Breath Test
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Hydrogen Breath Tests: A Look into Digestive Health
Incomplete sugar breakdown: When your small intestine struggles to digest certain sugars, like lactose or fructose, bacteria in your gut break them down instead, leading to increased hydrogen or methane production.
Bacterial overgrowth: An excessive presence of bacteria in your small intestine, known as SIBO, can also contribute to elevated hydrogen levels.
Who Should Consider a Hydrogen Breath Test?
Abdominal pain
Bloating
Excessive gas
Frequent diarrhea or constipation
Types of Hydrogen Breath Tests:
Lactose breath test: This test measures your body’s ability to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk. After consuming a lactose solution, your breath is analyzed at regular intervals to assess hydrogen levels. Increased hydrogen indicates lactose intolerance.
Fructose breath test: This test assesses your ability to digest fructose, a naturally occurring sugar in fruits and vegetables. After measuring your baseline hydrogen levels, you consume a fructose solution, and your breath is monitored for an increase in hydrogen, potentially indicating fructose intolerance.
SIBO breath test: This test diagnoses SIBO, characterized by an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. After consuming a sugary beverage, your breath is analyzed for elevated hydrogen levels, potentially indicating SIBO.
Related Test for Bacterial Overgrowth:
H. pylori breath test: This test detects the presence of Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which can cause chronic inflammation in the digestive system. After fasting for one hour, you blow into a device that analyzes your breath for carbon dioxide levels. Increased carbon dioxide after consuming a special solution may indicate the presence of H. pylori.
Importance of Early Diagnosis:
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