kean health frequently asked questions

Backed by science and trusted by experts, we like to think of ourselves as the G.O.A.T. for at-home testing.

For the past 18 years we have worked with the biggest and most trusted brands in healthcare. Now we are bringing our expertise straight to you, in the comfort of your own home.

We are fun, highly specialized, and passionate about giving you control and clarity for your lifetime journey of continued wellness.

With our advanced genetic analysis technology, you can discover what makes you unique. Our in-depth microbiome tests give one-of-a-kind results with recommendations that can bring about measurable change to your health.

We love to geek out about science, but what we love even more is bringing all the science together and simplifying the results into clear, actionable takeaways for all.

Kean Health is for everyone, but there are a few restrictions.

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase or activate one of our kits. 

Additionally, our pregnant customers are not eligible to take our V+ test. 

Children under the age of 13 are not permitted to use any of our kits at this time.

Kean Gene is a personalized gene test that reveals info about more than 100 different traits related to health, nutrition, appearance, sensitivity, and more!

Kean Gut provides you with a snapshot of your gut microbiome and general recommendations to help you improve your gut health!

Kean Gut+ provides you with personalized insights about the status of your gut microbiome and how to improve your own gut health and overall wellness!

Kean V gives you the basics of your vaginal microbiome, providing key insights into your vaginal health, like Lactobacillus levels and your vaginal type.

Kean V+ includes all the information of

Kean V, plus additional STI and HPV testing.

You can purchase all of our products on our website here.

The information provided by Kean Health is for educational purposes only and applies only to diet and lifestyle recommendations. Therefore our tests do not currently require approval by the FDA. 

Our lab is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).. 

Our tests are not to be used as medical advice, a diagnostic tool, or a treatment plan. We encourage you to see your doctor before you make any changes to your health. See our Terms of Service for further details.

Kean Gene is a personalized gene test that reveals info about more than 100 different traits related to health, nutrition, appearance, sensitivity, and more.

Kean Gut provides you with a snapshot of your gut microbiome and general recommendations to help you improve your gut health.

Kean Gut+ provides you with personalized insights about the status of your gut microbiome and how to improve your own gut health and overall wellness.

Kean V gives you the basics of your vaginal microbiome, providing key insights into your vaginal health, like Lactobacillus levels and your vaginal type.

Kean V+ includes all the information of Kean V, plus additional STI and HPV testing.

A microbiome is usually defined as the sum of the microbes and their genomic elements in a particular environment. The human microbiome in particular — all microorganisms that live in and on us — has an estimated 38 trillion cells. Most are located within our gut, but microbes can be found on our skin, mouth, the genital tracks and more.

Your gut microbiome is an ecosystem of good and bad bacteria living in your belly. It impacts your digestive system and influences your physical and emotional wellbeing.

The vaginal microbiome is the community of microbes that live in the vagina. Research has shown that most often, bacteria known as Lactobacillus dominate this environment. However, research has also found that there are different types of vaginal microbiome, dominated by different types of Lactobacillus, combinations of them, or even other types of bacteria.

Yes, your microbiome can change over time. The microbiome is affected by your age, diet and lifestyle, among many other factors. We recommend retesting periodically to get an update on the health of your gut.

Your gut microbiome is always changing, you can retest as often as you would like using the Gut or Gut+ tests. You can consider testing at least every three months or more frequently after any changes to your medications, diet, or health/illness status.

Testing for HPV is recommended for women over 30 years old. HPV testing can help women prevent or check their potential for developing cervical cancer. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advise that HPV testing should be performed every 5 years at minimum for women over 30 years old. Kean V makes HPV testing easy and convenient so anyone who chooses to check more frequently can do so in the comfort of their own home.

• Kean Health Box
• Activation Guide
• One Biohazard Bag
• A Pre-Labeled Mail Bag
• Gene Kits Include: A Saliva Collection Tube
• Gut Kits Include: A Stool Collection Tube
• V and V+ Kits: A vaginal swab collection tube
• A Fun Sticker Sheet

Easy! Order a kit here.

We accept all major credit cards and other online payment methods.

Unfortunately, our tests are not covered by insurance at this time.

Please refer to the Activation Guide in your kit, then login to your dashboard and follow the instructions to activate.

Your barcode can be found on the side of the collection tube at the short end of the kit box.

Forgot to activate your kit? No worries. Log in to your account and click 'Activate Kit' on the top menu bar. You will need your kit barcode number and the date of sample collection.

