Personal
Professional
Research
Personal Professional Research Sign Up Login Pro Login
Research TOTAL BIFIDOBACTERIA
The GI – Advanced Profile (US BioTek) US BioTek

TOTAL BIFIDOBACTERIA

Optimal Result: 5 - 2000 x10^6 CFU/g.

What is Total Bifidobacteria?

Total Bifidobacteria refers to the overall population of beneficial Bifidobacterium species in the gut. These probiotic bacteria play a crucial role in digestive health, immune function, and maintaining a balanced gut microbiome. They help break down dietary fiber, produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate and butyrate, and support the production of essential vitamins such as B vitamins.

Why is This Marker Important?

Bifidobacteria are among the first colonizers of the human gut and are essential for promoting a healthy microbial balance. Low levels of these bacteria have been associated with various gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, inflammation, and even metabolic or immune dysfunction. Conversely, an overgrowth may indicate dysbiosis, which could be triggered by excessive supplementation or imbalanced gut flora.

Causes of Low Bifidobacteria Levels:

  • Antibiotic use – Broad-spectrum antibiotics can significantly reduce bifidobacterial populations.
  • Poor diet – Low fiber intake and excessive processed foods can hinder their growth.
  • Aging – Natural levels decline with age, impacting digestive and immune health.
  • Chronic stress – Psychological and physiological stress can negatively affect gut microbiota.
  • Gut infections or inflammation – Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may reduce bifidobacteria.

Causes of High Bifidobacteria Levels:

  • Excessive probiotic supplementation – Overuse of Bifidobacterium supplements can cause an imbalance.
  • Dietary changes – High intake of prebiotic fibers (e.g., inulin, fructooligosaccharides) can promote overgrowth.
  • Dysbiosis – In some cases, high bifidobacteria levels may indicate microbial imbalances that could contribute to digestive symptoms.

How to Optimize Bifidobacteria Levels:

  • Increase fiber intake – Prebiotic-rich foods like bananas, onions, garlic, and whole grains nourish bifidobacteria.
  • Consume fermented foods – Yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables contain beneficial probiotics.
  • Limit processed foods – Refined sugars and artificial additives can disrupt microbial balance.
  • Consider probiotics – If levels are low, targeted supplementation with Bifidobacterium strains may be beneficial.
  • Manage stress – Mindfulness, exercise, and adequate sleep support gut health.

Conclusion:

Total Bifidobacteria levels on the US BioTek GI Standard test provide insight into overall gut health. Maintaining a balanced bifidobacterial population is key for digestion, immune support, and long-term wellness. If your levels are abnormal, dietary and lifestyle adjustments can help restore a healthy microbiome.

What does it mean if your TOTAL BIFIDOBACTERIA result is too low?

What Does It Mean If Total Bifidobacteria Levels Are Low?

Low Bifidobacterium levels on a US BioTek GI Standard test panel suggest an imbalance in the gut microbiome, which may negatively impact digestion, immunity, and overall health. Bifidobacteria are crucial probiotic bacteria that help maintain a healthy gut environment by producing beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), supporting immune function, and preventing harmful bacteria from overgrowing.

Potential Implications of Low Bifidobacteria:

  1. Weakened Gut Barrier & Increased Inflammation

    • Bifidobacteria help maintain the intestinal lining. A deficiency may contribute to "leaky gut" (intestinal permeability), which allows toxins and undigested food particles to enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation.

  2. Digestive Issues

    • Reduced levels may lead to bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea. These bacteria help ferment dietary fiber, producing SCFAs that nourish the gut lining and support regular bowel movements.

  3. Impaired Immune Function

    • Since about 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, low Bifidobacterium levels may make the body more susceptible to infections, allergies, or autoimmune conditions.

  4. Dysbiosis & Overgrowth of Harmful Bacteria

    • Low Bifidobacteria often indicate gut dysbiosis—an imbalance where harmful bacteria or yeasts (e.g., Clostridium, Klebsiella, Candida) can take over, potentially leading to inflammation or metabolic issues.

  5. Increased Risk of Chronic Conditions

    • Research links low Bifidobacteria to conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), obesity, metabolic syndrome, and mental health disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression) due to the gut-brain connection.

Common Causes of Low Bifidobacteria:

  • Antibiotic Use – Broad-spectrum antibiotics kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria.
  • Poor Diet – Low fiber, high sugar, and processed foods starve beneficial gut bacteria.
  • Chronic Stress – Stress hormones can alter gut microbiota composition.
  • Aging – Bifidobacterium naturally declines with age, affecting digestion and immune balance.
  • Gut Infections or Inflammation – Conditions like IBS, IBD, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can lower beneficial bacteria levels.

