Trust Your Gut

Personalized nutrition uses in-depth insights to customize diets

- Damien Martin

Even though there are dozens of diets out there, so many that it's a $100 billion industry, people often struggle to find one that really suits them. With advances in genomics, it's become easier to analyze DNA and build diet recommendations tailor-made for individuals.

Genetics don't always give the full story when it comes to personalized nutrition, however. Going deeper, companies are analyzing people's gut microbiome's and metabolic processes to design custom diets. As humans look to extend their lifespans and the quality of their lives, personalized nutrition will play a key role.

Gut Feelings

The gut microbiome - the trillions of microorganisms residing in our digestive tract influences nutrient -absorption, metabolism, and immune function. DNA sequencing technologies are allowing researchers to explore the complex interplay between genetics, diet, and the microbiome.

Companies like Viome use a combination of RNA analysis and gut microbiome profiling to develop personalized nutrition plans. This holistic approach aims to optimize not just the types of food people eat, but also how their bodies interact with them through their unique gut microbial community.

Viome’s $399 full body intelligence test uses stool, blood, and saliva samples to measure more than 50 health scores that determine which foods a user might want to avoid and which to eat more of.