If you haven’t gotten into an in-depth conversation with your friends (over wine) about stool testing – now is the time!

You’ve seen it in your social feed, you might even have talked about your kids pooing issues… Is it time to talk about it for you?

Can stool testing be useful? Is it right for me? 

The answer is, it depends. Stool testing can provide some clues and support on your gut healing journey. Yet, all stool tests are not the same. The insight you get depends on the type of test, and why it is done. 

Stool testing is not a perfect science (yet).  So, you should consider all the benefits and draw backs before dropping the equivalent of a car payment on a test that may (or may not) help you. 

How Many Kinds of Tests Are There?

Oodles. There are new tests coming out what seems like every day. 

Testing fall into two categories. The first professional tests (ordered by your health care guru). The second, “Do It Yourself” Tests (the ones you see ads for in your IG feed or TV).

No surprise, all tests are not created equal. What they are looking for, and what they are able to tell you differs based on the test.  

Rule #1: Make sure you have the right test for the practitioner you are seeing, and the problem you have. This can make a world of difference, between poop that tells you something, and poop that doesn’t.

Watch for our blog that shares the types of tests available and what they can tell you. If you are using these tests to diagnose your life-altering gut issues, that they are not all the same!

What Are the Most Common Types of Professional Tests? What Can They Tell Us?

Professional Test Quickie: There are professional diagnostic tests and professional functional tests that are ordered by a regulated practitioner.

The most common of these testing types are Stool PCR and Culture Testing. These types of tests can include insight into bacteria, parasites and worms that may be cohabitating with you. They can also share the state of your good bacteria and intestinal health. 

PCR test = DNA test
Culture Test = Poop smear grown in a petri dish

Some tests will include areas such as:

• If you have antibiotic resistance (does your gut friend have super powers)
• If there are certain herbs that could be more beneficial to the strains of bacteria found in your sample. 

Rule #2:  Get the stool test your practitioner recommends, and not the one that sounds good in the ad.  However, be sure to ask them why this one (what will it tell you, how can it help). You may even want to ask questions about a test your friend got. Or a test you saw in mentioned in an ad or social post.

Information can be useful if the practitioner who is helping with interpreting, knows what to do with the info. They should be able to take the data and match it with your symptoms and situation. The goal is for them to tell you what is the heck is going on. Most gut health practitioners will use one or two different stool-based tests based on their experience. If you stick to those they are familiar with and you’ll be smooth sailing. 

What About the At Home Tests? Can This Help? Are All Stool Tests Created Equal?

So far, the at home tests are still developing. What does that mean? It means they can tell you some stuff. However they maybe not be the definitive answer to: why do I always have diarrhea!

Currently, most at home kits provide you a long list of bacteria. They however aren’t able to tell you quantities of, or which are good or bad. They generally focus on plotting you on a scale of where you are at compared to other test takers. This may, or may not be helpful, since generally people taking stool tests have concerns about their gut. Comparing yourself against other sick people may not be insightful. (Guess what? I’m as sick as everyone else that took this test!)

Legally most of these kits can only provide you with some general recommendations of foods to eat and avoid. Which may provide you with some improvement. Yet they definitely won’t change the situation if there are parasites, bacteria or a struggling immune system. If these as the reason why your food pours out of you on the lower end, these tests aren’t helpful.

Most health practitioners can’t do much with the info from the home tests. The information provided isn’t helping them with what they are looking for – which is: why you might not be feeling 100%. 

Before you jump into at home testing, you should consult with a health practitioner to see if this is the best test to spend your time and effort. You need to know if they will find the information useful to direct you to your next steps. Cheaper isn’t always helpful.

What Should I Consider When Deciding Whether to Stool Test or Not?

There are both benefits and things to consider of any testing that is done. Some of these factors are entirely out of control, some of which may change your investigation direction.

Benefits can include (depending on the test taken):

• Better understanding of parasites and pathogens that are co-habituating with you
• Understanding of what your immune system is fighting and is it winning
• The state of good bacteria and gut integrity (aka Leaky Gut)
• Confirmation of gluten sensitivity, yes it sucks but sometimes you gotta know

What to Consider:

• All stool tests are not the same (see above)
• Labs are improving at being able to detect pathogens but at the end of the day they are only as good as the sample provided
• Transport of the sample can play a role in success – sometimes stool samples get delayed in the mail, hot in the summer heat, and who knows what else – but this may alter results
• It’s difficult to compare between companies – every company has its own methodology – which means comparing between stool tests can be difficult

Can a Doctor Provide Treatment Based on My Test Results?

It depends! (Worst words ever spoken). Honestly, it depends on the test taken (results of that test), the doctor, their training and the jurisdiction.  (Too many checkboxes)

Often a PCR or Culture stool test can give you a good sense of what is going on. It might help you make better decisions about treatment, pursuing further testing such as an endoscopy or colonoscopy. It can tell you if there needs to be more investigation into H. Pylori or parasites, or if you should give up gluten for good. 

Some jurisdictions and practitioners will prescribe both pharmaceutical and herbal options based on these test results. Some jurisdictions and practitioners will need a second test that confirms the diagnosis before moving forward with prescription products. It’s hard to know that is why asking first is always a good step! 

What Are Stool Tests Good for?

• Confirming what a practitioner believes is going on, and giving them more data on how to help you.

• Understanding how your immune system is responding and what it is targeting (are you over fighting or under-performing).

• Getting more data when you have someone who can’t share how they are feeling (like children). It might be hard to get a poop test from kids but can be soooooo helpful!

• A place to start instead of trial and erroring your way through multiple treatments ( bottles of pills / strict diets).
• Stop making you feel like a crazy poop talker

Can A Stool Test Provide Answers for ALL My Gut Problems?

All stool tests are not created equal. The right stool test is powerful the hands of a practitioner who is trained in understanding it. Having then help you apply that information, can be a powerful tool in getting you started on your healing journey. 

Yes, stool tests can be helpful. Yet, you need to know if you pooped in the right company’s container and why you are doing it!