Hydrogen Breath Test for Fructose Malabsorption

The hydrogen breath test for fructose malabsorption / fructose intolerance is a non-invasive, low risk, accurate and fast tool to identify this uncomfortable condition. Metabolic Solutions makes it easy for healthcare professionals to test for fructose malabsorption / fructose intolerance by providing breath test kits and lab services to analysis the breath samples. We offer a low cash price, and if you qualify we can directly bill patient’s health insurance. No long term commitments, no minimum orders and no risky out of pocket costs. This test is an important tool in maintaining patient wellness while offering the potential for new profit center opportunity.

Why is it important to test for Fructose Malabsorption?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has found that the ingestion of fructose has increased nearly nine-fold from 1966 to 2003. This increase has been attributed to the practice of adding fructose corn syrup to many drinks, candies and canned foods. In IBS patients, there is evidence to suggest that more rapid small intestinal transit could deliver unabsorbed nutrients to the colon and hence lead to an increased gas production,causing pain and diarrhea. This may explain the reduced capacity to absorb free fructose in IBS patients. The fructose malabsorption / fructose intolerance breath test is a quick way to discover if a patient has fructose malabsorption. Satish Rao, M.D., a gastroenterologist, and colleagues at the University of Iowa suggest that “For people with gastrointestinal symptoms or those who have already been diagnosed with IBS, it is worth raising the question of dietary fructose intolerance.”

Fructose malabsorption is common in children with recurrent or functional abdominal pain but the condition can be effectively managed with a low-fructose diet, according to the results of a new study unveiled at the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio, Texas in October 2010. The study, “Fructose Intolerance /Malabsorption and Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children,”investigated a total of 245 patients with unexplained chronic abdominal pain alone or associated with constipation, gas or bloating and/or diarrhea—150 of them female (62.1 percent)—who ranged in age from 2 to 18 years old, with a median age of 11.2 Breath hydrogen test (BHT) for fructose was performed in all patients in the study and it was positive for fructose malabsorption in 132 of 245 patients (53.9 percent). A total of 113 of 245 (46.1 percent) of patients had a negative BHT for fructose intolerance. All of the 132 patients with a positive BHT for fructose had a nutritional consult with a registered dietician and were placed on a low-fructose diet. Using a standard pain scale for children, 88 of the 132 patients (67.7 percent) reported resolution of symptoms on a low-fructose diet. “It can be a great frustration for the parents of children with recurrent abdominal pain, because they possibly can’t even go to school, and they are subjected to many procedures in trying to diagnose their condition,” said Dr. Saeed, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and Health Center. “When we identified children with fructose intolerance, we placed them on a low-fructose diet and found that many had their symptoms quickly resolve,” he said.

What are the symptoms of Fructose Malabsorption?

Abdominal cramps
Abdominal bloating
Diarrhea
Gas (flatulence)
Nausea

What is the principle of the Hydrogen Breath Test?

The hydrogen breath test for fructose malabsorption / fructose intolerance provides clinical information about the digestion of fructose, a predominant sugar in fruit and products containing sweetners like fructose corn syrup. Fructose malabsorption refers to the abnormal processing (absorption) of fructose.

Hydrogen and methane gas are produced in the body from intestinal bacteria. Bacteria ferment sugars such as fructose to hydrogen and/or methane gas. Hydrogen and methane are absorbed by the intestinal mucosa, enter the vasculature, and get transported to the lungs. A change in the level of hydrogen and/or methane gas above 20 parts per million is diagnostic for fructose malabsorption. The majority, but not all malabsorbers produce hydrogen gas. Approximately 15% of patients are methane producers rather than hydrogen producers. These patients will only be properly diagnosed by measuring methane levels. As a result, each breath specimen is measured by Metabolic Solutions for hydrogen and methane.

How do you treat Fructose Malabsorption?

A fructose-restricted diet is the best way to treat fructose malabsorption. Typically, the following common foods should be avoided:

Fruit and fruit juices
Meat products cured in sugar or breaded
Sweetened beverages
Honey
Maple syrup
Table sugar
Confectioner’s sugar