Over 40 Fitness Hacks 570: Brad Williams - A One-Year Gut Test Comparison and What I Learned
A One-Year Gut Test Comparison and What I Learned
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In this episode, Brad Williams shares his personal journey of improving gut health over the last year using two microbiome tests — one from Diagnostic Solutions and the more recent one from Tiny Health.
Last Year’s Issue: Brad was dealing with an H. pylori infection caused by food poisoning. Instead of using antibiotics, he chose a natural healing path using supplements, which successfully eliminated the infection and resolved multiple food allergies (including chicken, egg, beef, shrimp, and gluten). His severe milk protein allergy remained, however.
First Gut Test Insights: The Diagnostic Solutions report showed high levels of two key bacterial phyla — Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. These are essential for digesting protein, carbs, and fiber, but Brad’s high levels indicated dysfunction. Despite using digestive enzymes, he was likely not efficiently digesting protein or fermenting fiber.
Second Gut Test - Tiny Health: A much more comprehensive 29-page report rated his gut at 83 out of 100, showing overall improvement, especially in protein and carb digestion. However, fiber fermentation issues persisted, particularly with Bacteroides-related bacteria. Brad has scheduled a consult with Tiny Health but got early insights using ChatGPT.
Approach & Solutions:
Brad considered both supplemental and food-based protocols.
For a keto-friendly gut repair, he opted for the food route due to the high cost of supplements and only a minor time advantage.
He incorporated specific foods like leeks, asparagus, raw potato starch, green banana flour, and polyphenol-rich foods (berries, dark chocolate, cabbage, green tea).
Due to carb restrictions, he skipped beans/lentils and added a targeted prebiotic supplement (GOS powder) to address his fiber fermentation issue.
Key Takeaway: Brad emphasizes the importance of testing before supplementing — noting that generic probiotics can do more harm than good if not tailored. His results show how food-based interventions, when guided by personalized data, can significantly improve gut health and resolve long-standing food sensitivities.
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