21 Comments
User's avatar
sarah's avatar

Im looking forward to your article on this topic. Nirvana biome has a nice presentation but they are impossible to reach. I’m wondering if theirs picks up methanogens and still waiting to hear back from them. Right now I’m using Microbiomix though a bit pricey and a confusing layout for the report. Sadly tiny health took away ordering privileges for RDNs without any notice. A challenging field to navigate!

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kirsten mcgregor's avatar

Please provide your assessment of GutID. My clients are requesting recommendations on accurate and validated microbiome assessments. Thank you!

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Will's avatar

Hi Lucy, have you found NirvanaBiome useful for diagnosing protozoal issues compared other options?

Thank you!

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Helena's avatar

I paid for expedited and never heard back and it’s been almost a month! Never got an email saying they received the kit. And I’ve emailed them over 5 times since then and have received absolute silence (minus automated emails saying they’d get back in 1-2 days).

Sadly I ordered from them over Thorne due to your positive feedback. NOT blaming you at all!! But I wonder since you have some influence Lucy, if it’s worth warning readers that they seem to not be very reliable. If you go to their instagram and Facebook, there are quite a few complaints from who’ve not gotten their results back and can’t reach customer service.

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Lucy Mailing, PhD's avatar

Thanks so much for this comment. I'm so sorry you had this experience right after I announced making the switch!! I have been hearing of a lot of issues like this, so it may be back to the drawing board before I publish my updated article on stool testing...

It's become clear that Thorne isn't ideal due to their reliance on microbiome wipes for sampling. And now Nirvanabiome seems to be having these issues where nobody can get a hold of them. I will be looking at other options. TinyHealth is solid methodology/results and are very responsive, I mostly just don't care for their recommendations for adults (potent antimicrobials). Also trialing a new one called GutID which may be quicker turnaround. I will keep you posted.

Sorry again for your experience and I hope they will get back to you / give you results or a refund soon!

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Helena's avatar

No need to apologize! Thanks so much for all that you do. I really look forward to what you have to say about tinyhealth and other shotgun tests. I’m on the lookout for a solid company to use every couple of months for proper comparison, since switching from company to company isn’t very accurate if you’re trying to gauge progress.

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Randi Green's avatar

When is the Q&A coming? I’ve been a paid subscriber for about 5 months in hopes of being able to get one question answered 🙏

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Lucy Mailing, PhD's avatar

It's coming this month! I'll post the date and call for questions by the end of the week. Thanks for your patience

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Mike Clarke's avatar

Hey Lucy,

Is Nirvanabiome still a functioning business? I sent a sample in a month ago and never heard back from my emails to them. Seems strange.

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Lucy Mailing, PhD's avatar

Hi Mike - It does often take 4-8 weeks for results for metagenomics. Please keep me posted though if you do/don't hear from them though - I would have expected you to get some response.

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Mike Clarke's avatar

Hi Lucy, I still have not gotten any email replies from customer service. It's very strange and unprofessional. Do you have a direct contact there?

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Michelle's avatar

Hey Lucy. Any updates when the new Q & A will be? Also looking forward to more content. Thanks

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Lucy Mailing, PhD's avatar

It's coming this month! I'll post the date and call for questions by the end of the week. Thanks for your patience

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Thom Paulozza's avatar

Hi Lucy, I’m preparing to order the two adult tests you have mentioned in your latest email and in this post. It’s in preparation of making an appointment with you. Do you happen to know if the Nirvanbiome includes H.pylori, c.diff or zonulin? I’m really trying to avoid the add ons with the GI effects.

Thank you!

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Lucy Mailing, PhD's avatar

Nirvanabiome does not offer add-ons for C. diff toxin or H pylori stool antigen, but it will look for H pylori and C. diff DNA.

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Jeff Berkowitz's avatar

Hi Lucy -

I sent you an email to your Substack acct. I am interested in becoming a one-on-one client. Please check the lucymailing@substack.com emails. Thank you and Happy New Year...

Jeff Berkowitz

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Andrew's avatar

Appreciate the thoughts Lucy. Do you have any thoughts or comments on the utility of Tiny Health for *adults* as well?

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Lucy Mailing's avatar

I will be discussing this in the full update soon! The sequencing methodology and results are comparable, but I still prefer Nirvanabiome reports for adults.

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Bernard Bel's avatar

Hi Lucy,

I have tried several times to contact you about the respiratory gas tests recommended by Bruno Donatini: is this approach supported by the research literature?

They are becoming popular in France and I would like your advice on their validity or similar practices in the USA.

My guess is that respiratory gas tests may give significant results for the upper part of the GI tract, but nothing of value for the lower part, which justifies the preference for faecal metagenomic analysis. Is there any data to support this?

I wish you a happy and prosperous new year!

Bernard Bel

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Lucy Mailing's avatar

Hi Bernard,

I do apologize if you contacted me and didn't receive a response; I unfortunately can't always keep up with my email inbox, so posting a comment on a relevant substack post or submitting questions for Q&As is the best way to reach me.

I have written quite a bit on the problems with breath testing here, and my preference for using stool analysis: https://www.lucymailing.com/what-the-latest-research-reveals-about-sibo/

The article deserves an update, but the issues with reproducibility, comparison to an unreliable culture standard, etc. remain the same even with the addition of other gases like hydrogen sulfide.

Hope that helps & wish you a wonderful new year!

Lucy

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Bernard Bel's avatar

Thank you Lucy, it is a great paper and I look forward to updates on this topic. I quoted your page in my comment on Donatini's book (https://leti.lt/stv7) — which has an automatic translation.

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