“Everyone has a microbiome, so why is it a femtech topic?”

Many conditions and symptoms linked to the microbiome are still overlooked within the traditional medical journey. Emilie Maret, co-founder of The Serious Gut, tells us everything you need to know.

Before starting my company The Serious Gut, I knew nothing about gut health, or the role bacteria play in our everyday lives. 

I first encountered the term “microbiome” after quitting my former job, while in dire need to reconnect with the essentials. Little did I realise I was about to discover that an entire unexplored world of bacteria lived on my skin and inside me. I’m pretty sure it changed the course of my life, for good. 

A few years later, I’m convinced we should all know about the microbiome, but that it’s also specifically interesting for women.

WHAT IS THE MICROBIOME – A REFRESHER

The human body, just like the planet, has its own biodiversity. It is populated by these living beings, comparable to the fauna and flora that surround us.

A microbiome is simply a set of microorganisms – bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi – that live in a specific environment.

All these little creatures are useful. An increasing body of scientific work is demonstrating the role they play in the proper functioning of your digestive system, your metabolism, your immune system and neurological health.

WHY SHOULD WE ALL KNOW ABOUT OUR GUTS ?

Many conditions and symptoms linked to the microbiome are still overlooked within the traditional medical journey.

The microbiome represents a massive opportunity for self and preventive care, through dietary, probiotic and lifestyle changes. These strategies can help manage symptoms, in a way that is both natural and based on science – a rare and precious combination.

EVERYONE HAS A MICROBIOME ISSUE, SO WHY IS IT A FEMTECH TOPIC ?

A lot of people are confused when I claim the microbiome is a femtech issue. 

“Doesn’t everyone have a microbiome?” “Men also have digestive issues”.

Yes, of course. However, both physiological and social structures lead to major differences in the “microbiome journey” you have as a man than a woman. 

1/ PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES

Physiological differences between genders are real. The best reference to deep dive into these issues is the recent book What every woman needs to know about her gut by Barbara Ryan and Elaine McGowan. 

They report, for example, that bloating is more common in women. In fact, seven out of ten people with irritable bowel syndrome (a chronic digestive condition affecting up to 15 per cent of the population) are women.

Menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause also have incidences on the frequency and nature of microbiome-related symptoms. 

2/ SOCIETAL FACTORS 

Other factors are at play, and linked to larger behavioural trends. In that way, the microbiome is directly linked to women’s empowerment.

• There is an underlying – and problematic- notion that it’s “normal” to some degree to for women to have stomach pain. This can lead to under diagnosis, and lessened attention to lifestyle improvement.
• A different sense of responsibility: infants acquire their microbiome during the birthing process. Through their microbiomes, mother’s lifestyle choices have potential long-term impact on children, including allergies, eczema, coeliac or obesity.
• The consequences of taboo: digestion isn’t sexy – even though recent initiatives in the US have started to address these issues, specifically targeted towards a female audience. The Hot Girls have IBS” or “Manchester, how do you poop?” At The Serious Gut, we plan to continue raising awareness.

THE SERIOUS GUT AND WHAT WE DO

Within this booming industry, there is an important role to play for startups in making sure women are properly represented not only vaginal microbiome health (many amazing initiatives like Evvy, Juno.Bio, Luca Biologics), but also in gut microbiome health.

The Serious Gut is developing a science-based microbiome management solution, especially for women. 

Today, it’s very difficult to find the right probiotics to accompany your unique gut journey, especially because women are often not accompanied during this process: lack of quality, scientific backing, and the difficulty of choosing strains that match your symptoms.

That’s why we develop personalised probiotic recommendations. We focus on the understanding the entire value chain, to get the right probiotic to you.

Additionally, as a company, we are creating novel datasets can help unlock scientific milestones (like new biomarkers).

In order to do this, we are collaborating with research organisations and laboratories like Eurofins Genomics and Probiotical, as well as scientists, bioinformaticians, doctors and patients. 

It’s very hard to get to know the state of your gut, aside from interpreting symptoms (which we all know can be tricky).

That’s why we are working on increasing the usefulness of microbiome testing. Down the line, we hope to become long term data-driven companions for your entire gut journey.

Sophie Aflalo, our chief scientific officer, says: “​​Data driven approaches around probiotics and the microbiome offer a unique opportunity to bridge the “culture gap” between the medical community and so-called lifestyle issues”

Above all, the links between women and the microbiome are an opportunity for awakening new voices and rethinking data and product biases in health and wellbeing.

The first The Serious Gut personalised probiotics and at-home gut microbiome testing kits are now live. Fill out the questionnaire at theseriousgut.com.