Vivabioma Review
Our opinion on Vivabioma
With a choice of three packages (Starter, Advanced and Ultra), Vivabioma analyses the bacteria, fungi, archaea and viruses present in your gut microbiome. The laboratory uses Shotgun metagenomic sequencing, capable of generating up to 80 million reads per sample. It provides up to 50 detailed reports, the results of which can be interpreted and used by a doctor. The stool sample is collected at home and the results are available within 4 to 6 weeks.
Want to know what your gut microbiome reveals about your health? The Vivabioma laboratory offers to study your gut flora through a test carried out on a stool sample. We ordered a kit, took the test and analysed the reports we received to bring you our full review.
What you need to know about Vivabioma
| Features |  |
|---|---|
| 🎁Promo code | – 5% with the promo code “VIVASTORY” |
| 🗓️ Year founded | 2026 |
| 🏢 Parent company | TellmeGen, a Spanish genetics laboratory |
| 🧬 Type of tests offered | Gut microbiome analysis tests |
| 🦠 Microorganisms analysed | Bacteria, archaea, fungi, viruses and parasitesResistome analysis with the Ultra package |
| 🔬 Technology | Shotgun metagenomic sequencing (Illumina) |
| 📊 Reads per sample | Up to 80 million reads per sample |
| ⏱️ Turnaround time for results | 4 to 6 weeks after the laboratory receives the sample |
| 💶 Package prices | Starter Kit: €159.99 Advanced Kit: €179.99 Ultra Kit: €199.99 |
| 📞 Customer support | Live chatContact form |
| ⭐ Trustpilot rating | 3.7/5 based on 9 customer reviews |
This page contains affiliate links, but this does not affect our independent opinion.
Vivabioma pros and cons
- 3 packages with a level of analysis and a number of reports that depend on the kit chosen
- Option to move from one package to another without having to provide a new sample
- Return shipping costs included in the price of the kit
- In-depth microbiome analysis using Shotgun sequencing
- Analysis of several types of microorganisms and access to more than 50 reports with the Ultra package
- Microbiota analysis report viewable online and downloadable in FASTQ format from your private account
- Analyses carried out in European laboratories certified to ISO 17025, 13485 and 15189 standards
- Personalised recommendations generated by artificial intelligence based on your microbial profile
- Option to receive support from doctors and nutritionists
- Collecting the stool sample at home may put some users off
- Relatively long processing time of 4 to 6 weeks
- No option to download a PDF summary of the results
- Medical consultations and nutritional report charged on top of the kit
A range of tests from the simplest to the most advanced
The Vivabioma Starter kit to explore the microbiome
The Starter kit gives access to more than 35 reports covering the composition and function of the gut microbiome. In particular, it assesses its diversity and balance in order to calculate a gut score. The report also provides information on the bacteria, fungi, archaea and viruses detected. The test compares your chronological age with the age estimated from your microbial profile.
The Starter kit also examines the relationship between the gut and the brain, in particular the ability of certain bacteria to produce GABA, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating nerve activity. It measures your microbiome’s ability to metabolise gluten, lactose and various fibres, and to produce certain vitamins.
The Vivabioma Advanced kit for an in-depth analysis of your microbiome
The Vivabioma Advanced kit includes all the analyses of the Starter package and adds around ten additional reports, for a total of more than 45. With this kit, Vivabioma analyses in particular:
- Hormonal health: study of the estrobolome and of beta-glucuronidase activity
- The mouth-gut connection: detection of any oral bacteria present in the gut microbiome.
- Gut condition: analysis of certain markers associated with inflammation, intestinal permeability, SIBO risk and histamine intolerance.
- Indicators linked to cardiovascular and liver health
Compared with the Starter, the Advanced kit offers a more detailed level of microbiome analysis. It may be of greater interest to people who want to explore their microbiome more broadly.
The Vivabioma Ultra kit for a complete analysis with personalised AI recommendations
Vivabioma Ultra includes the analyses of the Starter and Advanced kits and offers more than 50 personalised reports on the microbiome. This package adds an analysis of the resistome, in other words the genes associated with antibiotic resistance. It also includes an estimate of the relative risk of certain conditions based on your microbial profile.
