In This Article
In This Article
Our Verdict: Thorne Gut Health Test was an affordable and intuitive way of learning about my gut health that I really appreciated.
When I first received my test results, all the terms confused me. But Thorne’s user-friendly layout included in-depth explanations of each entry, which made the reports feel less intimidating.
Although the at-home gut test isn’t intended to diagnose specific diseases, it still helped me understand the state of my gut health.
For instance, it informed me of the imbalances between my gut bacteria and the essential nutrients I lacked.
One of the features of the Thorne Gut Health Test that piqued my interest is the personalized recommendations to help enhance my gut health. I found them applicable to my daily life. Plus, the report highlighted how changing my lifestyle and other habits would greatly affect my overall health.
Thorne Health Tech is a leading supplement and health-testing brand in the human health field. Their high-quality supplements and test kits are for people looking to redefine their overall wellness.
We recommend Thorne because they ensure total transparency with their products and services.
They only use the highest quality ingredients with their many supplements. Their products have no hidden inactive ingredients or fillers.
In addition, Thorne swears by the technology and manufacturing process they use. They invested in clinical research to ensure their formula and tests are accurate and effective.
We read hundreds of customer reviews for both Thorne products and them as a company. We listed the things that kept coming up in them.
KnowYourDNA is committed to making healthcare more accessible to the public. That is why we feature products that meet industry standards.
We only choose at-home kits with reliable testing methods and science-backed reports to improve your health.
Our in-house medical experts help ensure the accuracy of the information we give our readers by reviewing it before publication.
Know Your DNA Reviews
Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn more about yourself. Read our best DNA test page to find the best one for you.
Thorne offers a variety of at-home health tests designed to evaluate different aspects of your wellness, such as:1
Most of Thorne’s at-home health tests include personalized recommendations to help address your concerns.
The Thorne Gut Health Test does an in-depth analysis on your gut health using DNA testing.
The company created this test to help people frequently experiencing digestive symptoms discover the root cause of their gut problems.
| Price | $198 |
| Collection Type | Microbiome wipe |
| Testing Method | Metagenomics |
After completing my order online, Thorne shipped the test kit within three business days. I was able to track my order through their online portal.
When my test arrived, it came in a small, secured box with these items inside:
The small booklet contained four easy steps on how to obtain your stool sample and what to do to complete the test.
Thorne groups the results into several report categories. These categories are the main gut health pillars (digestion, inflammation, and gut microbiome) and general health.
After waiting a few weeks, my results became available on my online portal. Here’s a walk-through of what reports you’ll get with the Thorne Gut Health Test.
Our body absorbs water and nutrients from foods through the intestines' lining, which is why they're semi-permeable.2
However, some of us have a more permeable gut, letting more than just water and nutrients 'leak' through the intestinal lining.
In this section, Thorne scores the gut permeability by analyzing your gut microbiome composition.
This report will show how toxins, bacteria, and undigested food particles can easily pass through the intestinal walls.
In order to optimize your gut health, it’s essential to maintain gut microbiome balance and prevent dysbiosis.
What is the gut microbiome? It is a diverse and complex ecosystem of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and others, that live in and on our digestive tract.3
These microorganisms help with a range of body functions, making them essential to our overall health.
A healthy gut microbiome has a delicate balance between good and bad bacteria.
Gut dysbiosis, on the other hand, occurs when the population of bad bacteria overcomes the beneficial microbes, disturbing the balance of the gut microbiome.
Thorne assesses the population of different bacteria in your gut microbiome, including:
Conditional bacteria are beneficial or harmful to our bodies, depending on the bacteria’s environmental conditions.
On the other hand, probiotics are live strains of beneficial bacteria that promote the growth of the good bacteria population in the gut.
This section examines how your digestive capabilities change due to different factors, such as:
The inflammation score talks about your risk of inflammation.
The test looks for patterns that may indicate inflammatory activities in the gut with the help of your microbiome composition.
The enteric nervous system is the pathway that links the brain and the gut. It’s also known as the brain-gut connection.5
In this section, the report explains how your gut microbiome makeup affects the communication between the gut and the brain, which also interferes with some of the body functions, including:
In this section of the report, Thorne compares your gut microbiome to the gut microbiome of others.
This report scores your gastrointestinal (GI) tract’s ability to produce essential vitamins, such as:
Micronutrients report shows you if you have low or high levels of these essential nutrients.
This report evaluates your GI tract’s capacity to create short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs enhance the gut barrier’s permeability and help fight inflammation.
The SCFAs being checked by the test are:
Short-chain fatty acids report shows you if you have low or high levels of these SCFAs.
This report measures your gut’s readiness for encountering stressors, such as foreign bodies or pathogens.
It uses an advanced proprietary equation to assess your gut microbiome’s ecosystem immune function.
The test screens your stool sample for 11 pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Based on your findings, Thorne creates an extensive personalized plan to help you overcome your gut health concerns.
With the help of Onegevity's Health Intelligence platform, the company tailors your wellness recommendations using medically supervised proprietary algorithms and published research.
Your personalized plan may include dietary suggestions, exercise, and customized supplements.
Yes.
According to Thorne’s website, you can rely on the accuracy of their gut health test results.
It’s because Thorne ensures that they only work with the leading CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited labs.
These credentials guarantee that the labs they’re partnered with pass the standards required to produce reliable results.
