Your SIBO breath test collection
This test measures the hydrogen and methane in your breath after you drink a sugar solution. Bacteria in the small intestine produce these gases — so the pattern over a few hours helps show whether there's an overgrowth.
A simple test you do at home
Your kit is posted directly to you — no collection centre visit needed. You'll collect timed breath samples across a morning, then mail them back to the lab.
One sugar, or more than one — each on its own day
Your kit contains one or more sugar solutions (glucose and/or lactulose). The collection is exactly the same for each one. If your kit has more than one, do each sugar on a separate day — never both together — leaving a gap between them. If it has just one, you will do a single test day.
Check your kit
Before each test day
Follow this same preparation before every test day — and before each sugar, if your kit has more than one. Only stop a medication if it's safe to — always follow your practitioner's advice.
- 2–4 weeks: Wait at least 4 weeks after a colonoscopy or barium enema, and 2–4 weeks after your last course of antibiotics, antifungals or Pepto-Bismol.
- 7 days: Avoid laxatives, stool softeners and bulking agents, and antacids containing aluminium or magnesium hydroxide.
- 24 hours: Eat only from the allowed list below, and don't take probiotics.
- 12 hours: Fast — water only. No non-essential medications or supplements (unless your doctor advises), and no chewing gum, lollies or mouthwash until the test is finished.
- 1 hour: No smoking (including second-hand), no sleeping and no vigorous exercise — before or during the test. Don't use toothpaste.
The day before: what you can eat
For the 24 hours before each test, eat only these plain foods (salt and pepper are fine):
No sugar, sweeteners or milk in drinks. Vegetarians may have tofu with salt and pepper.
On the test day
Get set up
- Label your tubes in collection order with your name and the tube number, using the labels provided. Your kit has spare tubes — extras can be discarded.
- Brush your teeth and tongue (including the back of your tongue) without toothpaste or mouthwash, then rinse with water.
- Mix that day's sugar solution as directed and set it aside — you'll drink it straight after your first (baseline) sample.
Take each breath sample
- Note the time on the tube label and on your kit's schedule card. Hold the mouthpiece/bag in one hand and the tube in the other. Don't put a finger inside the mouthpiece — there's a needle inside.
- Breathe normally, take a breath and hold it for ~5 seconds, then seal your lips around the mouthpiece and exhale normally into the bag until it fills. Don't blow hard.
- Keeping the bag full, press the tube onto the side of the mouthpiece so the needle punctures it and air fills the tube. Don't inhale.
- Remove the tube within ~2 seconds. Don't unscrew its cap. Place it in the bubble-wrap bag. (Don't open or loosen tubes — it breaks the vacuum.)
| Sample | After drinking | Example time | Your time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — baseline | before drinking | 8:00 am | — |
| 2 | 30 min | 8:30 am | — |
| 3 | 60 min | 9:00 am | — |
| 4 | 90 min | 9:30 am | — |
| 5 | 120 min | 10:00 am | — |
| 6 | 150 min | 10:30 am | — |
| 7 | 180 min | 11:00 am | — |
More than one sugar? Repeat on a separate day
If your kit came with more than one sugar solution, repeat everything on a separate day — the same 12-hour fast, preparation and timed collection — using the next sugar. Keep each day tubes clearly labelled (for example, glucose vs lactulose) so they do not get mixed up. If your kit had just one sugar, you are all done once this collection is sent.
Packing & sending
Return your samples as directed in your kit — the sooner the better.
- Place your capped tubes (in the bubble-wrap bag) and the mouthpiece into the specimen transport bag.
- Check your request form is complete and that every tube is labelled with your name, the sample number and the collection time. Add the form to the transport bag.
- Seal everything in the reply-paid padded envelope and post it back via your nearest Australia Post outlet or express post box.
Before you post — quick check
- All samples collected at the right times (times recorded)
- If more than one sugar: each day done and clearly labelled
- Tube caps left on (never opened or loosened)
- Request form complete