Medical Director
Senior Consultant, General & Colorectal Surgeon
MBBS (Singapore), MRCS (Edinburgh), MMed (Surgery), FRCS (Edinburgh)
Understanding Your Gut Microbiome, Food Sensitivities and Healthy Ageing
Your digestive tract is home to trillions of microorganisms that make up the gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem involved in digestion, metabolism, immune function and the production of certain vitamins and metabolites. Your gut health and microbiome can be influenced by factors such as diet, lifestyle, age, medications and existing health conditions.
Gut health is increasingly recognised as an important part of healthy ageing. A diverse and resilient gut microbiome may support better metabolic health, immune regulation and healthy ageing. However, microbiome science is still evolving, and no single microbiome test can predict longevity or diagnose complex diseases.
Understanding your gut health can provide insights into your digestive well-being and help guide personalised dietary and lifestyle recommendations.
How Does the Gut Influence Healthy Ageing?
The gut microbiome is involved in several biological processes that are being studied in relation to healthy ageing.
Gut Microbiome Function
How It May Support Healthy Ageing
Short-Chain Fatty Acids
When beneficial gut bacteria ferment dietary fibre, they produce short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. These metabolites help support the intestinal lining and may influence inflammation, metabolism and immune function.
Immune Regulation
The gut microbiome interacts closely with the immune system. A healthy intestinal environment may help regulate inflammation and support appropriate immune responses.
Metabolic and Gut-Brain Health
The microbiome is involved in metabolic pathways, including bile-acid and energy metabolism, and communicates with the brain through the gut-brain axis. These relationships are an active area of research in healthy ageing.
Supporting a Healthier Gut
Many of the measures that support digestive and overall health are straightforward lifestyle habits. These may include:
- Eating a diverse, fibre-rich diet containing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds
- Exercising regularly, including aerobic and resistance training
- Minimising highly processed foods and excessive alcohol
- Getting sufficient sleep and managing stress as part of an overall healthy lifestyle
- Including fermented foods, such as live-culture yoghurt, kefir or kimchi, if well tolerated
- Maintaining a healthy weight and staying adequately hydrated
- Avoiding unnecessary antibiotics and medications that may affect the gut
The aim is not to create a "perfect" microbiome, but to support a diverse, resilient and functional gut ecosystem.
Who Should Consider a Gut Health Assessment?
A gut health assessment can provide personalised insights into your digestive health, gut microbiome, diet and lifestyle, helping to identify areas that may be addressed to support your overall well-being.
- Want to better understand your gut and digestive health
- Experience constipation or diarrhoea
- Experience digestive discomfort after eating certain foods
- Are taking a more proactive approach to your long-term health
- Experience bloating or excessive gas
- Notice changes in your bowel habits
- Want personalised dietary and lifestyle recommendations
Gut-health testing does not provide a complete diagnosis on its own. Your results are most useful when considered together with your symptoms, diet, medical history and overall health.
Take a Proactive Approach to Your Gut Health
Contact us at 6518 4688 or WhatsApp us for a personalised consultation today.
Food Sensitivity and Digestive Symptoms
Bloating, abdominal discomfort, gas, diarrhoea and changes in bowel habits are often attributed to 'food sensitivity'. However, these symptoms can have many causes. Food intolerance is different from a true food allergy. For example, lactose intolerance occurs when the body has difficulty digesting lactose, whereas a food allergy involves an immune reaction and can potentially be serious.
- Bloating and excessive gas
- Abdominal cramps or discomfort
- Diarrhoea or loose stools
- Nausea
- Headaches or fatigue in some individuals
Possible contributors include lactose or other carbohydrate malabsorption, certain food components, medications, gastrointestinal disorders and changes in gut function.
Finding the Cause of Food-Related Symptoms
Food sensitivities may develop gradually or seem to appear suddenly. They often occur when changes in gut health, stress, ageing or digestive enzyme activity reduce the body's ability to tolerate certain foods. In many cases, symptoms emerge after the gut has reached a tipping point, even if the underlying changes have been building over time.
Potential Contributor
How It May Affect Food Tolerance
Enzyme Deficiency
Some people lack enough of the enzymes needed to break down specific food components, such as lactase for digesting lactose in dairy products.
Natural Food Chemicals
Certain naturally occurring substances, such as caffeine, histamine or salicylates, can trigger symptoms in sensitive individuals.
Food Additives
Preservatives, artificial sweeteners, sulphites or other additives may cause digestive symptoms in some people.
Evaluation of Food-Related Symptoms
Before diagnosing food sensitivity, it is important to first exclude organic causes of symptoms. These may include ulcers, inflammation and more serious conditions such as cancers of the stomach, colon, pancreas or other solid organs. Appropriate investigations may be recommended based on the patient's symptoms, risk factors and clinical assessment.
Once these causes have been reasonably excluded, a food-sensitivity blood test may be considered. If foods with high sensitivity markers are identified, management may include:
Management Approach
What It Involves
Elimination Diet
Temporarily remove suspected trigger foods for several weeks to months to allow symptoms to settle and the gut to recover.
