Method: Shotgun metagenomic sequencing (CLIA 21D2062464); not cleared or approved by the FDA. Results reflect relative microbial abundance for wellness education purposes. Not intended to diagnose or treat disease and not a substitute for clinical consultation. Microbial associations are based on emerging scientific research and may change over time. Derived from laboratory results. This score or index is not an FDA-cleared test. It aids clinician-directed assessment and is not a stand-alone diagnosis.
A derived biomarker is a value that is calculated from other directly measured biomarkers rather than being measured directly in the lab.
Key benefits of Chitin testing
- Chitin fiber fermentation capacity tracking
- mushroom and shellfish-derived fiber processing potential
What is Chitin?
This metric estimates your gut microbiome's capacity to degrade chitin - a structural polysaccharide found in mushrooms, shellfish exoskeletons, and insect-derived foods. Estimated from chitinase-encoding genes detected by shotgun sequencing.
Why is Chitin important?
Chitin is an increasingly recognized dietary fiber substrate with prebiotic potential. As mushroom and shellfish consumption grows in health-focused diets, gut microbiome capacity to extract value from chitin may become more relevant. This metric reflects the presence of chitinase-producing bacteria.
What insights will I get?
Your chitin digestion capacity may indicate how effectively your microbiome processes chitin from dietary mushrooms and shellfish. This is an emerging area of microbiome nutrition research.
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