FAQAnswers to your questions

We offer an analysis that covers nearly the entire spectrum of bacteria that live in the gut. Given that our work is DNA-based, the resulting analysis is very deep and precise. The areas we analyse and interpret include the following: The diversity of intestinal bacteria, proteobacteria, immune strength, immune regulation, the body’s ability to digest foods (with regard to proteins, fats, carbohydrates), microbe-associated intolerances and allergies, indicators of inflammation and constipation, as well as sleep and general emotional state. Furthermore, we analyse the bacterial ratio responsible for calorie utilisation (here, the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes). This allows us to determine whether you are more inclined to gain or lose weight. In addition to all these results of analysis, you’ll also receive individual recommendations on how you can improve certain areas and help any missing bacteria to (re)colonise in your gut.

First of all, it is important to understand that INTEST.pro cannot (yet) be classified as a medical product, but rather falls into the category of lifestyle product. This means that we do not provide our customers with suggestions for therapy, but rather recommendations for action. According to German law, only authorised medical devices and medical practitioners are allowed to offer diagnosis and treatment. For this reason, we are not allowed to detect any parasites or viruses in our assessments to date. Fungi (which, as with bacteria, come in both harmful and beneficial forms) will be integrated into the analysis at a later stage. INTEST.pro strictly involves a microbiome analysis, during which substances are not detected.

You can order INTEST.pro in our online shop via this link.

INTEST.pro is designed for people aged 15 and over. From this age onwards, the human microbiota is considered fully grown. For younger ages, the interpretation must be different, i.e. other reference values must be applied. BIOMES is due to launch an intestinal flora analysis specifically for children in the near future.

Profiling your intestinal microbiota makes sense, especially when there are complaints. But even if there aren’t any complaints, it’s a good way to understand yourself and your state of health. It offers a snapshot and says a lot about the current health of your gut and your general well-being. In the long-term, a sub-optimal lifestyle and nutrition can lead to intestinal complaints, immune deficiencies, intolerances and even more serious issues, such as allergies and chronic intestinal diseases. It is advisable to perform one or more follow-up tests to really detect any change.

Here you can see a sample analysis.

Yes. Please always state which medicines, antibiotics and probiotics you are taking when you want to carry out an analysis. This plays an important role in the assessment, as it influences your microbiome.

INTEST.pro always has the same informative value and can be applied at any time. The microbiota, i.e. the composition of all the microorganisms in our gut, is constantly changing, just not to such an extent that we notice it immediately. We can see which bacteria are present in your gut and in what ratio. This allows us to draw conclusions about your intestinal health. It is correct that antibiotics have quite an effect on your intestinal flora. They cannot be trained to target specific bacteria and end up killing even the good ones. After a course of antibiotics, we, therefore, recommend enjoying a probiotic and fibre-rich diet, or if you need things to work faster, a probiotic food supplement such as from our range of analytics-based food supplements. The high-quality bacterial cultures, vitamins and minerals were carefully compiled by BIOMES scientists and are produced in Germany in strict adherence to the highest quality standards. They can be purchased under the BIOM.uniq brand and are recommended on the basis of the INTEST.pro intestinal flora analysis. Working with such a stool analysis only ever provides a snapshot. Therefore, after each analysis, it is a good idea to do a follow-up test to see what progress has been made. We recommend doing this after a period of 4-6 months. An active, varied lifestyle and good nutrition can keep the intestinal flora in balance (which means that there is a sufficient number of beneficial bacteria in the gut).

There is an increasing number of doctors, pharmacies and naturopaths who use INTEST.pro for their patients and clients. Our distribution network that covers this customer base will continue to expand in the future, meaning that, going forward, on our website – biomes.world – we’ll be able to refer patients and customers to appropriate consultation centres for further advice or therapy. Every pharmacy in Germany should also be able to order INTEST.pro and BIOMES probiotics on a wholesale basis.

Not at present. However, given that preventive measures are gaining ever more public attention and that the test is able to deliver highly significant results, we’re confident that this will be the case going forward.

The INTEST.pro self-test kit contains everything you need, in order to take a stool sample: Using the cotton swab provided, simply dab some stool from the toilet paper and stir it into the solution in the tube provided. There is a white granulate found at the bottom of the tube. A pinhead-sized amount is quite sufficient. If the amount of stool on the toilet paper is not enough, simply try to collect the stool another way and take a swab. Please ensure that the cotton swab does not come into contact with toilet water or other utensils. Once this is done, simply put the tube into the enclosed stamped envelope, which you then send to our laboratory. Take a look at our explanatory video on the biomes.world homepage.

If you can’t wipe a sample off the toilet paper, try to catch the stool in another way, such as by using a chamber pot or a sheet of plastic over the toilet. Make sure that the stool and the cotton swab do not come into contact with anything else, in order to ensure that the result is not falsified.

