
Our intestines are home to billions of bacteria
ARTUR PLAWGO/SCIENCE PHOTOGRAPHY
Examining one’s stools was once a niche interest. A quick look on Amazon, however, reveals dozens of home tests designed to test the composition of your stool. You can also buy kits for your pets.
Such products reflect the growing appetite for information about the gut microbiome. “No matter what country you’re in, a lot of patients come to their doctors asking about microbiota testing,” he says. Gianluca Ianiro at the Catholic University of Rome.