Viome Icon What is the Viome Gut Microbiome Test?

Viome is a gut microbiome test that analyses the activity of microbes in your digestive system to provide personalised nutrition and supplement recommendations.

By understanding how your unique gut microbiome functions, Viome supports digestive health, microbiome balance, and long-term wellness.

Unlike general dietary advice, Viome uses microbiome analysis to understand how your body responds at a functional level, reducing guesswork around nutrition.

What is the Viome Gut Microbiome Test?

Understanding Your Gut Microbiome

Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that influence:

Digestion

Digestion

Immune

Immune

Metabolism

Metabolism

The activity of your microbiome is highly individual. Foods that support one person’s health may contribute to imbalance in another.

How Viome Works

Viome performs advanced RNA sequencing for gut health testing to assess:

Microbial Activity

Microbial activity

Metabolic Pathways

Metabolic pathways

Functional gut processes

Functional gut processes

This approach focuses on what your microbes are doing, not just which microbes are present.

RNA vs DNA: Why Activity Matters More Than Identity

Most gut microbiome tests use DNA sequencing. This tells you which bacteria are present in your gut, a static snapshot of species and strains.

Viome uses RNA sequencing instead. RNA reflects what your microbes are actively doing right now: which genes they're expressing, which metabolic pathways they're running, which compounds they're producing.

The difference matters because two people can have identical bacteria on a DNA-based test and completely different gut function. A microbe that's dormant looks the same as one that's actively producing inflammatory compounds if you're only checking who's there.

RNA sequencing shows the difference, by not only identifying who is there but also what they are doing. That's what makes it possible to give recommendations based on what your gut is doing, not just what's living in it.

What Your Results Include

Your personalised report includes:

  • Microbiome pathway scores
  • Personalised food recommendations
  • Foods to enjoy, minimise, or avoid

These insights support digestive health and personalised nutrition.

Download sample Viome report Download sample Viome recommendations

A Personalised Approach to Longevity and Gut Health

Viome supports a proactive approach to health by identifying underlying biological patterns that influence:

  • Energy levels
  • Gut health
  • Inflammation
  • Long-term wellbeing

It is a wellness and optimisation tool, not a diagnostic test.

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What Your Results Include

Track Your Progress with the Viome App

Once you've submitted your sample, your results don't just arrive as a static document. They live in the Viome app, giving you an ongoing way to understand and act on your gut health rather than a single report you read once and forget.

Available on Google Play and the App Store, the app is designed to make your biological data practical and easy to use day to day.

What you can do in the app:

  • Track your progress. Register your test kit, follow your sample shipment as it moves through the process, and complete health questionnaires that help refine your recommendations over time.
  • View your health scores. See integrative scores based on your gut and cellular health, giving you a clear, at-a-glance picture of how your body is functioning rather than a list of raw data.
  • Access your food lists. Get precise "eat" and "avoid" recommendations tailored to your own biology, so nutrition decisions are based on your results rather than generic dietary advice.

Because gut health isn't static, the app is built for ongoing use. As you retest and your microbiome activity changes, your scores and recommendations update with it, so the insights stay relevant rather than becoming outdated after a single test.

Digestion

Digestion

Weight

Weight

Skin

Skin

Sleep

Sleep

Mental Clarity

Mental Clarity

Trusted Testing, Backed by Accreditation

Viome's laboratory operates under CLIA certification (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments), the regulatory standard for clinical laboratories handling human samples in the United States.

Next Biosciences is the sole distributor of Viome testing in South Africa, giving South African customers access to this technology through a trusted local partner.

Next Biosciences has over 20 years of experience in genetic testing, stem cell banking, and regenerative medicine, backed by ISO 13485 accreditation and two decades of laboratory expertise in South Africa.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about Gut Microbiome Testing:

A gut microbiome test analyses the trillions of micro-organisms living in your digestive system to reveal how they're functioning, not just which ones are present. This gives insight into digestion, nutrient absorption, immune activity, and how your gut may be influencing your energy and overall wellbeing. The results are used to build personalised nutrition and lifestyle recommendations tailored to your unique gut activity.

Most gut tests use DNA sequencing, which only identifies which microbial species are present, like taking a photograph of who's in the room. Viome uses RNA sequencing, which captures gene expression and metabolic activity in real time, essentially showing what those microbes are actively doing right now. Because of this, Viome's recommendations reflect your gut's current function rather than a static snapshot of species, making it more relevant to how your body is behaving today.

No, Viome is a wellness tool, not a diagnostic or medical test, and it does not identify, diagnose, or treat any disease or condition. It's designed to help you understand and support your gut health through food and lifestyle choices. Anyone with existing health concerns should continue working with their doctor and can use Viome results as a complementary source of wellness insight.

Anyone experiencing digestive discomfort, low energy, or brain fog, or simply wanting to optimise their diet, may benefit from microbiome analysis. It's also useful for people who've tried generic nutrition advice without success and want recommendations based on their own biology. Because the test tracks active gut function, it suits anyone curious about how their current diet and lifestyle are affecting them.

The gut plays a central role in digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function, since a large portion of the immune system is housed in the gut lining. It also communicates directly with the brain via the gut-brain axis, meaning imbalances can influence mood, focus, and mental clarity. Supporting a healthy, diverse gut microbiome can therefore have knock-on benefits for energy, immunity, and cognitive wellbeing.

Gut microbial activity shifts in response to diet, stress, medication, and lifestyle changes, many people retest every 6 months to a year to track progress. Retesting is particularly useful after making significant dietary changes or following Viome's personalised recommendations, so you can see how your gut has responded.

Viome requires a stool sample, which you collect at home using the kit provided. The kit includes clear step-by-step instructions and prepared packaging to stabilise the sample for shipping to the lab. No blood draw or clinic visit is needed to complete the test.

Yes, Viome is available in South Africa through Next Biosciences, so local clients can access this advanced gut microbiome testing without needing to order internationally.

The Viome test costs R6 900, which includes the at-home collection kit, RNA sequencing analysis, courier fees, and access to your personalised results in the app. Results are typically available within 4-5 weeks of your sample being received by the lab, after which you'll get detailed, actionable nutrition guidance via the Viome app based on your gut's activity.