Thanks to the use of a DNA-stabilising solution, the DNA in your intestinal bacteria remains preserved and can be assessed for up to approx. 2 years, even with slight temperature fluctuations. The tube containing the sample is also sturdy and should survive shipping unscathed.

The all-important DNA-stabilising solution found in sample tubes can be used for up to 2 years. This means that the kit can be stored for this maximum amount of time after receipt. You can also take the sample at a later date and then send it in to our laboratory.

In our laboratory, your sample is analysed for any microorganisms using state-of-the-art, high-throughput sequencing. By tapping into our knowledge base and applying a deep learning algorithm, we interpret your individual intestinal profile and determine how close you are to the healthy comparison group. You’ll get information about every bacterium living in your gut and its exact influence on your quality of life.

In your assessment area (your dashboard), there is a “PDF report” button located in the bottom-left hand corner. You have the option of creating and printing a short or long version of your report. If you can’t find the button, it could be because the zoom setting in your view is too low. For data protection reasons, we are not allowed to send you your report by email as a PDF document. Alternatively, we can send you a hard copy of your report by post.

You can find instructions on how to register your account and activate your sample in the video via this link.

The sample needs to be activated, in order that we can match it correctly in the lab and you can see your results in the dashboard. Until then, it remains anonymous. Please note that the analysis in our laboratory takes 2-4 weeks. Please activate your sample shortly after you have placed it in the post. Only then can you be notified by email when your analysis is ready.

In your dashboard (my.biomes.world), there is a human icon in the top-right hand corner, next to which you can see the name of your account. Click on the icon and select “Activate sample”. Please then indicate as to whether the sample is yours or someone else’s. You can also create multiple profiles, which then allow you, in turn, to manage multiple samples, for example, for other people, such as children, parents or siblings. It is best to label profiles by name and the respective sample consecutively – but it is entirely up to you. Each sample must be activated in an existing (or new) profile with the corresponding activation code. You can find the code in the instruction leaflet from your self-test kit. All you need to do is fill in the necessary fields from the extensive questionnaire as best as you can. Then click on “Submit questionnaire” to finish and you’re done. You should get an indication that your sample is now activated and either still in transit or already in the lab for analysis. The activated sample should now appear under “My samples” – your sample overview, which you can access again via the human icon at the top-right. As soon as the results are available, you can click on the sample and your assessment will open. As long as the sample analysis is still ongoing, you can see the individual steps of the laboratory processes.

Yes, you can. You only need one user account at my.biomes.world and there you have the option of activating several samples. You have to assign each of the samples to an existing (or new) profile and then simply name them as you wish. In the menu bar in the top-right hand corner, you can access the sample assessment under “My samples”.

You can name your sample anything you like. It is recommended that you choose the profile name according to the respective person and name the sample with “First sample”, “Second sample”, etc. You can find it under this name in the menu bar in the Dashboard.

Once you have activated your sample using the activation code, strictly speaking, you no longer need to keep it. Every tube is linked to exactly one activation code that belongs to one profile. Buyer of a kit, name of the profile and sample can all be different in each case.

If this happens, please contact support@biomes.world, who will send you your code by email. It is absolutely essential that we can match your sample.

Feel free to watch this video for an introduction to our online dashboard.

The my.biomes.world is the dashboard for your INTEST.pro assessment, where you can find your results.

A dashboard is an online-based platform where your analysis results are made available to you. To access it, you need to create a user account at my.biomes.world, which you can then use to log in later on. Only you have access to your dashboard with your own login data that you have chosen.

If you haven’t yet registered on my.biomes.world, you need to create a user account. To do this, go to my.biomes.world, click on “Register” and enter your email address and a password of your choosing. After you have confirmed your registration via the email sent to your inbox, you can log in at my.biomes.world.

The complete analysis process – consisting of several sub-steps – takes 2-4 weeks depending on the sample. As soon as your results are made available in your personal dashboard, we’ll notify you by email.

If you would like us to delete your data, simply email us at support@biomes.world and we’ll remove your account (and any test results linked to it) from our system. Afterwards, you won’t be able to retrieve your results again – e.g. if you want to do another intestinal flora analysis and compare the results.

Enter the voucher code you received in the designated field during the order process in the shopping basket. Depending on the voucher, the corresponding amount will be deducted from the total amount.

We’ll be happy to send you an invoice with your desired products and our account details. Feel free to send us an email at support@biomes.world and we’ll manually trigger your order. We’ll then send you the invoice by email or, if you wish, by post.

The payment options are PayPal, credit card, SEPA direct debit, giropay and eps online bank transfer (the latter is only possible from Austria).

