Methods for defining and measuring a ‘healthy’ gut microbiome; limitations, challenges, and future prospects

The human gut microbiota mediates immunological, metabolic, and barrier functions, all of which have a significant impact on host health. Due to individual variability, diverse microbial diversity, and methodological variations, it is still difficult to define what makes up a "healthy" gut microbiome. This review highlights the drawbacks and difficulties of current techniques for assessing the health condition of the gut microbiome and characterizing it. In order to enhance microbiome-based diagnoses and treatments, it concludes by examining potential future developments for standardized, integrative, and functionally applicable frameworks.