For further assistance, please send an email to help@keanhealth.com.

If you need assistance to activate your kit please send us email at help@keanhealth.com.

Sample collection instructions for each kit can be found below:

• Saliva Collection: Do not brush your teeth, eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum for 30 minutes before saliva collection.

1. First, stimulate your salivary glands by rubbing cheeks gently with your fists. When you're ready, scrape the insides of your mouth with your tongue to collect saliva in your cheeks, behind your lips, and along your gums (Collect enough saliva to reach up to the line and exclude bubbles).
2. Next, hold the tube upright and gently unscrew the funnel from the tube to release the saliva to the bottom.
3. Finally, tightly close the tube with the blue cap and shake for 5 seconds to mix saliva and liquid. Place the test tube into the biohazard bag.

• Stool Collection: Please do not make any contact of the swab with anything other than stool during collection.

1. First, make your bowel movement and wipe, getting a good amount of stool on the toilet paper.
2. Next, open the swab by twisting and pull out the cotton swab. Hold the cap and run the swab lightly over the used toilet paper, just enough to color the swab. Flush or dispose of the used toilet paper.
3. Place the swab immediately back into the tube without touching any other surface. Firmly close the tube until you hear it click.
4. Finally, Place the test tube into the biohazard bag.

• Vaginal Collection: First, wash your hands. Then, grip firmly and twist the red cap to open the swab just before use. Be careful not to touch the swab above the break point, and do not touch any surfaces with the swab tip. Squat slightly and insert the swab 1-2 inches (3-5 cm) into the vagina. Move the swab in full circles along the vaginal walls for 20 seconds. Ensure the sample is collected on all sides of the swab. Place the swab immediately back into the tube without touching any other surface. Push the red cap until it is firmly in place.

We recommend taking your stool sample during morning hours if possible. 

Ideally, your diet and lifestyle routine should be consistent for at least 2 weeks prior to sampling. However, if you are interested in taking a sample immediately or after a diet or lifestyle change, you are free to do so. 

For your saliva sample, we only recommend that you do not brush your teeth, eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum for 30 minutes before sample collection.

For your vaginal sample, we only recommend that you avoid sampling during the following to achieve the best representation of your vaginal microbiome:

• If you’re currently on your period
• If you’ve had sex in the last 24 hours
• If you’re currently on antibiotics
• If you’ve used vaginally inserted creams, gels, etc. in the last 24 hours

Before returning the sample, please first activate your kit at keanhealth.com. Place the biohazard bag with your sample in the white box. Place the box in the pre-labeled mail bag and seal it closed. Return the mail bag to any USPS mailbox or post office within 48 hours.

After sample collection, please send your sample back to us as soon as possible. We encourage you to ship your sample within 48 hours from collection time. Although our collection tubes are designed to preserve your sample, sometimes long delays can alter the sample composition and affect your results.

We only ship within the USA and do not currently offer international shipping.

You can ship your kit back to us by placing the biohazard bag with your sample in the white box. Place the box in the prelabeled mail bag and return it to your local USPS mailbox or post office.

We will update you via email every step of the way, but you can also check on your order status by contacting help@keanhealth.com

Unfortunately, no. We can only ship to a residential address. 

Refunds will only be offered for unopened kits sealed in the original packaging and have not yet been activated online. Please contact Customer Support at help@keanhealth.com to submit refund requests. Refund requests will be handled according to the date of request and date of purchase:

• Refund requests submitted within 24 hours of purchase will be offered a full refund (including shipping costs and taxes).
• Refund requests submitted after 24 hours but within 14 days of purchase will be offered a partial refund (purchase price excluding $30 shipping & processing fee).
• Any refund request submitted after 14 days of purchase will not be processed.

Unfortunately, we do not offer order cancellation. Please see our Terms of Service for your refund options.

To chat with our team after an order has been placed, please send us an email at help@keanhealth.com.

Yes, please take note of the expiration date on the collection tube above your unique barcode. 

Your kit must be activated before the expiration date on the tube or else you will not receive your results. 

For questions or concerns contact Customer Support at help@keanhealth.com

Kean Gene offers a comprehensive gene traits analysis. By providing a simple saliva sample, we use advanced next-generation sequencing to give you a result report detailing what makes you truly unique. With 100 different topics related to your health, nutrition, appearance, sensitivity, and much more!

Kean Gut provides a snapshot of your gut microbiome. Your summary result report will give you a high-level overview of the status of your gut and general recommendations for a healthier gut.

Kean Gut+ a comprehensive gut microbiome analysis using advanced whole metagenomic sequencing. Our in-depth result report will help you gain personalized and valuable insights into the status of your gut health.

Kean V gives you the basics of your vaginal microbiome, providing key insights into your vaginal health, like Lactobacillus levels and your vaginal type.

Kean V+ includes all the information of Kean V, plus additional STI and HPV testing.

You will receive an email alert when your report is ready.

Login to your dashboard at keanhealth.com to view your personalized result reports. 

This is why it’s important to stop guessing and start testing. 

Your gut microbiome is continuously affected by factors including your diet, lifestyle, medication, health status, and many more. If you consider your results to be inaccurate, please chat with us or contact us at help@keanhealth.com.

You can expect your results to be ready within a few weeks after your sample arrives at our lab. Usually, our tests take up to 4 weeks to have results.

Yes, antibiotic treatments have been shown to cause changes to the gut microbiome. To better reflect your normal gut microbiome, it is highly recommended that you allow your microbiome to re-establish itself. Studies have shown that the majority of bacteria will recover after a 1-2 months period after treatment. This does not mean that you cannot use our test. However, you should be aware that your results may differ when you are on antibiotics. 

We recommend you to always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medication. We do not recommend you discontinue any medications.

If probiotics use is typical for you, then there is no need to change your intake habit. If you are going to start taking probiotics and want to see any changes or how probiotics can affect your gut microbiome, we encourage you to take a sample before and after you start your run of probiotics. Otherwise, we recommend that you stop taking them at least one week before sampling your stool. 

If probiotics are part of your medication, we do not recommend that you discontinue your medications. We recommend that you always consult your healthcare provider before making any changes.

Given that most medications can alter or change your gut microbiome, we suggest maintaining your normal daily habits for 2 weeks before sampling or waiting until after your treatment run has completed before collecting your sample. However, if you regularly use medications, their effect will form a part of your 'normal' microbiome so there is no need to stop taking them. 

Keep in mind that the test should not be taken during treatment. Although, be aware that your gut microbiome may differ. You can try to compare your results before and after treatment. 

We recommend you always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medication. We do not recommend you discontinue any medications.

Yes, research has shown that these procedures affect your gut microbiome composition, altering some species above others. We recommend you to wait at least two weeks before collecting your stool sample after one of these procedures.

No, but to avoid any contamination of your stool samples, we suggest that you collect your sample after your menstrual cycle is completed.

We suggest that you collect your sample after your menstrual cycle is completed, to avoid blood interference with our analysis.

Need some additional help? Please send us an email at help@keanhealth.com.

Click the login button in the top right corner. There you will be able to follow the steps to create your Kean Health account.

You can request to reset your password by clicking 'Forgot Password' on the Sign In page.

Then, a reset email will be sent to your email that was used to create your account.

To close your account please send us an email at help@keanhealth.com and we will process your request within 30 business days.

No worries. We will do our best to help you out. Please send us an email at help@keanhealth.com.

Uh oh! If you believe you accidentally used the wrong kit, please send us an email at help@keanhealth.com.

Our tests are meant to be used with human samples only.

Kean Health uses your personal information to fulfill our services. We may use the information after de-identification to improve our services, to perform internal quality control, and related internal development to improve our services and offerings. 

For more information please see our Privacy Policy.

We consider the following to be your personal information: Account, Profile (your name, birthday, address, etc.), your results, credit card information, and any information that can identify you. 

For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

At Kean Health, we like to say “Privacy is in our DNA.” We protect your personal information from unauthorized access by taking physical and technological measures to safely store your data in accordance with the law. It is also your responsibility to protect your personal information by safekeeping your password and login information used to access our website. Do not disclose your personal information to unknown third parties. Please contact us immediately if you experience any unauthorized use of your account. 

We encourage you to read our Privacy Policy for details on our security practices and procedures.

We will not share your personal identifiable information without your expressed consent. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for more information.

Wish your friends & family well by sending them a Kean Health gift card or Kean Health kit.  Don't forget to tell them to activate the kit with their email address and info so we get the report to the right person. 

We love to partner with like-minded brands & people.  Check out our influencer page and send us a note!  https://keanhealth.grin.live/influencer

Interested in a career at Kean Health? We would be lucky to have you! Send us your resume at hello@keanhealth.com.