As for the personalized plans generated by the Onegevity Health Intelligence platform, Thorne mentioned they are medically supervised and clinically validated.
The company ensured that scientific studies backed each recommendation. They also work closely with Thorne's Medical Affairs Department, comprised of medical professionals.
It only took me a few minutes to complete the gut health test. This was the process:
The website mentioned that it’d take five to six weeks for the results to come out. I got mine after four weeks.
If you’d like to get your hands on the Thorne Gut Health Test or Thorne supplements, I discovered that the best and most convenient way is to buy directly from their website.
Thorne Gut Health Test costs $198. You can purchase it for a lower price if there’s an ongoing promotion on the website.
The other at-home health tests range from $95 to $830.
On the other hand, Thorne's dietary supplements cost from $10 to $85. But the company offers some in bundles of three, which can help you save money.
Thorne's website accepts credit cards—Visa, Mastercard, American Express—and Paypal for payment methods.
Let’s look at how Thorne fares against its competitors in the table below:
| Comparison of At-home Gut Health Test | Thorne | Viome | BIOHM |
| Cost | $198 | $249 | $129.99 |
| Testing method | Metagenomics | Metatranscriptomics | rRNA sequencing |
| Collection method | Stool | Stool | Stool |
| Number of key factors tested | 10 | 20+ | NA |
| Includes diet recommendations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Includes supplement recommendations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Results turnaround time | 5-6 weeks | 2-3 weeks | 4-6 weeks |
Thorne uses metagenomics, while Viome uses metatranscriptomics to examine your entire microbial community’s genetic material.
Both are genetic sequencing or “reading” methods, which provide great insights into the variety of microbes living in your gut and their roles in your overall health.
However, some studies say that metatranscriptomics is a more efficient method because it can provide even richer information about the microbe types in your sample even with less data.7
As for the gut health scores or key factors, Viome covers more than Thorne. But it doesn’t specify how many pathogens it tests for.
When it comes to ease of collection, Thorne beats Viome with its mess-free wipe. Viome still uses the typical fecal scoop.
These gut tests offer an in-depth analysis of your gut microbiome. They give you actionable and science-backed recommendations on optimizing your gut health.
Even though Thorne is more affordable than Viome, we don’t believe you’re settling for less. The technology Thorne uses (metagenomics) is stable and can also identify the different strains of gut bacteria.
Thorne and BIOHM both use convenient microbiome wipes for collecting stool samples. But when it comes to reports, Thorne is more comprehensive than BIOHM.
BIOHM may have a broader scope, but only with the pathogens it tests for since it also includes fungi. On the other hand, Thorne evaluates other gut functions like digestion, gut dysbiosis, and others.
If you’re only interested in whether your gut’s bacterial and fungal communities are within the normal range, BIOHM is a good option for you.
Otherwise, Thorne can offer much more information about your overall gut health.
Yes, the Thorne Gut Health Test is worth trying.
Thorne guarantees they put intense effort into optimizing their testing method. The same goes for the attention to detail of their extensive gut health reports.
At-home gut health tests like Thorne are an accessible option for people who want to be proactive with their overall health.
The rise of at-home health testing kits has made it more convenient for people to take charge of their well-being.
Besides convenience, at-home gut health tests offer many benefits, including valuable insights, privacy, and easier sample collection.
It’s important to note that at-home gut health tests shouldn’t replace a visit to your doctor.
The studies on gut health and gut microbiome are still in their early stages. Scientists don’t have a solid definition of what can be considered a normal microbiome.
With that said, there’s still a long way to go before at-home gut health tests can provide you with health interventions as reliable as a health expert’s.
So, if you’re experiencing digestive symptoms, like bloating or gas, talk to your healthcare professional about it. They can help diagnose any underlying health conditions that are causing your symptoms.
Our team and our health expert, Dr. Rizza Mira, worked together to come up with a set of criteria. We evaluated the Thorne Gut Health Test based on these factors.
To ensure the accuracy of their results, Thorne only works with CLIA-certified or CAP-certified labs.
They also use a stable and reliable DNA testing method to analyze your gut microbiome composition.
Most of the comments we read about Thorne expressed positive reviews on the services and customer experience with the company.
Their products are well-rated on platforms like Amazon.
Thorne has long been in the supplement industry since it was founded in 1984. It has worked with industry experts worldwide and is known for being a reputable brand.
Thorne offers a convenient way of collecting your stool sample. You'll use a microbiome wipe instead of a fecal swab or scoop.
The company designed it to be soft on the skin and biodegradable. The test kit also includes a glove for you to wear during wiping.
According to Thorne, the new method preserves the DNA in your stool sample just as much as the typical fecal scoop method.
Thorne provides a wealth of information with its reports, which can guide you in optimizing your health.
For instance, the micronutrient section lets you know which ones you lack. That should give you an idea of how to increase your micronutrient levels.
The company uses multiple security measures to keep your information private.
For instance, they use a secure server connection for creating your account. The company also claimed they don’t store any payment information.
The company, however, mentioned that they use your health information, test results, and info about your purchases. They do so as a part of their research to improve their products.
But as part of their privacy policy, they also ask for your consent before storing and using your information.
Know Your DNA Reviews
Looking for the best microbiome kit on the market? Look no further! Our review round-up page has all the information you need to make an informed decision.
