Hydrogen test is used to diagnose many conditions that cause gastrointestinal symptoms. This test is used to check the hydrogen levels in the breath. Hydrogen in a human body is usually produced by anaerobic bacteria in the colon.They produce hydrogen when the bacteria is exposed to unabsorbed or the undigested food.
Unabsorbed food that cause hydrogen may be the carbohydrates and specially sugars but not fats or proteins.
The hydrogens are produced limitedly and that it reaches the colon. If large amounts of hydrogen is produced then there might be a problem with the digestion of food in the small intestine. Small intestine allows large amounts of undigested or th unabsorbed food to reach the colon. Hydrogen may be produced in large amounts when the bacteria in the colon moves back to the small intestine.The condition of the bacteria moving back to small intestine is know as the Bacterial overgrowth in small bowel. This hydrogen that contains the bacteria travels all the way to lungs where it is released and exhaled in the breath. The hydrogen which is released can be measured.
When Hydrogen Breath Test is Used:
Hydrogen breath test is conducted to diagnose three types of conditions. In the first condition hydrogen test is used when the sugars useful for a healthy diet are not digested normally. The sugar in lactose is poorly digested, this condition is generally referred to as the lactose intolerant.Other sugars such as sorbitol, fructose and sucrose can be diagnosed with the help of the hydrogen test.
The bacterial over growth of the small bowel can be diagnosed with the help of the hydrogen test. This is the condition where large amounts of colonic bacteria is present inside the small intestine. Rapid passage of food can be diagnosed with the help of the hydrogen test and this is the third condition. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence and abdominal bloating are caused due to the above mentioned three conditions.