Its main strength is the integration of artificial intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms. The microbial profile is compared with data from clinical cohorts in order to estimate an association between your microbial profile and certain conditions such as type 2 diabetes, Crohn’s disease or obesity. Vivabioma also uses these analyses to generate personalised superfood and probiotic recommendations, based on the characteristics of your microbiome.
For our test, we chose the Ultra package, the most complete in the range. That said, there is no need to provide a new sample if you want to move from the Starter or the Advanced to the higher package. If your sample is less than three months old, Vivabioma is able to use it to give you access to the additional analyses of the new package.
The analysis process, from sample collection to receiving the results
Ordering the test kit online
We were able to buy the Ultra kit directly from the laboratory’s official website and received it at home with the equipment needed for sample collection. Delivery is also available to several European countries.
The Vivabioma kit we received includes a sterile collection swab, a collection tube containing a stabilising liquid, a stool collection bag and a sealable bag to protect the tube on its way back.
Registering and activating the kit online
Once you have received the kit, go to the “Kit registration” tab to activate it. This step makes sure the sample is correctly linked to your account when the laboratory receives it
Collecting the stool sample
Wash your hands, set up the collection device, then take the sample following the instructions provided. However, avoid collecting the sample just after a course of antibiotics or a bout of acute diarrhoea, so that these situations do not interfere with the interpretation of the results.
Sending the sample to the laboratory
Once your sample is ready, all that is left is to return it to the laboratory in the packaging provided. Return shipping costs are included in the price of the kit.
Receiving the results
Results are available between 4 and 6 weeks after the kit is sent back. In our case, we received our results after 4 weeks in our personal account. The reports gave us detailed information on various aspects of our microbiome and our metabolism.
The results of the Vivabioma microbiota tests
Vivabioma’s analysis results are organised into four main sections covering different aspects of the gut microbiome. The content of the report depends on the package chosen: the Starter gives access to two sections, the Advanced to three and the Ultra to all four.
A report on the diversity and balance of the microbiome
The first section of the report gives a detailed view of the diversity and balance of the gut microbiome. We discovered, presented on a scale of 0 to 100%, an Overall Gut Score of 50%. It corresponds to moderate gut health according to the report’s criteria. We also discovered our bacterial composition, with a detailed breakdown of the main bacterial phyla present in our microbiota.
This section of the report showed us a comparison between our biological age and the age estimated from the maturity of our microbial profile. It also helped us assess the level of pro-inflammatory bacteria present in our gut flora, which turned out to be relatively low and reassuring.
A report on the indicators linked to your gut health and immunity
This section of the report is reserved for people who have chosen the Advanced and Ultra packages. It goes beyond the simple composition of the microbiome and presents several indicators associated with gut health. In particular, we discovered an estimate of our gut pH, indicators on fungal balance and inflammation markers linked to LPS.
The report also presents oral-intestinal translocation and the level of methane production associated with SIBO risk. It also covers the level of hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) production. Part of the report focuses on an indicator associated with cardiovascular health, in particular TMAO, ethanol load, gut barrier integrity and bile acid metabolism.
A final part is devoted to pathogens, parasites, an indicator associated with histamine metabolism and an analysis of the estrobolome.
A report on the functions and metabolism of your microorganisms
The third part of the analysis report (available with all packages) presents the functions carried out by the microorganisms in the gut. It also details their functional and metabolic capacity. In particular, we discovered our body’s ability to produce butyrate as well as several vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12 and K2).
This part of the report revealed our fermentation balance and our microbiome’s ability to produce GABA and to metabolise tryptophan into indoles. We also discovered indicators linked to cholesterol metabolism, oxalate breakdown and the processing of various foods or fibres, such as gluten, lactose, resistant starch, inulin, pectin, cellulose and GOS.
In addition, the report presents polyphenol metabolism and our microbiome’s ability to take part in the detoxification of certain xenobiotics, in particular drugs, pesticides and heavy metals.
