Kit instructions
How to use your stool kit.
Four steps, about ten minutes of your time in total. Follow these to collect and process your sample correctly.
Before you begin
Check your kit has all four parts.
- 1×
Stool collection tube
With an integrated spoon under the screw cap.
- 1×
Stool collection paper
Sits across the toilet seat to catch your sample.
- 1×
Biohazard bag
Holds the sealed tube safely for transport.
- 1×
The original kit box
Keep it. You reuse it to send your sample back.
Important
The tube already contains a stabilizing liquid. Do not pour it out. The collected stool must be added directly into the tube with the liquid inside.
- 1
Register your kit
Each tube has a unique code printed on it. Visit nb1.com and log in to your account, then enter the code in the field provided to link your sample to your account.
Code sample 181723699XXXXLog in to register - 2
Collect your sample
- 2.1 Unfold the stool collection paper and place it securely on your toilet seat, making sure it doesn't touch the water.
- 2.2 Unscrew the cap of the collection tube. You'll find a small spoon attached underneath.
- 2.3 Use the spoon to collect a pea to hazelnut-sized amount of stool from different parts of the sample, not only the surface.
- 2.4 Place the collected material directly into the liquid inside the tube, without overfilling it.
- 2.5 Screw the cap back on tightly and shake the tube gently several times so the sample mixes well with the transport solution.
- Wash
hands - Unfold
paper - Collect
sample - Seal
tube - Shake
gently
- 3
Send your sample
Place the sealed tube into the biohazard bag and ensure it is securely closed. Then return the bag to the original box provided with your kit. If the original box is no longer available, you may use a similar small box to keep the sample safely protected during transport.
UK & Switzerland
Use the prepaid return label
The label is already on the envelope and the address is printed, so just drop it in the mail.
Rest of EU
Book a courier pickup
Log in to your nb1 account, go to your dashboard, and click Order your courier to schedule a pickup.
No rush on the same day
You don't need to ship the same day. Just send your sample within 1 to 3 days of collection. Keep the sealed tube at room temperature (5 to 25°C) until then, or in the fridge if it'll take a little longer.
- 4
Complete your digital questionnaire
Log in to nb1.com and complete your digital questionnaire. Your answers about diet, lifestyle, health habits, and goals become your clinical baseline, the other half of your formula alongside your gut data.
That's it, you're done.
Common questions
Before you collect.
What if the stool catcher tears or breaks?
Don't try to collect the sample without it. Get in touch and we'll send you a replacement free of charge, then you can collect as normal.
Do I need to remember what I've eaten?
Yes, roughly. We ask about the 24 hours before you collect because recent food shapes what we see in your sample. A rough overview is fine, it doesn't need to be meal by meal, and if you really can't remember we'll still make sense of your results.
Can I drink alcohol before collecting?
Yes, that's fine. There's no need to change what you normally drink or eat before collecting. We'd rather read your gut as it usually is than a version of it you've prepared for.
How long can I keep the sample before sending it?
Send it back as soon as you can, ideally the same day you collect. The tube contains a stabilising solution once shaken, so a short delay isn't a problem, but the sooner it reaches the lab the better the reading.
Still stuck?
We'll walk you through any of it.
If anything about your kit is unclear, get in touch and we'll help you get your sample on its way.
More answers in our FAQs.