Nutrition
Analysed by accredited lab
Tracked 24
delivery
delivery
Personalised
GP advice
GP advice
Stool sample
kit
kit
Gut Microbiome Test
Understand what’s really happening inside your gut. Our at-home gut microbiome test maps over 23,000 species, with the kind of insight your GP can’t order, and your gut deserves.
Bloating that won’t budge. Foods that don’t seem to agree with you. Energy that dips for no obvious reason. Most people are working with guesswork, because the NHS doesn’t routinely offer a gut microbiome test, and most at-home gut health tests only scratch the surface.
This Gut Microbiome Test is different. Powered by shotgun metagenomic sequencing, the most detailed microbiome testing currently available in the UK, it identifies the bacteria, viruses, archaea and fungi living in your gut from a database of over 23,000 species. Then it translates the data into something you can actually use: clear scores, personalised priorities, and a plan you can act on.
Analysed by
NHS lab
NHS lab
Tracked 24
delivery
delivery
Microbiome
As seen in
How our Gut Microbiome Test works
Getting the insights you need to improve your health has never been easier.
Order your kit
Order before 1pm on a working day and we dispatch the same day.
Activate online
Scan the QR code on the instruction sheet, or visit our activation portal. Register your kit before posting, without registration, we can’t link your sample back to you.
Collect your sample
At a time of day that suits you. Five minutes, in your own bathroom. Full instructions are in the kit, and our support team is available if you have questions.
Post it back
Tracked 24 return postage is included — no cost to you. Drop it at a Royal Mail priority postbox or Post Office. You can post weekends and bank holidays; the stabilisation liquid keeps your sample stable in transit. 15 working days after the lab receives your sample, your results land in your Forth account: a comprehensive PDF report with personalised recommendations, plus an overview prepared by our clinical team.
What our gut microbiome test reveals
A single stool sample, analysed at species-level resolution. Your results cover six areas, each translated from raw lab data into something you can actually do something with.
- Gut diversity and microbial load: How varied your gut bacteria are, and how much is living in there. Two measures that sit at the heart of gut health and that almost every other home gut test glosses over.
- Disease risk scores: Personalised risk indicators for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and obesity-related metabolic syndrome, calculated using the SIGNAL machine learning platform. Not a diagnosis, a useful early signal worth knowing.
- How your gut actually functions: Functional analysis across ten metabolic pathways your gut bacteria carry out, including short-chain fatty acid production (SCFAs), methane, hydrogen sulphide, indole-3-propionic acid and beta-glucuronidase activity. The chemistry behind how you feel.
- Pathogen screening: We screen for over 60 potential pathogens, with absolute abundance reported against healthy population ranges, so you see not just what’s present, but whether levels are within a normal window.
- Beneficial microbe profile: Levels of the gut bacteria that matter most for whole-body health: Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Akkermansia muciniphila and key Bifidobacterium species. Where levels are low, we recommend targeted probiotics and the foods most likely to support recovery.
- Full species-level taxonomy: Your complete microbial profile, every bacterium, virus, archaeon and eukaryote we detected, named at species level. For the curious, the clinical, and anyone who wants the underlying data behind the scores.
How our gut microbiome test compares
vs NHS gut microbiome testing
The NHS does not currently offer a gut microbiome test for general wellness or symptom investigation. NHS stool testing is limited to specific clinical indications (bowel cancer screening (FIT), infection (C. difficile), and calprotectin for inflammation). None of these map your microbiome. Forth’s Gut Microbiome Test gives you the detailed species-level picture the NHS doesn’t routinely provide, ordered privately, at home, with no GP referral needed.
vs other UK at-home gut tests
Most home gut microbiome tests use 16S rRNA sequencing, which identifies bacteria broadly, but rarely down to species level, and misses viruses, archaea and fungi entirely. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing reads all the genetic material in your sample, which is why our test can name over 23,000 species and report on functional activity, not just who’s there, but what they’re doing.
vs a clinic-only test
No GP appointment, no clinic visit, no waiting list. The kit ships next working day if you order before 1pm, collection takes five minutes at home, and the same ISO 17025-accredited lab that processes clinical samples processes yours. Results back in 15 working days.
