Back on April 15th, 2019 we blogged about the new INSIGHTS Microbiome testing kit from NomNomNow. I promised that when we had the results we would feature them. We received the results a week or so ago and here you go! I will say they are beyond detailed, so much so that my feeble mind doesn't understand them. Maybe some of you who are much brighter than me can help me to decipher them? To see Cody's complete results click here. NomNomNow has sponsored this post with product and monetary compensation, but all opinions are my own, read important disclaimers throughout this blog post.
The gut microbiome is the genetic material of microbes in your cat’s intestinal tract, and it contains an incredible variety of bacteria. The specific types and amounts that colonize your cat’s gut are affected by many factors, like diet, genetics, and environment. This means every pet has a unique gut microbiome!
Cody's
Composition
15
out of
17
scores are within the average range
Cody's
Diversity
0
out of
3
scores are within the average range
Summary
Diversity and composition
- Various factors impact the composition of the microbiome; however, diet is a major component and the most easily controlled1, 2.
- A higher diversity of gut microbes has been associated with better health in humans 3. Increasing diversity in a cat’s gut microbiome may be accomplished by feeding your cat a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrate4.
- Fiber that acts as a prebiotic (fructo-oligosaccharide) helps increase overall bacterial counts and species of Lactobacillus and Bacteroides while reducing levels of E. coli5.
- Be sure to include fiber in your cat’s diet, as current studies indicate it is beneficial6. Small amounts of vegetables like those found in NomNomNow will provide this food for intestinal bacteria.
- In studies of human populations, a diet that varies by seasonal availability of foods has been associated with increased diversity of gut microbes7–9, so periodically rotating diets may help increase diversity.
- Exercise may also help increase diversity in gut microbes10.
Gut Issues
- Gut problems, particularly diarrhea, may be improved by providing a prebiotic, probiotic, or synbiotic (a mix of probiotics and prebiotics) to promote growth of beneficial bacteria5,11,12.
Meet the bacteria living in Cody’s gut
The bacteria listed below are regularly found in feline microbiomes, so we’ve provided some information to help you learn a bit about them. The bacteria are listed by their biological organization, known as their taxonomic grouping (e.g. phylum, family, or, the most specific, genus.) You can find a description of these groupings
here.
Understanding of the functions of these groups as well as how to group them is a cutting-edge research field and is rapidly evolving, so we discuss the bacteria to the best-described level of organization available.
Where are these bacteria found? The digestive tract is composed of a variety of distinct regions from the stomach to the colon, each of which contains signature communities of bacteria that perform various tasks. The majority of bacteria in the digestive tract reside in the colon. These bacteria are more heavily represented in feces, although bacteria from other locations are also observed.
There is much more to Cody's report but I couldn't fit it all on the blog. If you want to read it and wish to help me decipher it CLICK HERE )
