Hydrogen Breath Test for Lactose Malabsorption

What is lactose malabsorption, and how will this study help me?

Lactose is a sugar found in many dairy products. Many otherwise healthy adults can have impaired digestion of lactose for a variety of reasons. This can lead to symptoms such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. This test is performed to see whether your symptoms could be due to malabsorption of lactose.

How is the test performed?

The morning of the test, you will be asked to blow into a bag to collect a sample of your breath. After that you will be given a liquid to drink that contains lactose. You will then be asked to blow into a different bag every 30 minutes for the next 3 1/2 hours. You will also be asked to report any symptoms you are experiencing during the test.

Note: Please allow approximately four hours at the testing center. You will not be permitted to smoke, exercise, or lie down/sleep during the exam as these activities can affect test results.

What do I need to do to prepare?

Proper preparation is extremely important for this type of testing to be accurate. Please follow these instructions carefully:

Beginning 4 weeks before your test:

  • Avoid all antibiotics.
  • Don’t have a colonoscopy.

Starting 3 days before your test:

  • Avoid the use of laxative medications or stool softeners (e.g., Colace, Lactulose, Miralax, Senna).

Beginning 1 week before your test:

  • Stop using promotility drugs or laxatives, such as Reglan, metoclopramide, Motegrity, Trulance, Linzess, Amitiza, Colace, lactulose, Miralax, senna, Dulcolax, Milk of Magnesia, Mylanta, Rolaids, Fleet Enema, fiber supplements, Metamucil, and glycerin suppositories.
  • Stop using antidiarrheal medications such as Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, and Lomotil.
  • You can take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are medications that reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. Examples of PPIs include Nexium, Dexilant, Protonix, Prevacid, AcipHex, and Priolsec.

Beginning 1 day before your test:

  • Don’t eat any complex carbohydrates like bread, cereals, grains, pasta, crackers, beans, lentils, rice, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, dairy substitutes, candy, mints, soda, sports drinks, or fruit juices. Please see the diet example.
  • Stop eating at 7 p.m. the night before your test. You may still take your necessary medications with water up to 1 hour before your test.

Morning of your test:

  • Brush your teeth.
  • Don’t smoke before arriving for your test.
  • Don’t exercise before arriving for your test.

Please follow these instructions carefully. If you need to cancel or reschedule your procedure, please call 860-679-3238 at least 48 hours in advance.

Test results are typically available to your doctor within one week.