The OMED Health Breath Analyzer is the first medical-grade device designed to aid in the at-home diagnosis and monitoring of gastrointestinal conditions such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO), but did you know there are other well-established breath tests for other conditions already in routine use, such as H. pylori breath tests? 

At-home Helicobacter pylori breath tests

The H. Pylori breath tests are used to detect a particular bacterial infection of the stomach that can cause ulcers, leading to symptoms such as burning pain in your stomach, bloating, weight loss, frequent belching, nausea, and a loss of appetite. The presence of this bacteria in the stomach can also lead to more serious issues such as cancer. In fact, this bacterial infection has been shown through scientific studies to be the strongest risk factor for the development of stomach cancer. H. pylori symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, and a loss of appetite.

The specific type of bacteria identified in this breath test is Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori), which is commonly found in the stomach. A systematic review in 2018 estimated that 50% of people across the globe on average have H. Pylori in their stomachs. In most people, H. pylori causes no illness or symptoms. However, approximately 17% of people with H. pylori in their stomach will go on to develop an ulcer (1), and between 1 – 3% of people may develop gastric cancer (2), therefore it is important to test whether you have an H. pylori infection if you are experiencing symptoms.  

During the test, a substrate solution containing 13 Carbon Urea (13C-Urea) is ingested, and a sample of breath is collected 30 minutes afterward. 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. The treatment of an H. pylori infection is often a combination of at least two different types of antibiotics to ensure that the infection is completely cleared. If there were ulcers present in the stomach usually a medicine such as a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) is also prescribed to reduce the amount of stomach acid, allowing the ulcers to heal better. the ulcers to heal better. 

The H. pylori breath tests are considered to be one of the gold standard diagnostic tools, due to its high accuracy. The urea breath tests consistently perform better when compared to other available tests for H. pylori (3), which include a stool test, a blood test, and a physical biopsy of ulcers in the stomach. However, these alternative tests are not as tolerable for patients as a breath test – especially considering tissue biopsies that would be gained through an endoscopic procedure.

There are situations where a combination of different H. pylori tests are recommended to be used to complement the shortfalls and strengths of each test to optimize diagnostic performance in a variety of clinical situations. The urea breath test for H. pylori has a strong position in current gastroenterology departments and is already proving to be very clinically useful as a non-invasive alternative to other diagnostic and monitoring tools. 

Beyond H. pylori 

Other Uses of Breath Testing for Gut Health 

While urea breath tests are well established for diagnosing H. pylori, there are also other breath tests that measure different compounds. For example, Hydrogen Methane Breath Tests are considered the gold standard for identifying small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO).  These conditions are associated with similar gut symptoms and are much more common than H.Pylori infection. HMBTs have historically been carried out over a single day, either in a clinic using benchtop equipment or at the patient’s home using a collection of test tubes, which are then sent back to a laboratory for analysis, taking up to five working days for the results. Both tests only provide a single snapshot in time.

At OMED Health, we’ve developed the OMED Health Breath Analyzer, the first handheld, medical-grade device designed to aid in the diagnosis of SIBO and IMO. Used alongside the OMED Health App, it gives you the ability to measure hydrogen and methane gases in their breath anytime, anywhere, without the need for in-person doctor’s office visits. 

The device can help identify IMO directly, and when used with an at-home test substrate, either glucose or lactulose (depending on your medical health history), it can also test for SIBO. Once the test is complete, an OMED Health doctor can review the results remotely, enabling accurate diagnosis without the hassle of a clinic-based appointment. Our support does not stop there. Based on your results, we can offer you the right treatment straight to your door, either through prescribed antimicrobials or, in some cases, when your SIBO is not responding to antimicrobials, antibiotics can be prescribed.  

Beyond diagnosis, the Breath Analyzer and app together allow for longitudinal monitoring (tracking over time). Because it can be used repeatedly at home, you can track changes in hydrogen and methane levels. This makes it possible to evaluate treatment response, monitor for relapse, and create personalized management plans. 

To learn more about how OMED Health can support you on your gut health journey, from diagnosis to treatment, to ongoing support, visit our Gut Rest+ plan. 

Please note: The OMED Health Breath Analyzer cannot detect H. pylori. If you or your doctor suspect an H. pylori infection, a urea breath test or another clinical test remains necessary. 

References

1. Malaty HM. Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2007;21(2):205–14. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpg.2006.10.005
2. Cancer Research UK [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Jul 24]. Does H.pylori cause cancer? Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/infections-eg-hpv-and-cancer/does-hpylori-cause-cancer
3. Patel SK, Pratap CB, Jain AK, Gulati AK, Nath G. Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori: What should be the gold standard? World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Sep 28;20(36):12847–59. DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i36.12847
4. Zamani M, Ebrahimtabar F, Zamani V, Miller WH, Alizadeh-Navaei R, Shokri-Shirvani J, et al. Systematic review with meta-analysis: the worldwide prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Apr;47(7):868–76. DOI: 10.1111/apt.14561
5. Warren JR, Marshall B. Unidentified curved bacilli on gastric epithelium in active chronic gastritis. The Lancet. 1983 Jun 4;321(8336):1273–5. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)91816-6