GLOSSARY

Microbiome Sequencing reads selected or broad sequences, with DNA presence not necessarily proving viability or activity.

Collection timing, storage, extraction, contamination and reference databases influence microbial reports. Interpret stool after medication changes, illness or travel with that history. Nondetection does not prove absence, and a sequence does not always establish viability. Personal comparisons require consistent methods and a clear question. Reports from different laboratories are not automatically interchangeable like repeated standardized weighing, and apparent changes may reflect analytical variation rather than a biological response.

Ribosomal marker sequencing commonly profiles bacteria and some archaea depending on primers and methods, not all viruses and fungi. Shotgun sequencing reads broader sample DNA and can add functional information, still depending on depth and references. Neither method's name alone provides diagnosis or a personal food prescription. Species and strain resolution need clarification, and broader detection does not mean every reported gene is expressed or every organism is active.

Metagenomics studies community genetic potential, metatranscriptomics RNA and expression, metaproteomics proteins, and metabolomics chemicals. These layers answer different questions rather than replacing each other. RNA or protein alone does not necessarily quantify net pathway flux. Combine layers with diet, timing and human outcomes; the omics label itself guarantees neither clinical validity nor accurate supplement advice. Measurement breadth and actionable benefit remain separate properties.