Most people experience distress of their gastrointestinal tract without even being aware of the true cause. The most common among these are lactose intolerance, where one’s body is unable to digest lactose—a milk sugar that is found in milk and milk products. Surprisingly, even up to 70% of people who are lactose intolerant are unaware. The truth is that they usually only experience symptoms similar to other gastrointestinal disorders like bloating, cramps, gas, or diarrhea.
If you just keep on feeling sick after dairy and don’t have a clue why, then it is likely time to go in for an exam. On the bright side, there now is a fast and simple test to figure out this issue: the Breath Hydrogen/Methane Test.
What Is the Breath Test for Lactose Intolerance?
Breath test is also an easy, risk-free method of determining whether your body is or isn’t having trouble breaking down lactose. Genova Diagnostics provides this test, and the best part is—take it at home.
That’s it: you swallow a solution of lactose after some preparation. Then, at regular intervals, you blow into a special test tube. What you blow out is blocked with a special tube and analyzed for hydrogen and methane gases. These are products of the fermentation of your unabsorbed lactose in your intestine and arrive in your breath an hour or two after you consume the solution.
Why Is This Test So Convenient?
There are a few reasons that the Breath Hydrogen/Methane Test is such an excellent test for diagnosing lactose intolerance:
- It’s very sensitive and specific. The test is good at picking up on lactose malabsorption.
- It’s painless and doesn’t involve breaking the skin. No needles, no blood draw—just a breath test.
- It’s simple and convenient. You can take the entire test at home with straightforward instructions.
- It is universal. It can be done by anyone from infancy to advanced old age.
- It is quick. The effect is evident within one to two hours of drinking the solution.
Understanding Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance occurs when the body is not able to produce adequate amounts of one enzyme called lactase. Lactase is required in order to digest lactose found in the small intestine. If the lactose is not digested, it travels to the colon where bacteria ferment it and create gas and other compounds, causing these symptoms:
- Bloating
- Gas
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
They last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours following a meal that has dairy. Since they’re such a coincidence of other GI disease symptoms—such as IBS or food sensitivity—lactose intolerance is frequently not diagnosed, or else misdiagnosed.
The Importance of Getting Tested
If you have some kind of digestive problem, lactose intolerance testing lets you take charge of your own health. Often treatable if diagnosed correctly with minimal supplementing or diet with lactase enzymes.
But if you don’t have diagnosed lactose intolerance, then you can still eat the dairy foods that are unbalancing you, or, worse—you will cut them out completely from your diet even if you don’t have to. That is especially worse for people who need the nutrients found in dairy foods, such as:
- Children – who need calcium and vitamin D in order to develop bones.
- Pregnant and lactating women – they need additional nutrients to feed baby.
- Older adults – they need calcium in order to remain healthy and young at heart and avoid osteoporosis.
By employing the breath test, you can forget guessing and eat confidently. Since now you know that you’re positive, you can visit a health practitioner and obtain safer alternatives or take enzyme supplements that will help you digest milk more efficiently.
Having a stomach problem is infuriating enough to begin with, but having no idea why is simply maddening. The Breath Hydrogen/Methane Test for Lactose Intolerance brings welcome news: finding out has never been easier.
It’s easy, it’s safe, and it’s fast. Do it at home and you’ll have it in black and white to show your doctor and you so you can make intelligent decisions about what you’re introducing into your system and how you’re feeling. If dairy is the problem, wait no longer. Do the test, learn the truth, and start to heal.
Nourish your gut—it plays a colossal part in your energy, mood, and overall well-being.
https://www.gdx.net/product/lactose-intolerance-test-gastrointestinal-test-breath
In Health,
Dr. Coleen Murphy ND, LAc.