At Priority Physicians, one of our goals is to help patients move beyond reactive healthcare and toward a more proactive, personalized approach to longevity and wellness. While our standard membership has always focused on longevity, PRIORITY PLUS has additional offerings patients can consider and discuss with their physician. In addition to VO2 testing and movement analysis, we are excited to begin offering advanced gut microbiome testing through Jona Health Services.
What is the Gut Microbiome, and why does it matter?
Inside the digestive tract lives a vast ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microorganisms collectively known as the gut microbiome. While that may sound concerning at first, many of these organisms play essential roles in maintaining health.
Research continues to show that the microbiome may influence:
- Digestion and nutrient absorption
- Metabolism and weight regulation
- Immune system function
- Inflammation
- Cardiovascular health
- Mood and brain health
- Sleep and energy levels
In many ways, the microbiome acts like an additional organ system — one that is highly dynamic and influenced by diet, stress, exercise, sleep, medications, and environmental exposures.
Why Test the Microbiome?
Traditional medical testing often looks for disease after symptoms develop. Microbiome analysis offers a different perspective by helping us better understand patterns within the gut ecosystem that may be associated with future health risks or opportunities for optimization.
Jona’s testing platform uses advanced sequencing and artificial intelligence to analyze the composition of your gut microbiome and compare it against large datasets from published medical research.
The result is a personalized report that may provide insight into areas such as:
- Gut health and digestive balance
- Inflammatory patterns
- Metabolic health
- Cardiovascular risk factors
- Nutritional considerations
- Lifestyle opportunities to support healthier microbial diversity
Importantly, microbiome testing is not intended to diagnose disease or replace traditional medical care. Instead, it serves as another data point to help guide more individualized conversations around nutrition, exercise, recovery, and preventive health strategies. We encourage patients to view microbiome testing as an informational and exploratory tool rather than a diagnostic test.
What Does the Process Involve?
The testing process is straightforward and completed from home using a simple collection kit. Once the sample is analyzed, we will review the results together and discuss how they fit into your broader health goals. Jona can even make a “digital twin” of your personalized microbiome data. This allows us to simulate how specific lifestyle and dietary changes, foods, or nutrients might affect your gut before you commit to trying them. For some patients, this may reinforce healthy habits already in place. For others, it may help identify areas where targeted lifestyle changes could improve long-term wellness.
A Personalized Approach to Longevity
Longevity medicine is evolving rapidly. Rather than relying solely on generalized recommendations, at Priority Physicians, we increasingly explore and adopt tools that allow us to better understand how patients may respond to lifestyle, environment, and aging. Microbiome testing can help us shift toward more personalized, preventive care.
We are excited to make this option available to patients interested in gaining deeper insight into their health and exploring ways to optimize wellness over time. If you would like to learn more about Jona’s microbiome testing or whether it may be appropriate for you, please contact your assigned physician. The cost of testing is currently $485.00.
References and Further Reading
- Human Microbiome Project Consortium. Nature (2012)
- Qin et al. Metagenomic sequencing of the human gut microbiome. Nature (2010)
- Turnbaugh et al. The human microbiome project. Nature (2007–2009 series)
- American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Clinical Practice Updates on the microbiome (various statements, 2019–2023)
- NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK): Gut microbiome overview
