Proper preparation is essential to ensure accurate and reliable test results.

• Dietary Restrictions: You may be asked to follow a specific diet for 24–48 hours before the test to minimize interference from food residues. This diet typically includes easily digestible foods and excludes high-fiber and fermentable items.
• Medication Adjustment: Inform your healthcare provider about any medications you are taking. Certain antibiotics, laxatives, or acid-reducing drugs may need to be paused before the test.
• Fasting: You must fast for at least 8–12 hours before the test to ensure the digestive system is clear.

The SIBO test is simple, painless, and performed in an outpatient setting:

1. Breath Collection: The test involves breathing into a specially designed tube to collect a baseline breath sample.
2. Test Solution Intake: You will consume a solution containing a sugar substrate, such as lactulose or glucose. This helps identify bacterial activity by measuring hydrogen or methane gases produced as the sugar is fermented in the small intestine.
3. Timed Samples: Breath samples are collected at regular intervals over a 2–3 hour period to monitor gas levels. These readings help determine whether bacterial overgrowth is present.

• Post-Test Guidelines: You can resume your normal diet and activities immediately after the test unless otherwise directed by your healthcare provider.
• Results Analysis: The collected breath samples are analyzed for elevated levels of hydrogen or methane gases, which indicate bacterial overgrowth. Your healthcare provider will explain the results and recommend appropriate treatment if needed.

If SIBO is diagnosed, treatment may include:

• Antibiotics: To reduce bacterial overgrowth.
• Dietary Modifications: A low-FODMAP diet or specific dietary plans may help manage symptoms.
• Probiotics: To restore healthy gut flora.
• Addressing Underlying Causes: Managing conditions like motility disorders or structural abnormalities contributing to SIBO.