An overview of the resistome and antibiotic resistance genes
Available only with the Ultra package, this section of the report presents an analysis of the general resistome. It is completed by an estimate of the risk of certain conditions such as heart failure, ulcerative colitis or type 2 diabetes.
We also discovered a list of foods recommended to feed protective bacteria and those to avoid. Precision probiotics intended to support the functions our gut ecosystem may need to strengthen are also included.
Vivabioma’s additional services
Vivabioma offers three additional services, billed separately from the test:
- A single consultation with a doctor or nutritionist from the team to help you understand the results
- The pack of 3 consultations for long-term follow-up. This is especially handy if you plan to retake the test after a few months of dietary changes
- A nutritional report designed by a nutritionist and based on your microbial profile
Vivabioma microbiota test price
| Packages | Price |
|---|---|
| Starter | €159.99 |
| Advanced | €179.99 |
| Ultra | €199.99 |
Reliability and accuracy of the Vivabioma microbiota test
In terms of reliability and accuracy, Vivabioma convinced us on several points.
Analyses carried out in certified European laboratories
Stool samples are processed in Europe in laboratories certified to ISO 17025, ISO 13485 and ISO 15189. The brand draws on the expertise of TellmeGen, its parent company, present on the DNA testing market since 2014. Twelve years of practice in genetics is an asset, even though Vivabioma has only just entered the gut microbiome testing sector.
An advanced sequencing technology
Vivabioma uses Shotgun metagenomic sequencing, a more advanced method than 16S sequencing, still widespread among some competitors such as BIOMES or EasyDNA. With this technology, the laboratory carries out up to 80 million reads per sample.
The analysis covers the identification of microorganisms at species level and, in some cases, at strain level. In addition, the raw analysis data can be downloaded in FASTQ format and imported into other interpretation platforms.
You can also pass them on to a doctor or a nutritionist to get personalised support. In our case, our nutritionist used these results to draw up a complete nutritional plan, tailored to our profile.
Security and data protection at Vivabioma
Vivabioma encrypts all health data using the SSL protocol along with physical and technical security measures. The company complies with the GDPR and protects users’ privacy. Only you and the healthcare professionals you choose to link to your account can access your results.
Customer reviews of Vivabioma
Because it has only recently arrived on the market, Vivabioma still has few customer reviews on specialist forums. On Trustpilot, the laboratory has a rating of 3.7/5, based on 9 reviews.
We found no negative reviews or reports of scams among the testimonials we consulted before making our purchase. Users like the depth of the analysis reports and above all the option of having the results interpreted by a doctor.
Our verdict on Vivabioma
Vivabioma can suit people who want to learn about their gut microbiota and get detailed information on its composition and diversity in order to adapt their diet. The test may also be of interest to people with recurring digestive problems who want some explanations, without necessarily looking for a medical diagnosis. On the other hand, it will be less suitable for people expecting a diagnosis or medical treatment based on their results.
In-depth but limited analysis results
We appreciate the level of detail in the results provided by Vivabioma. Few competitors offer such a level of accuracy with their analysis technology. This may also explain the price gap with some tests based on 16S technology. However, we find it a bit of a shame to have to pay extra to access a consultation and a nutritional report when you have not chosen the Ultra package.
AI-generated personalised recommendations to be interpreted with perspective
The AI-generated recommendations make the results easier to use day to day. Even if they seem relevant, these suggestions are not based on an individual diagnosis made by a doctor. They should be seen as avenues for support and not as medical prescriptions.
Results that reflect the state of the microbiome at the time of sampling
The results provided by Vivabioma correspond to the state of the microbiome at the time of sampling. Yet the microbiome naturally changes over time depending on diet, the use of medication, antibiotics or probiotics, physical activity and lifestyle habits.
We appreciate Vivabioma’s ability to incorporate new scientific knowledge and to improve the interpretation of the data already available. To measure how the microbiome changes over time, a new test is needed, which may represent an additional cost for the user.
Your questions, our answers about Vivabioma
Buying a Vivabioma kit (Starter, Advanced or Ultra) is a one-off payment. The price includes the sampling material, return shipping costs and access to the online reports. There is no subscription and no automatic renewal.