FIGURE 1.

Microbiome composition analysis in generally healthy individuals. In the generally healthy individual, microbiome composition analysis alone currently offers limited actionable health insight that cannot be readily obtained via more traditional means such as blood chemistry and lipids, activity trackers, and basic biometrics. These validated metrics of physiological and metabolic health allow for optimization via established reference ranges that correlate with healthy states, whereas individual-level optimal microbiome features have yet to be elucidated. Often considered to be a marker of health, high α-diversity within the gut microbiome can be qualitatively approximated via traditional measures. However, as this field of research progresses toward the ability to establish optimal microbiome composition baselines at the individual level, metagenomic analysis holds dramatic potential for the practice of precision nutrition. FUT2,fucosyltransferase 2; IBD, irritable bowel disease;LCT, lactase.