Inside the gut microbiome test kit
Everything you need, posted to your door. The kit arrives within two working days via Tracked 24.
- Stool collection device (flushable, single use)
- Pre-labelled sample tube with stabilisation liquid
- Specimen transport pouch
- Return box and pre-paid Tracked 24 return envelope
- Step-by-step instruction sheet with QR code to activate your kit
Each kit is for a single person and must be activated online before posting your sample. Activation links your sample to your account so your results are delivered to you, securely.
Who should take a gut microbiome test
This test is for anyone who wants a clearer picture of their gut health — whether you’re trying to understand symptoms, optimise how you feel, or get a baseline before making changes.
- People living with persistent gut symptoms like bloating, irregular bowel movements, food sensitivities, fatigue that may be gut-related
- People exploring the gut–hormone connection, particularly women navigating perimenopause and menopause
- People with autoimmune conditions interested in inflammatory pathways and microbial diversity
- People optimising their health, such as athletes, longevity-focused, or anyone building a personalised health plan
- Anyone whose GP has been unable to offer more detailed microbiome testing on the NHS
Available to anyone aged 18 or over. The test should not be collected during diarrhoea, menstruation, or active bleeding, wait until the episode has passed.
Meet our team of experts
Our team of specialist doctors, dieticians and biomedical scientists are here to help you be in the best of health.
Frequently asked questions
This is what our customers ask us about the most. For more information, try our help centre.
Is the gut microbiome test available on the NHS?
No. The NHS does not currently offer gut microbiome testing for general wellness or symptom investigation. NHS stool tests are limited to specific clinical pathways such as bowel cancer screening, infection testing, and calprotectin. A private gut microbiome test like Forth’s is the most accessible way to get a detailed picture of your gut bacteria in the UK.
How accurate is gut microbiome testing?
Forth’s test uses shotgun metagenomic sequencing, which reads all the genetic material in a sample and identifies bacteria, viruses, archaea and fungi at species level. It’s significantly more detailed than the 16S rRNA tests used by most at-home gut health tests in the UK. Analysis is carried out at an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory.
What can a stool sample detect?
Our shotgun metagenomic stool test identifies over 23,000 microbial species, screens for 60+ potential pathogens, measures microbial diversity and load, and reports on ten key metabolic functions your gut bacteria carry out — from short-chain fatty acid production to methane and hydrogen sulphide. It also generates disease risk scores for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and obesity-related metabolic syndrome.
Is this a diagnostic test?
The Gut Microbiome Test is a wellness assessment, not a diagnostic test. Results can guide further investigation and conversations with a healthcare professional, but should not be used to diagnose, treat or monitor a specific medical condition. Our clinical team produces a GP report you can share if you wish.
How is this different from other gut health tests?
Most UK gut microbiome test kits use 16S rRNA sequencing. Our test uses shotgun metagenomic sequencing — which goes further, naming species rather than broad bacterial groups, and capturing viruses, archaea and fungi alongside bacteria. We also include disease risk scores via the SIGNAL machine learning platform, and every result is reviewed by our in-house clinical team.
How long do results take?
15 working days from the moment the laboratory receives your sample. We’ll email you when your sample arrives at the lab, and again when your results are ready.
Will my results tell me what to eat?
Your report includes personalised dietary and probiotic guidance based on your microbiome profile — for example, foods likely to support specific beneficial species. For tailored clinical nutrition advice, we recommend working with a registered nutritionist alongside your results.
Can I share my results with my GP?
Yes, and we recommend it if anything in your results concerns you. Every order includes an overarching GP report prepared by our clinical team, written specifically to support clinical conversations.
Who shouldn’t take this test?
Anyone under 18, and anyone currently experiencing diarrhoea, menstruation, or active bleeding (whether due to haemorrhoids, constipation or other causes). Wait until the episode has passed before collecting your sample, to avoid contamination and a failed sample.
We are dedicated to supporting you on improving your health
Go to help center
What customers say about our Gut Microbiome Test
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