How to Increase Bifidobacteria Levels:

  1. Increase Prebiotic-Rich Foods (feed beneficial bacteria)

    • Garlic, onions, leeks, bananas, asparagus, chicory root, whole grains, and legumes.

  2. Consume Fermented & Probiotic Foods

    • Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso contain beneficial probiotics, including Bifidobacterium species.

  3. Consider a Bifidobacterium Probiotic Supplement

    • Look for high-quality probiotics with strains like Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium breve.

  4. Limit Processed Foods & Sugar

    • Excess sugar promotes harmful bacteria growth, outcompeting beneficial strains.

  5. Manage Stress & Improve Sleep

    • Chronic stress and poor sleep negatively impact gut bacteria diversity.

Conclusion

Low total Bifidobacteria levels indicate an imbalance in gut health, potentially leading to digestive issues, weakened immunity, and systemic inflammation. Identifying the root cause and implementing dietary and lifestyle changes can help restore a healthy gut microbiome.

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.

To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.

Yes, you can! Simply go to the "Invite Doctor" section, enter your doctor’s email address, and send the invitation. Your doctor will receive an email with secure access to view your results. You can revoke this access at any time. All shared information is securely encrypted and protected for your privacy.
Yes, you can! Go to the Graph view or Spreadsheet view. In the top-right corner, click "Export to Excel," and the file will be downloaded to your device.

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.

Navigate to The GI – Advanced Profile (US BioTek)

Popular search

a-Transglutaminase IgA, Acetate, Actinobacteria Phylum, Adenovirus 40/41, Aeromonas hydrophila, Akkermansia muciniphila, Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Ancylostoma duodenale, Roundworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, Roundworm, Astrovirus (hAstro), Augmentin, Bacillus species, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroidetes Phylum, Berberine, Beta glucuronidase, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium species, Black Walnut, Blastocystis hominis, Butyrate, C. difficile, Toxin A, C. difficile, Toxin B, Calprotectin, Campylobacter species, Candida albicans, Candida species, Caprylic Acid, Cefazolin, Ciprofloxacin, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter freundii complex, Citrobacter species, Citrus Seed, Clostridium species, Coptis, Cryptosporidium species, Desulfovibrio piger, Dientamoeba fragilis, Endolimax nana, Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica, Enterobacter cloacae complex, Enterobacter ludwigii, Enterobius vermicularis, Pinworm, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecium., Enterococcus species, Enterocytozoon spp, Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, Enteroinvasive E. coli/Shigella, Enterotoxigenic E. coli LT/ST, Erythromycin, Escherichia species, Euryarchaeota Phylum, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Firmicutes Phylum, Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes Ratio, Fusobacterium species, Garlic, Gentamicin, Geotrichum species, Giardia intestinalis, Golden seal, H.pylori Virulence Factor, babA, H.pylori Virulence Factor, cagA, H.pylori Virulence Factor, dupA, H.pylori Virulence Factor, iceA, H.pylori Virulence Factor, oipA, H.pylori Virulence Factor, vacA, H.pylori Virulence Factor, virB, H.pylori Virulence Factor, virD, Helicobacter pylori, Hymenolepis spp, Tapeworm, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella species, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus species, Meropenem, Methanobrevibacter smithii, Morganella species, Mucous, Necator americanus, Hookworm, Norfloxacin, Norovirus GI/II, Occult Blood, Oregano, Oxalobacter formigenes, Pancreatic Elastase, Penicillin, Pentatrichomonas hominis, Prevotella copri, Propionate, Proteobacteria Phylum, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas species, Rhodotorula species, Rotavirus A, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Salmonella species, Sapovirus (I,II,IV,V), Secretory (sIgA), Shiga-like Toxin E. coli stx1, Shiga-like Toxin E. coli stx2, Short Chain Fatty Acids, Beneficial, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus species, Steatocrit, Stool Colour, Stool Form, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus species, Strongyloides spp, Roundworm, Taenia species, Tapeworm, TOTAL BIFIDOBACTERIA, TOTAL LACTOBACILLI, Trichuris trichiura, Whipworm, Trimethoprim/Sulpha, Valerate, Verrucomicrobia Phylum, Vibrio species, Yersinia species, Zonulin