In the complex landscape of human health, the microbiome-the community of bacteria and fungi living on and in our bodies—plays an important role as an indicator of overall well-being. To help businesses leverage this critical health aspect, we introduce the Microbiome Score, a powerful tool designed to provide clear insights into the microbiome’s state, supporting product claims, development, and marketing strategies. This composite grade score reflects the influence of all bacterial and fungal species on specific areas such as the skin, scalp, oral, and vulva microbiome.
What is the Microbiome Score?
The Microbiome Score is a comprehensive metric that grades the state of the microbiome from A to E across key areas such as skin, scalp, oral, and vulva. This score helps businesses understand the balance of beneficial and harmful microbes in these areas, providing research-backed data for product claims and development.
How Does the Microbiome Score Work?
Our scoring system analyzes the microbiome in two main categories: bacteria and fungi. Using advanced sequencing techniques, we assign a score between -2 and +2 to each species based on their impact on health. These values are determined by their known effects—whether they are beneficial or potentially disruptive—on the targeted area. This assessment is grounded in the latest scientific research and the proprietary insights of HelloBiome’s AI platform, which aggregates data from an extensive internal consortium.
The overall microbiome score reflects the balance between harmful and beneficial bacteria, which is then converted into a letter grade. The compound microbiome score is represented on a scale from A to E with the corresponding interpretation:
A: Well Balanced: has many good beneficial bacteria that are known to have a positive effect on the health with no specific skin issues.
B: Balanced: Has many “good” and “beneficial” bacteria that are commensal to the healthy state of the specific area but still has minor problematic skin issues.
C: Neutral: has many unknown bacteria
D: Unbalanced: has some bad to disruptive bacteria that may potentially cause dysbiosis or “imbalance” of the microbiome with problematic issues.
E: Very Unbalanced: has too many “disruptive” and “bad” species that cause the unbalance of the microbiome for that specific area, especially an overgrowth of a certain pathogen that is known to be correlated to specific conditions that are related to major problematic skin issues.
Why the Microbiome Score Matters
Maintaining a healthy microbiome is essential for overall well-being, and the Microbiome Score is a critical tool for businesses aiming to leverage this aspect of health.
It is more than just a grade; it’s a comprehensive insight into the overall state of an individual’s microbiome. By providing a clear, easy-to-understand grading system, businesses can substantiate claims with scientific evidence, improve product formulations with targeted insights, and boost marketing credibility, differentiating their products in a competitive market.
Insights from HelloBiome’s Partnership
In a recent blog post, OneSkin discussed a study by HelloBiome using the microbiome score, highlighting how easily the results can be visualized.
For the full review and to learn more about how OneSkin has leveraged our expertise, visit their blog.
Partner with HelloBiome today to unlock the potential of microbiome insights for your business! You can find out more by contacting us at [email protected].