The hydrogen breath test is a simple, reliable and does not cause discomfort to the patient.
After proper preparation, the subject drinks a certain amount of a test sugar on an empty stomach.
Ingestion of sugar can lead to abdominal bloating or passing stools.
Every half hour in the next 4-5 hours the patient exhales into a plastic bag. The exhaled air is analysed for hydrogen and methane content. If the concentrations of both gases increase significantly, the test is positive.