- Digestive discomfort: abdominal pain, bloating or excessive gas after meals.
- Altered bowel habits: constipation, diarrhoea or alternating patterns.
- Carbohydrate intolerance: difficulty tolerating sweet or starchy foods, fibre or certain supplements.
- Unexplained nutritional concerns: anaemia, weight loss or signs of malabsorption or maldigestion.
- Chronic fatigue: tiredness potentially considered in relation to digestive factors.
- IBS-type symptoms: fluctuating digestive patterns that resemble irritable bowel presentations.
- Hypochlorhydria: suspected low stomach acid associated with upper digestive symptoms, including in clients with long-term use of acid-blocking drugs.
- Osteoporosis or low bone density: under review where malabsorption is suspected.
- Unexplained abdominal symptoms: discomfort with no clear cause, especially when linked with bloating.
Overview
The Bacterial Overgrowth of the Small Intestine (SIBO) test uses timed breath sampling following ingestion of lactulose to evaluate hydrogen and methane production. These gases are produced when microbes ferment the lactulose substrate, and their concentrations over time can help illustrate fermentation patterns within the small intestine.
This assessment may be clinically useful for practitioners exploring bloating, distension, altered bowel habits, carbohydrate intolerance, suspected malabsorption or upper digestive discomfort. Because gas production patterns can vary over a short time window, a structured 2-hour collection allows practitioners to observe whether fermentation appears to be occurring earlier or more prominently than expected.
SIBO results are typically reviewed alongside symptom timelines, dietary intake, digestive history and other functional assessments. Used in this context, the profile may help guide further discussion around digestive function, contributing factors and practical next steps in a client’s care.
Practical
Drinking solution:
Lactulose
3 hour collection
Specimen requirements:
Eight fasting breath samples, taken at baseline, and timed intervals
Average processing time:
10 ±3 days (Confidence: applies to 90% of tests)
Research
Research
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