What Is the Holobiome? Your Whole Gut Ecosystem, Explained
What Is the Holobiome? Your Whole Gut Ecosystem, Explained
You're not just you. You're you plus trillions of microbes working as one living system. That whole system has a name — the holobiome — and understanding it changes how a probiotic should actually work.
See how Flore reads your ecosystem →Most people meet the word "microbiome" first. The holobiome is the bigger, more honest picture: your body and its microbes are not two separate things — they function together as a single ecosystem. Here's what that means, and why it matters for the probiotic you choose.
Holobiome, holobiont, microbiome: untangling the words
These three terms travel together, and the difference is simpler than it sounds.
| Term | What it names |
|---|---|
| Microbiome | The community of microbes living in or on you — and their collective genes. It's the microbial cast, not the whole stage. |
| Holobiont | The host plus all of its microbes, viewed as one biological unit (the organism-level idea: you and your microbes as a single "team"). |
| Holobiome | The whole ecosystem of that holobiont — host and microbes and the way they interact — treated as one integrated system. It's the systems-level view. |
In plain terms: the microbiome is the microbes, the holobiont is you-plus-your-microbes as one organism, and the holobiome is the entire living ecosystem the two of you form together.
Why one-size probiotics miss the holobiome
A standard probiotic drops the same few strains into every gut it meets. But your holobiome is yours: the species present, what's overgrown, what's missing, and how it all interacts is unique to you. Adding a generic blend to a complex, individual ecosystem is a guess — it may help, may do nothing, or may not be what your gut actually needed.
How Flore works at the holobiome level
Flore is built around exactly that question. Instead of selling everyone the same blend, Flore reads your whole gut ecosystem and builds a personalized formula for it.
- Read the whole ecosystem. Your gut microbiome is sequenced by an independent, CLIA/CAP-accredited lab — Flore does not run the test itself — giving a detailed picture of what's actually living in your gut.
- Build a formula for your holobiome. From that data, Flore designs a personalized formula drawing on up to 68 curated strains plus 40+ prebiotics — including psychobiotics, gut-brain strains, when they fit your goals.
- Take it your way. Your formula ships as capsules or powder — never a liquid — as one daily routine.
- Tune over time. Ecosystems shift. Flore is designed to evolve your formula as your gut and your goals change, with optional microbiome coaching along the way.
Flore Inc. acquired Sun Genomics, bringing years of longitudinal, real-world personalized-microbiome data to this approach — so your formula is informed by tens of thousands of others, then made for you.
Meet your holobiome — then feed it what it needs
Your gut ecosystem is one of a kind. Your probiotic can be too. Build a personalized Flore formula from your own gut data.
Start my Flore formula →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the holobiome and the microbiome?
The microbiome is the community of microbes living in or on you, plus their genes. The holobiome is the whole ecosystem that you and those microbes form together — host and microbes and their interactions, treated as one integrated system. The microbiome is the cast; the holobiome is the entire stage.
What is the difference between the holobiome and the holobiont?
A holobiont is the host plus all its microbes viewed as a single biological unit — the organism-level idea. The holobiome is the whole ecosystem of that holobiont, including how the host and microbes interact — the systems-level view. Closely related ideas at different scales.
Can you change your holobiome?
Yes, within limits. Diet, sleep, stress, medications, and targeted probiotics all shift your gut ecosystem over time. Because your holobiome is individual, the most effective changes tend to be the ones matched to your own data — which is exactly how a personalized formula like Flore is built.
Is the holobiome the same as the gut microbiome?
Not quite. The gut microbiome is one part of your holobiome — the microbes in your digestive tract. Your holobiome is broader: it's the whole host-plus-microbe ecosystem viewed as one system. The gut is a central piece of it, which is why personalized gut-microbiome data is such a powerful starting point.
Keep reading: Holobiome alternative: a personalized gut-brain probiotic · Microbiome coaching with Flore
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and Flore is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. "Holobiome" is used here as a scientific concept; Flore is not affiliated with Holobiome, Inc.