JUNO BIO - Your vaginal microbiome is a big deal
Did you know you could test your vaginal microbiome? We did not until we met the founder of JUNO BIO on a talk about women’s longevity. They are a women’s health company we’re obsessed with right now; they offer vaginal microbiome screening kits with accuracy unlike any other product on the market.
We are finishing our Microbiome focus with a diagnostic test that is particularly important for women’s health.
Remember to check out our five part Microbiome Health Protocol, and our oral microbiome feature with Bristle!
Decoding the Vaginal Microbiome
The term vaginal microbiome might sound scary - at least, it initially did to us - because its importance is often overlooked. The bacteria and yeast can determine the health of the vagina and body as a whole. In fact, over 30 female health conditions can be traced to the presence of certain microbes in their reproductive system.
Unfortunately, this area is heavily under-researched. Hence, the name is scary because none of us have been exposed to the field enough. Luckily, Juno Bio provides the perfect entryway into the space. Let’s dive into how!
Who are they?
Tagline: Your vaginal microbiome is a big deal
Mission: “We’re on a mission to close the gender health gap. Join us as we decode the vaginal microbiome, accelerate category-defining scientific advancements, and revolutionize vaginal care for all people with vaginas.”
Why we think they are a longevity brand: Disruptions to one’s vaginal microbiome can cause recurrent infections and infertility. To live disease-free and maintain your reproductive viability, controlling the populations of harmful and beneficial microbes is vital. Healthspan is the key to living a longer, healthier life - don’t leave your vagina behind. Any innovation that helps address women’s fertility is an important innovation that can help in their overall longevity.
Notable: They were the first company to break into this category.
What do they do?
In a sentence? “Decoding the vaginal microbiome”
Screens your vaginal microbiome: identifies all the bacteria present, produces a personalized report, and offers a 1:1 consultation with an expert
Most comprehensive vaginal microbiome testing kit on the market -> provides a complete bacterial and yeast profile
The vaginal microbiome can provide insights on things like fertility, preterm birth, and 30+ conditions
Focused on uplifting health for all women and people with vaginas
Testing kit process:
Order your test
Collect your sample [via swab and pH reading]
Get your results
Power up discovery [share your data to help support vaginal research]
The science behind their product
Vaginal conditions associated with the vaginal microbiome (ex. Bacterial vaginosis and infertility) are massively under-researched
Vaginal microbiome = community of microbes that lives within the vagina
The vaginal microbiome is significantly implicated in 30+ major female health conditions [this is why screening yours + more research into the field is so important]
In their testing kit, microbial DNA is extracted from your swab. Bioinformatics and machine learning are used to figure out what microbes the DNA belongs to, what they’re known to do, and what that means for you.
Why does this product matters for you?
Important to assess your risk and status of major vaginal complications and conditions
More insight into your body
Support women's health research. All results are anonymized and pooled to contribute to further research for future generations
Proactive management of vaginal wellness is extremely important to manage downstream complications
Plenty of women around the world are experiencing lifestyle and health complications due to their vaginal microbiome but are completely oblivious -> Juno Bio provides the groundwork for managing your microbiome through its unmatched comprehensive screening kit
As of now, testing kits are primarily used for wellness as opposed to diagnosing and treating diseases
Exclusive Insights from the Founder, Hana Janebdar
What differentiates beneficial and harmful vaginal bacteria? What is the role of a healthy vaginal microbiome?
We may often think of bacteria, fungi, and viruses as causes of disease or 'pathogens'. But in the case of your vagina, bacteria make up the bulk of the community and those microbes are there to protect you. In a healthy, balanced vagina, there’s typically a high proportion of Lactobacillus species—organisms with names like Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus iners, Lactobacillus gasseri, and hundreds more. These keep the pH of your vagina relatively low, meaning your vagina is acidic. This acidity provides one of your first lines of defence against invading microbes that could cause infection and inflammation: microbes like Staphylococcus aureus (commonly known as ‘staph’), E. coli, and group B strep. The same goes for fending off bacteria and viruses that can cause sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and more. This first line of defence is instrumental in avoiding downstream complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal factor infertility, preterm birth, and even some gynecological cancers.
How does the vaginal microbiome change with age? Biodiversity? Metabolically?
