SMALL intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) BREATH TESTING

What is a SIBO breath test?
A SIBO breath test is designed to test for the presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

What is SIBO?
SIBO is a condition where bacteria which do not normally live in the small intestine are located there. This bacteria prevents the small bowel from working normally and can cause significant symptoms including bloating, nausea, abdominal pain and a change to the usual bowel habits, particularly diarrhoea. SIBO if not treated can cause nutrient and vitamin deficiencies through malabsorption, fatigue and weight loss.

Why do I need a SIBO breath test?
A SIBO breath test is utilized when your specialist has a suspicion that you have symptoms that might indicate the presence of SIBO.

How is a SIBO breath test performed?
The SIBO breath test works by measuring the levels of hydrogen and methane in your breath.

You will need to follow a special diet for 24 hours prior to the test. A sugary carbohydrate drink is consumed and your breath then analyzed over a three hour period. This involves simply blowing into a detector device (not dissimilar to a roadside alcohol breath test or blowing up a balloon) a few times.

Your breath samples are then analyzed in a breath test machine which will determine the levels of hydrogen and methane in your breath, which indicates whether your have SIBO.

The SIBO breath test kits used by Gippsland Specialist Group are all take-home kits to ensure that the analysis can be performed in the comfort of your own home at a time that is convenient for you.

What are the risks of a SIBO breath test?
The SIBO breath test is a very safe procedure with no appreciable complications and no side effects. Please feel free to discuss the possibility of any extremely rare complications with your specialist if you would like more information prior to your procedure.

I still have some questions. Where can I go?
For further information, please browse through our Info Section, catch us through our Contact Us page or reach out to our friendly Gippsland Specialist Group staff on (03) 5630 8800.

We also have some other Info Sheets on our website about SIBO breath tests that might help - please click here.
To download this SIBO Breath Test Information page as a pdf - please click here.