the test confirms a problem… Without really providing a solution.

Intestinal microbiota analyzes are often expensive (between 300 and 600 euros). According to Cédric Ben Chemhoun, this pushes certain laboratories to overinterpret minor anomalies or imbalances to reassure and justify the price. The risk? Mislead patients and worry them unnecessarily.

The test is based on a simple stool sample. But our intestine is far from homogeneous.

“The bacteria present in the stomach, small intestine or colon are not the same. Each zone has its own balance,” recalls Cédric Ben Chemhoun.

The analyzes mainly reflect what happens at the end of digestion, at the level of the rectum. Some abnormalities higher up in the intestine may go unnoticed. “It’s a bit like wanting to understand an entire ecosystem by observing only a small area », adds the dietitian.

Yes, but they are reserved for scientific research For now.

“The most advanced protocols allow several samples to be taken throughout the digestive tract. Researchers can analyze several thousand bacteria – and not a few dozen. They thus obtain a much finer vision of the different digestive ecosystems,” underlines the dietician.

Good to know: these techniques are much more reliable. But they are also very complex and expensivewith prices reaching several thousand euros! They are therefore not offered to the general public in offices or in traditional laboratories.

Good news: it is not no need to do a test to get answers.

An experienced professional can already identify an imbalance in the microbiota thanks to a global assessment. It is based on:

“This overall assessment is often much more useful than an isolated analysis,” believes Cédric Ben Chemhoun.

In summary, the analysis of the intestinal microbiota raises a lot of hope. But today she still remains imperfect and not very useful in most cases… If you suffer from digestive disorders, the main thing is elsewhere: in listening to your body, in appropriate support and in simple daily changes. This is often where the real solutions are found!