Hydrogen breath tests are often done on gastrointestinal patients in order to better understand possible malabsorption in the body. Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients are often asked to complete this task to see if other issues are going on. Simply put this test measures the hydrogen levels in the breath to diagnose gastro issues like bacterial overgrowth, digestion of dietary sugars, and diagnosing rapid passage of food through the small intestine. Bacteria specifically in the colon produces hydrogen when exposed to unabsorbed food like sugars and carbohydrates. Small amounts of hydrogen is normal but when a large amount is produced this can be a sign of digest or absorption problems.
