Phocaeicola vulgatus

Optimal Result: 0 - 830000000 CFU/g stool.

Generally considered a beneficial gut commensal, although is capable of attaching to and invading colonic epithelial cells and inducing pro-inflammatory cytokines.

- Produces beta-glucuronidase, succinate, lactate, acetate, formate, and propionate.

- Associated with insulin resistance.

- Contains bile salt hydrolases to metabolize bile.

- Formerly named Bacteroides vulgatus.

References:

Cuiv PO, Klaassens ES, Durkin AS, et al. Draft genome sequence of Bacteroides vulgatus PC510, a strain isolated from human feces. J Bacteriol. 2011;193(15):4025-4026.

Mroczynska M, Galecka M, Szachta P, Kamoda D, Libudzisz Z, Roszak D. Beta-glucuronidase and Beta-glucosidase activity in stool specimens of children with inflammatory bowel disease. Pol J Microbiol. 2013;62(3):319-325.

Lück R, Deppenmeier U. Genetic tools for the redirection of the central carbon flow towards the production of lactate in the human gut bacterium Phocaeicola (Bacteroides) vulgatus. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2022;106(3):1211-1225.

Leite AZ, Rodrigues NC, Gonzaga MI, et al. Detection of Increased Plasma Interleukin-6 Levels and Prevalence of Prevotella copri and Bacteroides vulgatus in the Feces of Type 2 Diabetes Patients. Front Immunol. 2017;8:1107.

Hentges DJ, Maier BR, Burton GC, Flynn MA, Tsutakawa RK. Effect of a high-beef diet on the fecal bacterial flora of humans. Cancer Res. 1977;37(2):568-571.

Nicolucci AC, Hume MP, Martinez I, Mayengbam S, Walter J, Reimer RA. Prebiotics Reduce Body Fat and Alter Intestinal Microbiota in Children Who Are Overweight or With Obesity. Gastroenterology. 2017;153(3):711-722.

Dewulf EM, Cani PD, Claus SP, et al. Insight into the prebiotic concept: lessons from an exploratory, double blind intervention study with inulin-type fructans in obese women. Gut. 2013;62(8):1112-1121.

What does it mean if your Phocaeicola vulgatus result is too high?

If your GI test shows elevated levels of Phocaeicola vulgatus, it may indicate an imbalance in your gut microbiome. Phocaeicola vulgatus is a type of bacterium normally present in the human gut, but elevated levels can sometimes be associated with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or other gastrointestinal disorders. An imbalance, or dysbiosis, can disrupt the normal function of your gut, leading to symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation.

Treatment options to address elevated levels of Phocaeicola vulgatus and restore gut balance include:

  1. Probiotics: Taking probiotic supplements can help introduce beneficial bacteria to your gut, potentially restoring a healthier balance of microorganisms.

  2. Prebiotics: These are non-digestible fibers that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Foods rich in prebiotics, like garlic, onions, bananas, and whole grains, can support this process.

  3. Dietary Changes: Adjusting your diet to reduce the intake of foods that may contribute to dysbiosis can be helpful. This might include reducing processed foods, sugars, and certain fats, and increasing the intake of fiber-rich foods, fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods.

  4. Antibiotics: In some cases, a healthcare provider might prescribe antibiotics to reduce harmful bacterial overgrowth. However, this is typically a last resort as antibiotics can also affect beneficial bacteria.

  5. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT): For severe cases, FMT may be considered. This involves transplanting stool from a healthy donor to restore a balanced gut microbiome.

  6. Lifestyle Changes: Stress management, regular physical activity, and adequate sleep can also contribute to a healthier gut microbiome.

It's important to work closely with your healthcare provider to develop a personalized treatment plan. They may recommend specific tests, dietary adjustments, or other interventions based on your individual health needs and the underlying cause of the imbalance. If you have any questions or concerns about your test results or treatment options, please don't hesitate to discuss them with your healthcare provider.

--------------------------

A high beef diet was associated with increases in Bacteroides fragilis, B. vulgatus and Clostridium spp. in 10 volunteers.

What does it mean if your Phocaeicola vulgatus result is too low?

Decreased levels were found in 7-12- year olds who consumed oligofructoseenriched inulin (BENEO's prebiotic fiber Synergy1) for 16 weeks in a double-blind-controlled trial.

Dietary inulin-type fructan prebiotics decreased Bacteroides vulgatus in obese women which positively correlated with changes in body composition and glucose homeostasis.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.

Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.

With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.

For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.

It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.

If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.

There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."

Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.

For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.

We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.

Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.

Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.

For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.

Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.

Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.

The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.

For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.

Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.

You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.

Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.

Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.

We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.

1. Graph View:

Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.

2. All Tests View

Explore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.

3. Table View:

For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.

Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.

Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.

Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.

Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.

A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.

The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.


We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.