Most gut tests on the market use 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, a low-resolution, inference-based method that can only identify bacteria down to the genus level. It's a bit like looking at your gut through a blurry lens: you get a rough shape, but not the fine detail.
Wellsprout uses deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing instead, the gold standard in microbiome research. This lets us identify species and even strains with far greater precision, detect pathogens other tests miss, and go beyond "who's there" to reveal what your microbiome is actually doing, including functional pathways like protein digestion, fibre fermentation, and vitamin biosynthesis. Where 16S gives you a low-resolution silhouette, shotgun sequencing gives you the full, sharp picture.
That extra depth is what powers the level of personalization behind your Wellsprout results, from strain-level insights to functional health scoring across brain, gut, heart, liver, immunity, and longevity. And because we see so much more, Wellsprout can give you truly personalized recommendations across nutrition, exercise, sleep, and supplements, built from your own data rather than generic advice.
