Hydrogen Breath Test

The hydrogen breath test is a simple medical test that measures hydrogen gas levels (H02) in the breath you exhale. It’s used to help diagnose common digestive problems, including SIBO, IBS and lactose intolerance. Different versions of the test measure your digestion of different sugars. The results help healthcare providers confirm or rule out certain specific causes of your digestive problems.

What does the hydrogen breath test diagnose?

Many different digestive conditions will cause abnormal hydrogen levels in your gut, which can then be measured in your breath. But when your healthcare provider suggests the hydrogen breath test, it’s usually to confirm or rule out one of two conditions:

• Intolerance to a specific sugar, such as lactose, fructose, sucrose or sorbitol — also called carbohydrate malabsorption. Lactose intolerance is the most common.
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). This is when helpful bacteria from your colon have moved into your small intestine, where they don’t belong.

In the process of diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), both of these conditions must be addressed as possible contributing factors.