How to correctly prepare for the lactulose SIBO breath test

gut health tests sibo test sibo test prep Aug 24, 2021

Doing the correct SIBO test prep is very important

If you don’t do the SIBO test preparation properly for your SIBO test you could get inaccurate test results.

And then if you are basing your treatment plan on the wrong information… well, that could result in a big fat waste of time, energy and money.

And maybe even put your health even further in the hole.

Yikes!

So how do you prepare correctly for your lactulose SIBO Breath test?

SIBO Lactulose breath test preparation

For at least ONE MONTH prior to testing you should have:

NO antibiotics.
NO colonoscopies or barium studies.

For at least ONE WEEK prior to testing you should have:

NO herbal antimicrobials
NO pre- or pro- biotics
NO stomach acid blocking medications (PPI’s / antacids etc)
NO enemas

ONE DAY before testing, you should have:

NO digestive aids (enzymes / HCl / Iberogast etc)
NO laxatives

Okay, so that covers supplements and bum flushing.

What about food?

What is the SIBO breath test prep diet?

You’ll either need to do 1 OR 2 DAYS of the SIBO test diet.

If you have regular to loose stools: DO ONE DAY OF PREP DIET
If you have slow to constipated stools: DO TWO DAYS OF PREP DIET

The aim of the prep SIBO breath test diet is to reduce fermentation in your intestines, creating your “baseline”.

Then when you drink the solution if the SIBO guys are in there they will ferment the solution and start releasing their gases.

You are measuring these gas levels.

Have you been low FODMAP for more than 3 months?

If you’ve been having ZERO fodmaps for an extended period of time (3 months +), it’s probably a good idea to put some fodmap foods in your diet in the weeks leading up to your test.

If they (the SIBO-sshole) haven’t been getting any food (ie fodmaps) they might be in a dormant state (hiding), and might not show up on your test.

It could hurt, but eating some could really help the accuracy of your test.

No need to go overboard - say just some fermentable fruits and veggies here and there (ie apples, legumes, potatoes etc).

SIBO breath test diet and food list

Not much! #soz

For your one (or two) days of prep diet, you can have:

Baked or broiled chicken, white fish or turkey
Eggs
Steamed Jasmine / Basmati (but only IF you have already been eating grains)
Clear chicken or beef broth (check ingredients – must be nothing else in it, esp no onion or garlic)
Olive oil or coconut oil (1 tsp only for cooking)
Salt and pepper
Water

Very specific. Very important.

You are then going to fast overnight. Minimum 12 hours.

On waking don’t eat or drink anything. You can rinse out your mouth, but I would avoid toothpaste.

Move around for at least one hour, but no strenuous exercise.

Then you can begin the testing-testing.

Lactulose SIBO breath test instructions

I made a video for you on how to do the test-test:

SIBO Test Instructions Video

You can also find the video on my YouTube channel.

I recommend watching it a couple times.

I know when I did my first SIBO breath test I was so scared of stuffing it up!

This will help you feel more confident when you do yours, AND avoid mistakes that could lead to an inaccurate test result.

Boom!

Off you go Superstar.

I am a huge advocate for testing for SIBO. Symptoms don’t always match up with what is actually going on on the inside.

Getting the correct SIBO test results interpretation

Invest in getting the correct information. You will save yourself time (and money) in the long run.

I have seen so many patients set back in their health and finances after being treated for 'SIBO', when I would not have said that they had SIBO in the first place from their original test results.

So now...

You can order a SIBO test and results directly through my team, wherever you are in the world.

We will

Send a SIBO test directly to your home
Provide very specific instructions on how to prepare for and do the SIBO test
Send you a 5 minute video explaining your results, what they mean, and your best next steps.

If your results do not indicate SIBO, we can also get an indication from your test results of whether you have an undergrowth in your GOOD bacteria in your large intestine (often the symptoms are similar to SIBO) or Large Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (LIBO).

Make sure you get the correct interpretation, the correct treatment, so you can get better, faster.

If you've already completed your SIBO test, you can still have your SIBO test results interpreted by my team

Lots of love,

SIBO-free Kirsten

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