This is for microbiome tests that reports percentiles which is very different from percentage. Both means out of 100 (per cent as in 100 cents in a dollar). To try understanding this, let us consider alcohol in drinks (beer, wine, vodka etc.). The percentage is a dark beer may be 5%, wine 12% and spirts 40%. We also have 46% of alcohol consumed is beer, wine is 17% and spirits is 37%. So we have two percent numbers for each type:

• Beer is 5% (percentage) and 46% (percentile)
• Wine is 12% (percentage) and 17% (percentile)
• Spirits is 40% (percentage) and 37% (percentile)
• And last, only 60% consumes alcohol.

If the question is do you a have a problem with alcohol? There are many ways to do it. Compute the average alcohol consumption, if you drink about that amount — you have no problem. WRONG. Heavy drinkers raise that average amount much higher than the typical amount that each person drinks.

Microbiome tests that reports percentiles or have percentiles computed are:

• uBiome (out of business)
• Ombre/Thryve
• Biomesight
• Thorne

Question #1: Do you have a normal microbiome?

There are many opinions on what that is. I do a rigorous statistical determination to answer that.

With percentiles, it you count the number of bacteria in each 10%ile ranges, the numbers in should be very close to each in. Check on My Profile/Overview. If looks like this — you have a problem. 362 and 11, and 434 and 13, should be the same numbers they are not.

In this case, the person has 362 genus that have too few bacteria in each type in them. The 11 in the 90-99 are not bacteria that are too high, only 11 are there when 68 were expected. The table showed the percentage in each group — if it was a normal microbiome, the percentage should be close to 10% for each one

Percentile	Genus	Percentage
0 – 9	362	57%
10-19	66	10%
20 – 29	60	9%
30 – 39	30	5%
40 – 49	18	3%
50 – 59	42	7%
60 – 69	30	5%
70 – 79	9	1%
80 – 89	8	1%
90 – 99	11	2%

Forget about naming the bacteria — you have 362 different ones that are of concern!

Most people have either a shift towards the 0-9 or 90-99. If the 90-99 is too high, then the logic is easy — you want to bring some of these down. Similarly, for 0-9, you want to bring them up!

Changing Microbiome

Go to Changing Microbiome tab, and you will see some choices:

For this person, there are too many with low levels. The simplest way to do it is as shown below

This will look at helping the “oppressed” bacteria and give you suggestions.

That’s the simplest, fewest steps way of getting sufficient suggestions. To Recap

• Determine which is too much (0-9 or 90-99)
• Set the filter to only those (i.e. top or bottom 10% and then pick low or high to match)
• Get suggestions!