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.
Understanding Your Gut Microbiome
Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that influence:
Digestion
Immune
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
Metabolic pathways
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.
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.
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
Weight
Skin
Sleep
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Gut Microbiome Testing: