One in three people now suffers from allergies. In Sweden, allergy rates have quadrupled since the 1950s, and it's similar in other Western countries. Back in Australia, debilitating hayfever is so prevalent that you can buy antihistamines at supermarkets and 7-11 convenience stores. From childhood, I was taking pills, nasal sprays, injections and later an EpiPen. It's miserable — and expensive.
Over the last decades, scientific research has found a link between allergies and gut health, and one startup is creating an effective means to reduce the problem of allergies.
Alba Health is a Swedish-Danish health startup founded in 2022, specialising in gut microbiome testing and nutrition support for children. Its core product is a non-invasive at-home gut microbiome test designed specifically for children aged 0 to 13, which provides parents with detailed insights into their child's gut health and individualised nutrition plans.
The company's mission is to give every child the healthiest and best start in life by empowering families to build healthier lifestyles and prevent chronic diseases through science-backed approaches centred on the gut microbiome.
I spoke to Nora Cavani, CEO and co-founder of Alba Health.
A life disrupted by eczema — and a turning point
Cavani is originally from Italy. During childhood, she was the kid in the classroom with lots of allergies. "I couldn't even go outside during spring because of pollen," she recalled.
"My mom used to say, "'Maybe one day a scientist will find a cure—and maybe that scientist will be you." That stuck with me."
She studied biotechnology and pharmaceutical engineering in Denmark. After that, she worked in consulting for six years, primarily in healthcare and probiotics, including digital health product development for major health companies. Her background bridges science, data, and business. Then, at 27, Cavanu developed very severe eczema— an inflammatory skin condition which covered her entire body.
She recounts:
"My skin was red, inflamed, bleeding, sometimes infected. I scratched constantly and couldn't sleep. It disrupted my life — I had to step back from my career, it affected my relationships, and I started therapy. The doctors prescribed cortisone, which didn't solve the problem, and can even worsen it."
Ironically, Cavani had worked on eczema research and knew how limited current treatments are. So she took matters into my own hands and began changing my diet and lifestyle systematically.
She's had no flare-ups for two years — no medications, no symptoms, but admits, "it's a very restricted way of living, and any slip-up can trigger symptoms."
"That made me wonder, why am I so sensitive? And why are so many others struggling too?"
The loss of microbial diversity
Scientists believe it's because we're losing microbial diversity in our guts, especially in the first years of life, when the immune system is being train
"Kids grow up in ultra-clean environments, eat sterile or processed food, and take antibiotics early on. They're not exposed to enough microbes or natural allergens to train the immune system properly," contends Cavani.
In the US, a study found that 90 per cent of babies lacked one critical bacterium that helps build the immune system. Further, factors like C-sections, antibiotics, formula feeding, and modern environments all contribute to this loss of diversity.
However, according to Cavani, the average parent has no idea.
Turning science into a startup
Cavani reached out to Professor Willem de Vos, a leading microbiome researcher with over 800 publications. He co-founded one of the world's largest microbiome studies in children at the University of Helsinki. They followed 1,000 babies for six years, regularly collecting gut microbiome samples, and discovered that testing in the first year of life can predict later health outcomes, including allergy risk. She pitched him the idea of translating that science into a product for parents, and he loved it.
He agreed there was enough evidence to build something meaningful. Together, they launched Alba Health.
Home-based microbiome testing
Alba Health's first product offering is a home-based gut microbiome test for babies and children. Parents collect a stool sample using a simple kit, ship it back (with prepaid postage), and receive results within two weeks.
Alba Health uses a research-grade sequencing method called shotgun metagenomics. Unlike older methods, this sequences the entire microbial genome and gives a full picture of gut health. The results include a personalised microbiome profile and a detailed nutritional plan, with probiotic recommendations where applicable.
Cavani detailed:
"Everything is based on clinical evidence. We don't sell our own probiotics or earn referral income — we want to remain unbiased.
The package also includes a 30-minute consultation with a pediatric nutritionist, where families learn practical strategies to improve gut health, especially increasing fibre, which most kids lack."
Realistic change management
In terms of recommendations, the main principle is increasing fibre — 90 per cent of Western diets are deficient. But with kids, Cavani contends that it's about how to make that fibre fun and palatable.
Alba Health encourages small, consistent changes rather than a full dietary reset. It's unrealistic — and overwhelming — for parents to change everything at once.
"We look at what they already eat, what their kids enjoy, and work from there. Swapping out store-bought yoghurts for ones with more live cultures, adding more legumes, or making fibre-rich snacks — these small tweaks make a big difference over time," said Cavani.
"We don't just say, 'Eat more vegetables'—we suggest smart tweaks to existing meals, with recipes tested for kids. In some cases, we also identify missing bacterial groups and recommend specific probiotics or prebiotics."
Alba Health offers specific, evidence-based recommendations per child. For babies under six months who are exclusively milk-fed, it may recommend HMOs (human milk oligosaccharides) or provide dietary advice to breastfeeding mothers to enhance the baby's gut health through her milk.
In terms of testing frequency, Cavani suggests that generally healthy children should test every 6 to 12 months, especially in the early years.
"However, if results show deficiencies or imbalances—say, key bacteria are missing, some families retest after three months to track progress."
Personalised plans with small shifts provide big wins. In terms of outcomes, Alba Health has had parents report major reductions in eczema and constipation. In some cases, symptoms are completely resolved and stay away for over a year.
To be clear, Alba Health is a wellness product designed to support optimal nutrition. It doesn't diagnose, treat, or cure conditions like asthma or allergies. That said, many parents see improvements in conditions such as eczema or digestion after following the company's recommendations.
Further, Cavani shared, "Other parents share that their children are calmer and happier — probably because resolving gut discomfort improves overall wellbeing. And many feel more confident and less anxious about feeding their children, which is huge."
There are also mood improvements, as better digestion improves sleep, reduces irritability, and helps them feel more settled overall.
Cavani notes, "We don't claim to treat behavioural issues, of course, but gut health can clearly impact mood and general wellbeing."
Funding leads to landmark microbiome study on childhood health
After receiving $2.5 million Seed funding, the company led the PREVENT Study in collaboration with Uppsala University, the University of Antwerp, and COPSAC (Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood) to investigate the role of the gut microbiome in early childhood development. The study has completed recruitment.
Alba Health recently won the Probiota Pioneer Award, which is the most prestigious award in microbiome science. "That meant a lot to us — scientific credibility is central to everything we do," shared Cavani.
Alba Health is currently active across Europe, with Sweden as its main market. In terms of competitors, while there's a comparable company in the US, in Europe, the company is one of the only players doing this work at scale. In the future, Alba is working on expanding its support between tests — more digital content, recipe ideas, and ongoing guidance for families. It aims to make gut health a consistent part of how families approach nutrition, not just a one-off fix.
Would you like to write the first comment?
Login to post comments