What Is GI MAP Testing — and What Can It Actually Tell You?

Sample GI MAP Test Results

If you've been experiencing chronic digestive symptoms and done any research into functional medicine, you've probably come across the term GI MAP. Maybe your practitioner mentioned it. Maybe you saw it referenced in a health forum or an article about gut health. Either way, you're likely here because you want to understand what it actually is and whether it might apply to what you're going through.

This post explains what GI MAP testing is, how it works, what it measures, and who it's typically most useful for. Not everyone benefits from getting a GI MAP done, so here I will give you a clear explanation of the test and what it can and can't do.

What Is the GI MAP Test?

GI MAP stands for Gastrointestinal Microbial Assay Plus. It is a comprehensive stool test developed by Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory that uses quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology (what a mouthful)— known as qPCR — to identify and measure the DNA of microorganisms living in your gut.

In simple terms, the test takes a stool sample, extracts the genetic material from it, and uses DNA sequencing to identify exactly which bacteria, parasites, fungi, and viruses are present and in what quantities.

This is a

fundamentally different approach to gut testing than traditional stool culture methods, which rely on growing organisms in a laboratory culture medium. Many organisms that live in the gut are difficult or impossible to culture in a lab setting. They either die during transport, fail to grow under standard laboratory conditions, or exist in quantities too low to be detected by a culture. What's cool about qPCR, is that it bypasses all of these limitations by reading DNA directly, so the test detects organisms that standard stool cultures routinely miss.

What Does GI MAP Measure?

The GI MAP analyses over 50 organisms and markers, organized into five biological categories.

Bacterial pathogens 

These organisms are known to directly cause illness, and include bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, C. difficile, and others. These are the organisms a standard stool test is primarily designed to look for in cases of acute infection.

H. pylori with virulence factors 

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that lives in the stomach lining and is one of the most common human infections in the world. What makes the GI MAP distinctive is that it doesn't just detect whether H. pylori is present, it also identifies specific virulence factors, particularly the CagA gene, which determines how pathogenic the particular strain is.

Opportunistic bacteria 

Opportunistic bacteria are organisms that are not inherently pathogenic but can cause problems when they overgrow. This includes Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter freundii, and others. Overgrowth of these organisms is associated with systemic inflammation, autoimmune conditions, digestive dysfunction, and increased intestinal permeability.

Fungi and yeast 

While there are other tests that may be better for testing Candida, thie GI MAP does test multiple species of fungi and yeast, including Candida, Aspergillus, Geotrichum, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Candida overgrowth is frequently implicated in bloating, fatigue, skin conditions, brain fog, and recurrent infections.

Parasites and worms 

Blastocystis hominis, Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolytica, and Dientamoeba fragilis are the most common parasites and worms tested. The GI MAP detects their DNA, which is present even when the organism itself is not being actively shed.

Intestinal health markers 

This category goes beyond organism identification to measure how the gut itself is functioning. Key markers include secretory IgA (gut immune function), zonulin (intestinal permeability), calprotectin (active inflammation), beta-glucuronidase (dysbiosis and oestrogen metabolism), and anti-gliadin IgA (immune reactivity to gluten).

How Is the GI MAP Test Done?

The GI MAP is a home collection test. You receive a kit, collect a stool sample at home, and return it to the laboratory using the provided packaging. There is no dietary restriction required, no bowel preparation, and no clinic visit. Results are typically returned within two to three weeks.

The results themselves consist of a detailed laboratory report showing the quantity of each organism and the level of each health marker, compared against established clinical reference ranges. The raw results require clinical interpretation to be meaningful as the patterns across the whole panel tell the clinical story, and that interpretation is where the real value of the test lies.

Who Is GI MAP Testing Most Useful For?

GI MAPs are most useful for people dealing with chronic, complex, or unexplained symptoms that have not been resolved with general nutritional and lifestyle adjustments. The GI MAP is most useful for folks who have a long list of food sensitivities that have accumulated over time, chronic gut inflammation and pain, chronic gas and bloating, or are just generally suffering from chronic systemic inflammation or fatigue. The patterns most consistently linked to significant GI MAP findings include chronic digestive symptoms (bloating, irregular bowels, gas), IBS or IBD diagnoses, SIBO, skin conditions (eczema, acne, psoriasis, rosacea), brain fog and mood disorders, autoimmune conditions, and recurrent infections or poor immune function.

What GI MAP Testing Is Not

GI MAP is a functional assessment of the gut microbiome but it is not a replacement for structural investigation. A colonoscopy examines the physical structure of the colon — looking for polyps, tumours, ulcerations, and structural damage. GI MAP examines the microbial ecology of the gut. These are different tools measuring different things, and both can be clinically relevant depending on the situation.

Working with GI MAP Results at Rewellness

GI MAP testing is included in the Restore package — which includes two rounds of testing, a 4–6 month customized protocol built from the results, and six follow-up sessions.

If you're wondering whether GI MAP is the right starting point for your situation, book a free 20-minute clarity call. We'll spend time understanding what's been going on and whether GI MAP is the most appropriate test given your specific presentation.

Emily Enright is a Functional Nutrition Practitioner and Certified Personal Trainer based in Nelson, BC. She works with clients locally and remotely across Canada, using functional lab testing including GI MAP, HTMA, and MRT.