GI-MAP™ Sample Report, Explained

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that colonizes the stomach lining. It is extremely common and often causes no symptoms — but when certain virulence-factor genes (such as CagA and VacA) are present, it is associated with a higher risk of gastritis and ulcers. The GI-MAP™ uses qPCR to both quantify H. pylori and report which virulence factors are present.

Why it matters: the combination of quantity and virulence factors helps your practitioner decide whether — and how — to address it.

These organisms can cause acute or lingering gastrointestinal infections. qPCR detects their DNA (and, for C. difficile, its toxin genes). A positive result is clinically significant.

Why it matters: a detected enteric pathogen should be reviewed promptly with your practitioner or physician.

The GI-MAP™ screens for protozoa and parasites. Some (like Giardia and Cryptosporidium) are clear pathogens; others (like Blastocystis hominis) are common and their significance depends on your symptoms and overall picture.

Why it matters: quantitative detection lets a practitioner weigh significance rather than guess.

Viral causes of gastroenteritis are screened so they can be ruled in or out as a driver of acute digestive symptoms.

Akkermansia helps maintain the protective mucus layer that lines the gut and is associated with metabolic health. A low level is one signal a practitioner uses when assessing gut-barrier support.

Why it matters: low keystone species can point toward dysbiosis that diet and targeted support may help rebuild.

One of the gut's most important butyrate producers. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that fuels colon cells and has anti-inflammatory effects. Low levels may mean reduced short-chain-fatty-acid production.

Familiar beneficial genera that support digestion and help keep opportunists in check. Seeing them in a healthy range is reassuring.

Methane-producing archaea. When elevated, they are often discussed in the context of constipation-predominant symptoms and methane-related SIBO/IMO.

Why it matters: an elevated result is a clue your practitioner correlates with bowel-habit symptoms.

These opportunists are normal in small numbers. They can contribute to symptoms when they overgrow — which often happens when beneficial bacteria are low.

Candida is a common yeast that lives in the gut. The GI-MAP™ quantifies it by qPCR, so a practitioner can judge whether the amount present — alongside your symptoms — suggests overgrowth worth addressing.

Calprotectin is a protein released by neutrophils (immune cells) in the gut and is a widely used marker of intestinal inflammation. Clinically it helps distinguish inflammatory from functional conditions and is used to monitor inflammatory bowel disease.

Why it matters: an elevated calprotectin warrants clinical correlation with your practitioner or physician — it is a signal, not a diagnosis.

sIgA is the gut's first-line mucosal antibody. A high value can reflect an active immune response in the gut, while a low value can reflect reduced mucosal defense.

Elastase-1 reflects how much digestive enzyme your pancreas is producing. A low value can suggest reduced enzyme output that may affect how well food is broken down.

A bacterial enzyme that influences detoxification and the recirculation of estrogens. Elevated activity is something practitioners consider in hormone- and detox-related discussions.

Zonulin regulates the tight junctions between intestinal cells, so it is used as a marker of intestinal permeability ("leaky gut"). It is included on the GI-MAP™ + Zonulin panel rather than the standard panel.

Why it matters: if gut-barrier integrity is a priority for you, choose the + Zonulin add-on when ordering.

Detects blood that isn't visible in the stool. A positive result always needs evaluation by a medical provider.