Why is it important?

The Gastrolyzer® hydrogen and methane breath test is a non-invasive way to assist doctors as an aid in the diagnosis and management of a number of conditions and disorders. One such condition the Gastrolyzer® tests for is lactose intolerance. Nearly 70% of the global population is intolerant to lactose. In the United States alone thirty to fifty million Americans are lactose intolerant. Additionally, the Gastrolyzer® can test for all these intolerances and malabsorption issues: fructose, sorbitol, sucrose, fructan, xylitol, & more. As well as testing for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).

About 30% of the world’s population are methane producers. These people produce methane because they have a specific species of archaea (a different type of organism from bacteria) in their gut called Methanobrevibacter Smithii that feeds on hydrogen produced in the gut which is then turned into methane, which is released into the gut and ultimately out into the breath. It takes 4 molecules of hydrogen to make 1 molecule of methane, which is why the methane breath measurement will typically be less than that of hydrogen, but has the same diagnostic implications. It is important to test for methane as well as hydrogen because people can have symptoms from the methane that is released into their gut, but it would go undetected if only hydrogen is measured. Methane slows down transit time by slowing the peristalsis reflex, which is the muscle that moves food along the digestive tract. Constipation is the most common clinical symptom of a methane producer. It has been found that there is a direct correlation between the amount of Methanobrevibacter Smithii in the gut, the amount of methane released in the breath, and the severity of the constipation.

Gastrolyzer® breath testing is inexpensive, non-invasive, and is a revenue stream for the practice. Plus, the test is easy on the patient, efficient, and is covered by most insurance carriers.

And since the results are immediate, the breath test allows doctors to arrive at a diagnosis quickly and accurately and allows patient to have better quality of life and gut health.

Hydrogen Breath Testing (HBT) is typically offered to patients reporting or with indications of the following clinical complaints or disorders (regardless of when these complaints occur):

Indications of GI symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, GI-bleeding, bloating, flatulence, constipation, diarrhea, steatorrhea, Chronic Inflammatory bowel disease, IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome), meteorism/tympanites (excessive flatulence), issues with oro-cecal transit time (slow or fast digestion), and intolerances/malabsorption to certain foods.

Indications of non-GI symptoms: muscle wasting, retardation of growth in children, weight loss, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, pale skin, a fast or irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, cognitive problems, cold hands and feet, fever.

Disorders suspected by physician: Crohn’s disease, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatic insufficiency, ileocecal reflux, backwash ileitis, and anemia (due to malabsorption or Crohn’s disease).