Gradual Reintroduction
Reintroduce foods slowly and in small amounts to assess the current level of tolerance.
Gut-Health Support
Support the gut microbiome through a varied, plant-rich diet with adequate fibre, alongside lifestyle measures such as hydration, regular exercise and stress management.
Find Out What May Be Behind Your Digestive Symptoms
Contact us at 6518 4688 or WhatsApp us for a personalised consultation today.
Gut Microbiome Testing
The gut microbiome is the community of bacteria and other microorganisms living throughout the digestive tract. A stool-based microbiome analysis can provide a snapshot of the bacterial composition and diversity of your gut. Modern sequencing techniques can provide information about:
- Microbial diversity and composition
- Microorganisms associated with digestive and metabolic functions
- Relative abundance of different bacterial groups
- Potential areas for dietary and lifestyle optimisation
The test is non-invasive and requires only a small stool sample. However, microbiome testing should be viewed as an additional source of information rather than a standalone diagnostic test. Findings are most useful when considered together with your symptoms, diet, lifestyle, medications, medical history and overall health.
Personalised Gut Health Assessment with AMILI
For microbiome evaluation, we work with AMILI, a Singapore-based precision gut microbiome company focused on Asian populations. AMILI's Gut Health Test uses 16S rRNA gene sequencing to profile gut bacteria and interprets results against an Asia-centric reference database. Its report provides insights across areas including digestion, immunity and metabolism, together with personalised dietary, lifestyle and probiotic recommendations.
- Medical consultation and digital questionnaire
- Collection of a small stool sample at home
- Laboratory microbiome analysis
- Doctor-led interpretation of the results
- Personalised dietary and lifestyle recommendations
AMILI reports that its reference database contains more than 10,000 Asian gut microbiome profiles, providing an Asia-focused benchmark that may be particularly relevant to patients living in Singapore and the region.
What Are the Benefits of a Gut Health Assessment?
A gut health assessment can provide additional insights into your gut microbiome and digestive well-being. When considered alongside your symptoms, diet, lifestyle and medical history, these findings may help guide more personalised recommendations.
- Better understand your gut microbiome: Gain insights into the composition and diversity of bacteria in your gut.
- Gain insights into digestive health: Review microbiome findings across areas including digestion, immunity and metabolism.
- Review your diet and lifestyle: Identify potential areas for dietary and lifestyle optimisation.
- Receive personalised recommendations: Discuss dietary, lifestyle and probiotic recommendations based on your assessment.
Personalised Gut Health and Longevity Assessment at TheSurgeons
Whether you want to better understand your gut microbiome, explore how your diet may relate to your digestive health or take a more proactive approach to healthy ageing, a personalised gut health assessment can provide additional insights. At TheSurgeons, we believe in testing with a purpose. Your symptoms, bowel habits, diet, lifestyle, medications, medical history and colorectal cancer risk are considered before recommending investigations.
Where appropriate, gut microbiome evaluation using AMILI's Gut Health Test may provide additional insights, while food-related symptoms may require a different and more targeted approach. Microbiome testing should complement, not replace, proven colorectal-cancer screening and appropriate medical evaluation.
A healthy gut is not about chasing a perfect bacterial profile. It is about supporting a resilient digestive system through good nutrition, regular exercise, healthy lifestyle habits, appropriate medical assessment and evidence-based prevention. If you have persistent digestive symptoms or would like to understand whether gut microbiome assessment is appropriate for you, contact us at 6518 4688 or WhatsApp us to book a consultation with Dr Chew.
FAQs on Gut Health and Longevity
Is gut health related to longevity?
What can affect my gut microbiome?
Can gut health affect how I feel?
What is the difference between food intolerance and food allergy?
How can I improve my gut health?
What does a gut microbiome test tell me?
Do I need a gut health test if I do not have digestive symptoms?
When should I see a doctor about my gut health?
Our Gut Health Specialist
Dr Chew Min Hoe
Medical Director
Senior Consultant, General & Colorectal Surgeon
MBBS (Singapore), MRCS (Edinburgh), MMed (Surgery), FRCS (Edinburgh)
Dr Chew Min Hoe is a general and colorectal surgeon in Singapore with over 25 years of experience managing a wide range of digestive and colorectal concerns. His experience in gastrointestinal health allows him to assess gut health in the context of each patient’s symptoms, medical history and overall well-being.
With a personalised, doctor-led approach, Dr Chew provides gut health assessments and tailored recommendations to help patients better understand their digestive health, address relevant concerns and support their long-term health and well-being.
Our Motto
Caring Hearts, Educated Minds, Skilled Hands
Orchard
3 Mount Elizabeth #16-09, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre,Singapore 228510
Tel:+65 6518 4688
Fax:+65 6235 0897
Mon-Fri:8:30am - 5:30pm
Sat / PH Eve:8:30am - 12:00 noon
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Farrer Park
1 Farrer Park Station Road Connexion,#08-07 Farrer Park Medical Centre,Singapore 217562
Tel:+65 6518 4868
Fax:+65 6443 6616
Mon-Fri:8:30am - 5:30pm
Sat / PH Eve:8:30am - 12:00 noon
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
