What is a hydrogen breath test?

hydrogen test is a diagnostic test that is performed to learn more about the causes of gastrointestinal problems. This test is classically carried out when someone is assumed that someone is intolerant lactose or is unable to process other sugars such as fructose. It can also be used to diagnose bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine or to test whether food moves too quickly by the intestinal tract, leading to malabsorption of food and nutrients. In most cases, the test takes about two hours, while the patient went to the hospital or the test clinic. Their waste products and concentrations change depending on the host health. In many people, if bacteria are exposed to a large amount of undigested food, they begin to produce hydrogen, which is expressed in breath. Excessive methane production may also occur in conjunction with hydrogen gas or instead of hydrogen.

For a hydrogen breathing test test, the patient attacked for eight to 12 hours and then blows the air into the balloon as REFerection sample. Then the patient is asked to drink a solution that can contain lactose, fructose, sorbitol, sucrose, lactulose or other sugar. For the next two hours, periodic samples of the patient's breath are taken and tested for hydrogen and sometimes methane. If hydrogen and/or methane levels are unusually high, it suggests that the patient has a problem along the digestive tract. However, a negative result does not necessarily mean that the patient is clear, because some people do not have hydrogen -producing bacteria that are manipulated for the test.

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hydrogen test is non -invasive and is not painful and is often scheduled for the morning so that patients can easily prevent problems with fasting quickly overnight. The test results are returning rapidly, D Patient may discuss the consequences of the result with a doctor. It is important that the patient does not take antibiotics or anything else that would change the demography of bacteria in the intestines for at least two weeks before the test, because it can copy the results.

Between symptoms,which can lead doctors to the recommendation of hydrogen test, are flatulence of the abdomen, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, gastrointestinal discomfort and other symptoms that someone does not absorb nutrients well or has problems with food processing. By determining what causes a problem, the physician may issue recommendations for treatment, such as the treatment of the patient's diet or prescribing antibiotics, so that the bacterial population returns to balance.