Diagnosis
How breath analysis could support gut health
Billy Boyle discusses the potential of breath analysis technology in delivering improvements in diagnosis and clinical monitoring, for patients with digestive diseases. In this article, he reveals how portable devices could revolutionise gastrointestinal healthcare in the future.
Worldwide, more than a billion people live with digestive diseases including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). These issues can be notoriously challenging to diagnose, with some of those living with gut health issues presenting with symptoms at least five years before a diagnosis,1
which can be agonising when many
symptoms like bloating, cramping, and diarrhea impact day-to-day quality of life. The debilitating symptoms associated with these conditions can impair work performance, limit social activities, and undermine overall well-being. There is also a great psychological toll on living with a poorly managed or undiagnosed gut health condition, as they can contribute to depression, anxiety, and low self- esteem in selected individuals.2 Despite their prevalence, diagnosing gut health issues remains a challenge, and the lengthy waiting period for diagnosis not only affects the suffering of individuals, but also imposes substantial burdens on healthcare systems. Conducting the lengthy diagnosis process of gut health conditions impacts healthcare professionals’ time and is estimated to cost the NHS up to £1.3 billion per year.3 These expenses encompass various aspects
of healthcare delivery, including consultations, diagnostic tests, and ongoing management of symptoms. The importance of keeping healthcare costs low is not just for the economy’s sake, but to keep the healthcare infrastructure well-funded and running smoothly to help save lives.
There is a need for better diagnosis and
treatment for gut health issues. Addressing the scale of these issues requires a multifaceted approach that improves diagnostic capabilities, treatments, and public awareness. Advances in technology are making this possible by offering innovative solutions to the challenges in gastrointestinal healthcare.
Current applications Breath analysis technology is a critical development in healthcare, offering a novel platform for better diagnostic and clinical monitoring tools. Traditional diagnostic methods such as blood tests and ultrasounds can be invasive, costly, and time-consuming, leading to prolonged suffering for patients. Breath analysis offers a quick and non-invasive alternative. By measuring the amount of key compounds exhaled in the breath, breath analysis can offer valuable insights into a wide range of physiological processes. This creates an avenue for more personalised
By shortening the diagnosis and treatment journey, novel breath analysis technologies could relieve the burden on patients and allow clinicians to make more informed decisions about patient care.
and effective patient care. In gut health, breath tests are currently used to diagnose certain conditions and guide treatment strategies. For example, Heliobacter pylori (H. pylori) breath tests are used to detect an infection of the stomach that can cause ulcers, leading to symptoms such as burning pain in the stomach, bloating, weight loss, and nausea. The presence of this bacteria in the stomach can also lead to more serious issues such as cancer and has been shown through scientific studies to be the strongest risk factor for the development of stomach cancer.4
H. pylori is
found in the stomachs of around 50% of people across the globe. In most people, H. pylori causes no illness or symptoms; however, 17% of people will develop an ulcer and between 1-3% of people will develop gastric cancer,5
highlighting
how vital the breath tests for this infection are. During the breath test, a substrate solution containing 13 Carbon Urea (13C-Urea) is ingested, and a breath sample is collected 30 minutes later. Unlike the cells of your stomach, H. pylori can convert urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide which can be measured on breath to test for infection. Due to its high accuracy, the H. pylori breath test is the gold standard diagnostic tool for an H. pylori infection. Another key application of breath analysis in gut health involves the measurement of hydrogen and methane levels in the breath. Elevated levels of these gases can indicate conditions such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), carbohydrate malabsorption, and food intolerances.6
By analysing these gases non-invasively,
breath analysis provides patients and clinicians with a picture of the activity of the gut, enabling the early detection and intervention of gastrointestinal disorders. Bacteria in the small intestine produce hydrogen and methane when digesting sugars. These gases are then transferred into the bloodstream and transported to the lungs before being exhaled
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