General information, not an individual diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional if you are unsure about your situation.
When digestive symptoms suggest lactose intolerance, the doctor may request a hydrogen breath test. It complements the discussion of your symptoms and their relationship to food.
Lactose that is not absorbed in the small intestine reaches the colon, where bacteria ferment it and produce hydrogen among other gases. Some enters the blood and is then breathed out through the lungs.
The test measures hydrogen in exhaled air after a lactose-containing drink. An abnormally high rise can indicate that lactose was not absorbed and fermented in the colon.
Ameli describes a fasting test lasting about four hours, with breath samples every thirty minutes. Confirm fasting instructions and timing with the laboratory performing your test.
The doctor asks you to record abdominal pain, gas, bloating or diarrhoea that may occur within eight hours after the test. Ask how and to whom to report these observations.
A lactose breath test differs from the urea test for Helicobacter pylori. Check the name of the prescribed test and ask who will explain the result; do not assume the preparation for another breath test applies.
Sources
Your health review
Review your health
Mon bilan prévention is an appointment to discuss your habits and choose your health priorities. Review the four age groups and practical information.