Respiratory Hydrogen Test - is the Standard for Diagnosis of SIBR

The hydrogen breath test is suitable for the diagnosis of carbohydrate intolerances and is carried out with different substances. If you suffer from diarrhea, flatulence, nausea or other uncharacteristic digestive problems, you may have such intolerance or bacterial colonization of the intestine. H2-breath tests are performed in special medical practices, for example in a specialist practice for gastroenterology.

For the breath test, you drink in practice a certain sugar solution. Then you have to blow at fixed intervals into a small device that measures the concentration of molecular hydrogen (H2) in your breathing air. For the entire examination, you should plan for about three hours.

Please note that you must not eat anything twelve hours before the test and does not smoke as well. You need to be sober on the morning of the exam - so you must not have eaten or drunk.

H2-breath test with lactose:

The H2-breath test with lactose serves as proof of lactose intolerance. For the study, drink 200 ml of a sugar solution containing 50 g of lactose. In the case of lactose intolerance, your small intestine cannot split the milk sugar sufficiently and therefore cannot absorb it.

The unripened lactose enters your large intestine and is decomposed by intestinal bacteria. This bacterial decomposition produces molecular hydrogen (H2), which is measured in your exhaled air. At the same time, you may also experience the symptoms of lactose intolerance, such as flatulence, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. These symptoms can also occur later when you are back home.

H2-breath test with fructose:

The fructose-hydrogen-breath test is performed in suspected intolerance of fructose. The test is the same as the Lactose H2 breath test, except that instead of lactose you drink a solution containing 25 g of fructose.

If you suffer from fructose intolerance, your H2 readings will increase after some time. It is important to understand one thing: any discomfort in the intestine is not a norm, but a violation in his work that can be cured. The main thing is to seek help from a doctor!