Can Testing our Gut Microbiome Aid in Our Health?

The trillions of microscopic organisms that live inside your digestive tract - your gut microbiome - may hold the key to many health conditions, such as obesity, inflammation and cancers, research suggests. In response, several start-ups have begun to offer test kits to help consumers map that microbiome, with the promise of helping to improve disease symptoms and even lose weight by eating the "right" food for your unique gut bacteria.

Some are also selling vitamins and probiotics that promise to improve your microbiome - and through it your overall health.

The questions is: Can testing and manipulating our microbiome based on a test actually improve health?

Experts say it's too soon to know. Testing needs more development for accuracy and scientists still need to figure out what to do with the information once you have it, they say…