Gut Health asks three questions about your gut. Gut Health+ asks what's driving the answers.
What we measure and why it matters
- Faecal calprotectin: whether there's inflammation in the gut lining. This is the same marker NHS gut specialists use to tell the difference between active gut inflammation and conditions like IBS, where the lining itself isn't inflamed.
- Secretory IgA: how well your gut's immune barrier is working. Whether it's running thin, under pressure, or reacting to something it's come across.
- qFIT: traces of blood in your stool that are invisible to the eye. Something concrete for you and your clinical team to look into if it's there.
- Shotgun metagenomics: a complete map of every microbe living in your gut. What they are, what they're doing, and whether the balance between them is contributing to what the other markers are showing.
The difference
Gut Health tells you there's inflammation. Gut Health+ helps you understand what may be behind it.
Together, they give you the most complete picture of your gut health available from a single stool sample, without being invasive.
Sample type: Stool (at-home collection)
What's tested: Faecal calprotectin, secretory IgA (sIgA), qFIT, microbiome profiling (shotgun metagenomics)
Results in: We aim to get your results to you within 10 working days of your sample reaching the lab. Occasionally it takes a little longer for reasons outside our control. Turnaround times are estimates, not guarantees, and are subject to our Terms and Conditions of Sale.
Your test, in detail
Gut Health asks three questions about your gut. Gut Health+ asks what's driving the answers.
Gut Health measures three functional markers: faecal calprotectin, which detects inflammation at the gut lining; secretory IgA, which measures how well your gut's immune barrier is holding up; and qFIT, which checks for traces of blood in the stool you'd never spot yourself. Gut Health+ adds shotgun metagenomics, a comprehensive map of every microorganism living in your gut, what they are, what functions they're carrying out, and whether the balance between them is contributing to what the functional markers are showing.
Faecal calprotectin tells you whether inflammation may be present at the gut lining, using the same marker NHS gastroenterology uses to guide further investigation. It's one of the clearest ways to distinguish between active gut inflammation and conditions like IBS where the lining itself isn't inflamed. Secretory IgA tells you how well your gut's immune barrier is functioning, whether it's depleted, under pressure, or responding to something it's encountered. qFIT detects traces of blood in the stool that aren't visible to the naked eye, giving you and your clinical team something concrete to investigate if it's there. And shotgun metagenomics goes further than any functional marker can, mapping the full community of organisms living in your gut and identifying whether any imbalances in that community may be contributing to what the other markers are showing.
Gut Health tells you there's inflammation. Gut Health+ can help you understand what may be behind it. Together they give you the most complete non-invasive picture of your gut health available from a single sample.
Your kit will be mailed to you with everything you need to collect your sample at home. Full instructions are included. Once you've collected your sample, it's your responsibility to send it back using the return packaging provided. Results will be available after your sample has been received and processed by the lab.
Faecal calprotectin When the gut lining is inflamed, white blood cells flood the area and release a protein called calprotectin. The more inflammation there is, the more of it shows up in your stool. High levels can suggest something inflammatory is going on. Normal levels can help rule out inflammation as the cause of your symptoms, which matters if you've been told it might be IBS. It's the same marker NHS gastroenterology uses to help decide whether further investigation is needed.
Secretory IgA (sIgA) Your gut is one of your body's most important immune barriers, and secretory IgA is the antibody that holds that barrier together. It patrols the gut lining, neutralises threats, and stops harmful substances from crossing into the bloodstream. Measuring it in stool tells you how well that defence system is working. Low levels may mean the gut's immune defences are depleted. Higher levels may mean the immune system is responding to something, whether that's a pathogen, a food trigger, or ongoing inflammation.
qFIT (quantitative faecal immunochemical test) Sometimes there's blood in the stool that you'd never know about because you can't see it. qFIT is designed to find it. It uses the same method as the NHS bowel cancer screening programme to detect tiny traces of human blood. A positive result doesn't tell you why it's there, but it gives you and your clinical team something real to investigate. For anyone taking anti-inflammatory medication long-term, or managing a condition that affects the gut, that's an important thing to know.
Shotgun metagenomics Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that together make up your microbiome. This community plays a direct role in how your immune system functions, how your gut lining holds up, and how your body responds to food, medication, and disease. Shotgun metagenomics sequences all the DNA in your stool sample without bias, giving a species-level and strain-level picture of what's living there and what it's functionally capable of. Most consumer microbiome tests can only identify organisms at a broad genus level. This goes considerably further, screening for over 60 potential pathogenic groups, profiling key beneficial species, and detecting the functional genes responsible for producing short-chain fatty acids, compounds that play a direct role in gut and immune health.
