How Alba can support you
Personalized support for your child
Alba’s doctors and certified Nutrition and Health Coaches are here to answer all your questions about your child’s gut issues and what you can do to help, based on the test results.
Tailored dietary recommendations
Small changes now can make a big difference in the future. With a diet plan tailored to your child’s gut flora, you can influence their gut health in the right direction, including removing or replacing certain foods.
The science behind Alba
At Alba, science is at the core of everything we do. Our recommendations are based on cutting-edge research in child gut health.
Alba is led by the world’s leading experts in gut health
At Alba, we collaborate with leading pediatricians, gastroenterologists, nutritionists and researchers. Together, they have over 1,600 scientific publications. Alba’s co-founder, Professor Emeritus Willem M. de Vos, is one of the world’s foremost experts in the microbiome field.
Learn more about or scientific advisory board here.
University of Helsinki
We collaborate with HELMi, one of the world's largest studies
The HELMi Cohort, at the University of Helsinki, is a leading research initiative in child health. This groundbreaking study explores the connection between gut health, lifestyle, and overall wellbeing. To date, over 10,000 microbiome samples and 50,000 lifestyle data points have been analyzed.
Learn more about HELMi here.
Uppsala University
COPSAC
University of Antwerpen
We pioneer the largest study on child health in Sweden
The PREVENT Study is conducted in collaboration with Uppsala University, Universiteit Antwerpen, and COPSAC. The study involves over 300 families, providing us with a comprehensive database and valuable insights into how gut health influences children’s wellbeing.
Read more about our study here.
External resources
Learn more about gut health
Many factors are associated to chronic disease
Scientists followed 4000 children for 10 years to understand factors associated to chronic diseases
Gut microbes affect lifelong health
The way the gut microbiome develops in the first 3 years of life shapes metabolism and immunity.
Antibiotics, birth mode and diet change the microbiome
Scientists have identified factors that might alter the gut microbiome composition in the first years of life.
Colic is associated to the gut microbiome
Gut microbes in the first weeks of life might predict and explain whether the child develops colic.
Asthma is associated to the gut microbiome
Scientists show how an immature microbiome at 1 year old is associated to higher risk of asthma.
The gut microbiome is linked to BMI
A study shows that gut microbes in the first two years of life is associated with BMI at age 12.
Probiotics restore the microbiome after C-section and antibiotics
A randomized controlled trial shows its possible to restore the gut after C-section and antibiotics
Mom’s diet shapes the composition of breast milk
Scientists show that what a mother eats affects breast milk, which in turn shapes the baby’s microbiome
FAQ
We are inhabited by 39 trillions of microorganisms that live on our skin, mouth, genitals, respiratory tract and gut. They are bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites and they are essential for our health - in fact, we couldn’t survive without them! The gut microbiome is the collection of all of our microbes in the gut, and their DNA. It has a fundamental role in digestion, immune system health and brain health. Imbalances in the gut microbiome have been associated with most chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, asthma, celiac disease and even cancer.
References: Ghosh, T.S., Shanahan, F. & O’Toole, P.W. The gut microbiome as a modulator of healthy ageing. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol (2022); Vijay, A., Valdes, A.M. Role of the gut microbiome in chronic diseases: a narrative review. Eur J Clin Nutr 76, 489–501 (2022).
From a stool sample, we are able to collect the DNA of all gut microbes. From their DNA we can tell exactly which bacteria are present and what they are doing in your gut. We analyze bacterial DNA only, and we do not analyze your own DNA.
In children, it depends on the age. The baby's microbiome is constantly evolving from birth to adulthood, so monitoring its trajectory and development over time is even more informative than looking at only one snapshot.
From one microbiome test, you will discover:
- Levels of friendly bacteria, promoting healthy development
- Levels of unfriendly bacteria, as some types of bacteria are known to be unfriendly when in large share, being able to cause infections and inhibit friendly bacteria
- Gut microbiome diversity, which is associated to health and wellbeing
- Associations with constipation, from our clinical study in Sweden
- Levels of bacteria promoting immune system development and associated to lower risk of allergy and eczema
- Levels of bacteria promoting metabolic health and associated to healthy weight
- Levels of bacteria promoting brain health and cognition
- Most importantly, you will receive a set of personalized recommendations covering diet, environmental exposure, behavior and probiotic supplements (if needed) reviewed by our medical experts and discussed with you in a 1:1 consultation with a certified Nutrition & Health Coach. You will also receive 3 simple example recipes that promote optimal gut health.
References: Stewart CJ, Ajami NJ, O'Brien JL, Hutchinson DS, Smith DP, Wong MC, Ross MC, Lloyd RE, Doddapaneni H, Metcalf GA, Muzny D, Gibbs RA, Vatanen T, Huttenhower C, Xavier RJ, Rewers M, Hagopian W, Toppari J, Ziegler AG, She JX, Akolkar B, Lernmark A, Hyoty H, Vehik K, Krischer JP, Petrosino JF. Temporal development of the gut microbiome in early childhood from the TEDDY study. Nature (2018);
Alba is for children from 0 to 12 years old. For newborns, the plan includes personalized recommendations for breastfeeding mothers and information on how your baby formula of choice (if any) affects your child's gut health.
With Alba's convenient test kit, collecting the stool sample takes only 2 minutes. You’ll receive everything you need from us to complete the test, and once you're done, simply return it in a prepaid envelope.
You will receive your results within three weeks at the latest after sending the sample to us.
Alba Health is founded on world-leading research in children's gut health. We run Sweden's largest study in this field in collaboration with Uppsala University and based on over 15 years of research by Prof. Willem de Vos, a leading scientist with over 800 publications in this field. We also have a research collaboration with the HELMi cohort at the University of Helsinki, one of the world's largest studies in the area. Our experts in medicine, nutrition, and research have collectively published over 1,600 scientific articles.
Alba Health uses research-grade gut microbiome testing (deep shotgun metagenomics) performed in a certified laboratory. Data is stored according to GDPR and as approved by The Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Etikprovningsmyndigheten).
It depends on your individual situation and your most recent results. We provide personalized recommendations and support, and part of our service is to guide you in making the most informed decision for your family’s health.
Each time you test with us, you’ll receive a personal consultation with a certified nutrition and health coach who will recommend the best path forward.
We ship to all locations specified at the bottom of our webpage, and in the checkout.
Alba Health does not provide medical diagnoses. We offer detailed insights into your child's gut microbiome along with an action plan with strategies to boost their gut health
Your sample data is stored in the European Union according to GDPR
. Your name and address will be separated from the rest of your submitted data, so that it cannot be tracked to you. Your sample data will not be transferred outside of the European Union and is stored securely. Read our
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