A hydrogen breath test provides information about the digestion of certain sugars or carbohydrates, such
as milk sugar (lactose) or fruit sugar (fructose). This will help determine if you are intolerant to certain
sugars. One example is the use of this test to detect lactose intolerance, a disorder in which people have
symptoms from abnormal processing of lactose, a substance in many foods including milk and ice cream.
The test is also used for detecting abnormal growth of bacteria within the small bowel by having the
patient ingest lactulose. Bacterial overgrowth can cause a variety of symptoms including diarrhea,
bloating, gas, and abdominal cramps.