- Try to collect your sample in the morning if you can. It makes it easier to get it in the post the same day.
- Avoid collecting your sample during your period, as this can affect results.
- If you've had a colonoscopy or bowel prep in the last 2 weeks, wait before collecting.
- Let your GP or clinical team know about any medications you're taking, particularly NSAIDs or iron supplements, as these may affect your results.
- Seal your sample securely in the collection tube provided, following the instructions in your kit.
- Place it in the return packaging and send it back as soon as possible. The fresher the sample, the better the quality.
- Store it in a cool place if there's any delay before posting, but do not freeze it.
- If you feel unwell or have any concerns after collection, contact your GP or local NHS service for advice.
- For general guidance on stool sample collection, you can visit the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stool-tests/
mOI Gut Health+ measures four components from a single stool sample: faecal calprotectin, secretory IgA, qFIT, and shotgun metagenomics microbiome profiling. Each component provides information about a specific aspect of gut function and composition. Results should be read as part of a broader picture. Microbiome composition varies naturally between individuals and can be influenced by diet, medication, recent illness, and other factors. A single result at a single point in time has limits, and what's considered within range can vary depending on individual circumstances.
This test doesn't provide a diagnosis. Your results are intended to support your understanding of your gut health and may help inform conversations with your clinical team. They shouldn't be used as the sole basis for any medical decision.
mOI is a registered as a Class I Software as a Medical Device. This test isn't a substitute for clinical assessment or advice from a qualified healthcare professional.
A structured path to Immune Intelligence
Choose your test
Select the test that’s right for you
Start with what you want to explore or understand
Receive your kit
Your test kit is delivered to your door
Everything you need, ready for your sample
Provide your sample
Follow the instructions in your kit or book an at home visit for blood collection.
Simple, guided steps depending on your test
Send your sample to the lab
Your sample is securely prepared and
sent for analysis
Handled with care to maintain quality
View your results and insights
See your results in the app, connected to your health over time
Helping you make sense of what’s changing
Choose your test
Select the test that’s right for you
Start with what you want to explore or understand
Receive your kit
Your test kit is delivered to your door
Everything you need, ready for your sample
Provide your sample
Follow the instructions in your kit or book an at home visit for blood collection.
Simple, guided steps depending on your test
Send your sample to the lab
Your sample is securely prepared and
sent for analysis
Handled with care to maintain quality
View your results and insights
See your results in the app, connected to your health over time
Helping you make sense of what’s changing
Frequently asked questions
mOI Gut Health+ gives you a four-layer picture of your gut. Faecal calprotectin tells you whether inflammation may be present at the gut lining, using the same marker NHS gastroenterology uses to guide further investigation. Secretory IgA tells you how well your gut's immune barrier is holding up. qFIT detects traces of blood in the stool you'd never spot yourself, using the same method as the NHS bowel cancer screening programme. And shotgun metagenomics microbiome profiling maps the full community of organisms living in your gut, what they are, what functions they're carrying out, and whether any of them may be contributing to what the functional markers are showing. Together, they give you a level of detail about your gut that symptoms alone, and most tests, can't come close to providing.
Gut Health+ is for anyone who wants to go beyond knowing what's happening in their gut and understand what may be driving it. It's particularly relevant if you're managing a condition that affects the gut, taking medication that carries a GI risk, have been told your symptoms might be IBS but aren't convinced, or want the most complete baseline picture available. If you're unsure whether Gut Health or Gut Health+ is right for you, speak to your GP or clinical team before purchasing.
We aim to get your results to you as quickly as possible once your sample reaches the lab, though turnaround times vary by test and occasionally take a little longer for reasons outside our control. Turnaround times are estimates, not guarantees, and are subject to our Terms and Conditions of Sale. Most results appear directly in the mOI app, linked to your health record. They sit alongside your tracking data and insights rather than arriving as a standalone report. For some tests, including certain gut health results, you may receive a PDF report instead of in-app results. Where this applies, it will be made clear at the time. If your membership has lapsed or been cancelled when results become available, we'll deliver them to the email address held in your account instead.
Your results are designed to support your understanding of your gut health, not to replace clinical advice. The microbiome data is most useful when read alongside your functional markers and, where available, your Immune Core results and genomic data. If anything in your results concerns you, or if you'd like to discuss what they mean in the context of your wider health, share them with your GP or clinical team. Repeat testing over time can help track changes and build a more complete longitudinal picture.
Yes. Testing is only available with a paid mOI membership, and tests are priced separately. Membership gives you access to the full platform, including your results, longitudinal tracking, and the insights that connect your data over time. If you're not a member yet, you can create an account to get started.