You can cancel your contract within 14 days without stating any reason. The withdrawal period is 14 days from the day on which you have, or a third party named by you has – who is not the carrier – taken possession of the goods. To exercise your right of withdrawal, please send us an email at support@biomes.world with a clear statement of your decision to withdraw from this contract.

If you cancel the contract, we’ll refund all the amounts we have received from you, including the delivery costs (with the exception of any additional costs resulting from the fact that you have chosen a type of delivery other than the cheapest standard delivery offered by us), without delay and at the latest within 14 days from the day on which we received the notification of your withdrawal from this contract. In order to refund you, we’ll use the same means of payment that you used for the original transaction, unless expressly agreed otherwise; in no case will you be charged for this reimbursement. If you have any questions, please contact us at support@biomes.world.

No, shipping is included in the price. We have an agreement with DHL, which also guarantees us the return shipment of a sample within Germany. We also ship the kit outside of Germany with UPS, which will incur additional shipping costs. You can view these costs during the order process in our online shop. In this case, returning a sample to our laboratory is also free of charge, provided that it is carried out in accordance with the options specified.

The INTEST.pro test kit is shipped abroad and the sample is returned to the BIOMES laboratory in Germany via UPS. Additional shipping costs apply for deliveries abroad, the amount of which may vary from country to country. You can see which countries are delivered to from the list found in the order process in our online shop when it comes to the delivery address.
In your kit, you will find all the utensils needed for return shipment. In order to be able to view the information and, in due course, the assessment of your sample, it is necessary to activate the sample. During this process, you can also choose from two return shipping options. Print the label and drop off your package at the nearest UPS Access Point or simply arrange for a UPS representative to pick it up. Feel free to use the instructions from your test kit. If you have any questions, please contact support@biomes.world.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’re on hand to help Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm by phone at + 49 (0) 3375 585 62 40 or by email at support@biomes.world.

A combination of two or more probiotic food supplements from BIOMES is possible. However, in order for the desired microbes to develop in an optimal way, we recommend not taking more than one probiotic at a time. The recommended maximum number of capsules is 2 per day. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a balanced and varied diet.

There are no known side effects when taken with medication. The recommended daily intake amount should not be exceeded. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a balanced and varied diet.

Maintaining a healthy intestinal flora is a long-term endeavour. Probiotic nutrition (and potentially the use of food supplements) can lead to noticeable improvements in some people after just a few weeks, while in others this may only be after several weeks or months. It is important to continuously maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet, in order to create the best conditions for the beneficial bacteria in the gut. The optimal prerequisite for stable intestinal flora is a varied, balanced probiotic diet in combination with a healthy lifestyle that includes plenty of exercise, sufficient regeneration phases and limited stress.

With regard to taking our probiotic food supplement (BIOM.uniq), we recommend leaving it at one pack for the time being. Taking the probiotic can be spread over one or two months with 60 capsules. The maximum daily dose is 2 capsules. These are highly active cultures that are capable of reproducing and should colonise well in the intestine with the help of a normal lifestyle and diet. After a break, you should then decide individually as to whether taking the probiotic further is appropriate. A follow-up test can provide real clarity here.

Not all probiotics are the same. It is crucial in terms of which bacterial strains are contained and in what numbers. Different bacterial strains trigger different modes of action. Furthermore, it is a quality feature that bacterial cultures capable of reproduction, as well as a nutrient for the cultures, are included (synbiotic), as in the case of all BIOMES food supplements. In addition, taking it in capsule form is recommended, as fewer cultures are lost on the way to the intestine through the digestive process. Their use is primarily intended for people who have deficiencies in their intestinal flora.

Yes. Every BIOMES probiotic product comes with an instruction booklet. It contains all the necessary information on ingestion, as well as background information on the bacterial cultures contained and their modes of action.

Our BIOMES probiotics are gluten- and lactose-free, as well as 100% vegan.

Only a few bacterial strains can be cultivated and administered as probiotics, primarily a series of lactic acid cultures. Some we can (re)colonise through a very broad-ranging diet and nourish well through fibre. Some bacteria, however, can only be re-colonised with difficulty or not at all. They have been lost due to factors such as a modern lifestyle. All of the bacteria that we can colonise through a broad, natural diet should be enough to establish a healthy balance.

The BIOM.uniq probiotics product line offers 6 different types (Alpha to Zeta), each of which is recommended for different, individual weak points afflicting the intestinal flora. Our recommendation as to which type would help you is based on the assessment of our INTEST.pro intestinal test. You can order the BIOM.uniq probiotics in the BIOMES online shop via this link.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’re on hand to help Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm by phone at + 49 (0) 3375 585 62 40 or by email at support@biomes.world.