Studies have shown that the lactobacilli populations are significantly depleted during peri- and menopause. This causes a steep rise in the vaginal pH (as less lactobacilli means less lactic acid production) and can make vaginal infections more likely to occur as it gives a better foothold to opportunistic ‘bad’ bacteria.
The drop in lactobacilli populations is believed to be linked with the drop in estrogen levels. This is because estrogen is important in maintaining glycogen in the vaginal lining, which acts as a food source for the lactobacilli.
What are some signs and symptoms of vaginal dysbiosis?
When a vaginal microbiome starts to go off track, we see fewer Lactobacillus bacteria and more of other kinds of bacteria, species like Prevotella and Gardnerella. This is what’s called dysbiosis: essentially, the community has gotten out of balance.
A dysbiotic vaginal microbiome is often characterized by an increase in the number of species present (that’s called species diversity) and a higher pH, which results in a loss of some of that protective capability. This can mean that other organisms that naturally live in the vagina, like a yeast called Candida albicans, get the opportunity to grow too much. An overgrowth of yeast is what’s behind the itching, burning, and redness of a classic yeast infection (also known as thrush). The same goes for bacterial vaginosis, or BV—it’s the most common vaginal infection for premenopausal people with vaginas, and is caused by an overgrowth of a certain kind of bacteria along with a reduction in lactobacilli. It can cause itching, discharge that isn’t typical for you, and a hallmark fishy smell. The wild thing is, many people can have BV—essentially, a dysbiotic vaginal microbiome—and not have any symptoms.
The vaginal microbiome is implicated in over 30 women’s health conditions, with a range of symptoms. Some of the signs that your vaginal microbiome might be off-balance include abnormal discharge, vulvovaginal pain or discomfort, pelvic pain, itching, and unusual/abnormal odour.
How does your diagnostic test work? What microbes is it measuring? Metabolites? How?
The Juno Bio Vaginal Microbiome test is a simple swab test that you can do at home. The sample is collected by rotating a swab inside the lower vagina (1-2 inches) for 20 seconds. The test is then sent back to our lab for processing.
Our test uses a technique called next-generation sequencing (NGS). It picks up the full vaginal microbiome profile i.e over 10,000 bacteria and yeast known to science and present at a detectable quantity. This is picked up and reported along with its relative abundance. NGS works by identifying microbes based on their genetic material, there are over 10,000 bacterial species that our wellness test can identify.
Once a sample has been processed in the lab, all information is run through our algorithm to deliver personalized and actionable results back to each customer.
Every customer will get a comprehensive breakdown of each bacteria + yeast found in their vaginal microbiome, an overview of what role each of these plays in their vaginal wellness.
Customers also have the opportunity to book a 1:1 with our vaginal coach, who will clearly explain exactly what the test shows and guide you on the next steps, from supplements to further testing and self-advocating with your health care professional.
There’s also an option to share your results and dashboard with your doctor or another provider.
🎯 Comment from Hana on the future of women’s reproductive health
Unlocked by exponential technologies such as AI, Genomics, and Automation in Biology, precision medicine, and longevity science coupled with increasing demand and advocacy from women, are accelerating advances in women’s reproductive health at an unprecedented rate. In the next 5, 10, 20 years, not only will we be treating women’s reproductive health in a highly precise, highly targeted, and even preventative way but we’ll have made a significant leap forward in increasing the window of our reproductive years. We’ll have completely reimagined how we think about reproduction, reproductive health, ageing for women, and our place in the world as champions of a healthier, more equal, and more sustainable world.
Juno Bio Team
You can learn more about the team and their advisors here.
Price Point
Single Test → $149 with Free U.S. Shipping
🚨 MYKIGAI SUBSCRIBER ALERT
Enjoy Juno Bio’s test for only $99 - a discount exclusive to our members. You won’t find this anywhere else. If you’ve got a vagina, it’s imperative you begin taking action on improving its microbial health. Buy yours here.
If you’re interested, here’s where to learn more
The A-Z of the Vaginal Microbiome -> https://www.juno.bio/vaginal-a-z
The Juno Blog -> https://www.juno.bio/blog
Learn more about the microbiome + vaginal health -> https://www.juno.bio/learn