In ADDITION to your lab report we provide the following options which are INCLUDED in the package prices:

A) Follow up personalised written report produced by our clinical team highlighting dietary and lifestyle advice plus links to supplement protocols, specific doses and any further testing requirements included. We use the patient information you provide us at checkout along with your results to compile personalised action points for you.

OR

B) Follow up 30-minute video call to discuss your results and answer any questions you have. Once the lab has completed your results you will be sent these via email with a link to book a time and day online. You will also then be given the option to upgrade your 30-minute call to a 45-minute call for an additional £30 if you wish. During the call your practitioner will explain the results in more detail and what they mean for you. After your call you are sent a personalised list of supplements & the dose your practitioner advises with links to purchase from our supplements store. This is for your convenience. You are of course welcome to purchase supplements elsewhere. You will also be provided with a list of follow up tests should this be required plus a copy of your recorded zoom call which you can download and keep.

OR

C) Both Zoom call and written report with personalised next steps (Zoom call is first and written report follows).

Patients with an unresolved diagnosis of IBS, diarrhoea, constipation, postprandial bloating, abdominal discomfort and pain, a history of gastroenteritis, intestinal surgery, Crohn’s disease, coeliac disease, pancreatitis, impaired gut motility or use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are at risk of SIBO and should be considered for screening.

Following a rapid rise in hydrogen levels (within the first 20 minutes) consider possible gastric helicobacter pylori infection.

Your kit is posted to you from the UK within 24–48 hours of ordering so you should receive your test kit within a few days via Royal Mail (UK) and Royal Mail Tracked (Overseas). Please post your sample using the freepost Royal Mail (UK) or see International instructions below:

To ensure sample stability and timely processing, we advise sending your sample back to the laboratory preferably between Monday and Wednesday, utilising a courier service that offers a 24 to 48-hour delivery option.

Our recommended courier companies:

A) To book a collection with FEDEX , please visit www.fedex.com and to find your nearest FedEx depot, please go to: https://local.fedex.com

B) To ship with UPS, please visit www.ups.com

Please affix the commercial invoice provided to the exterior of the grey bag provided.

Please return your sample(s) to the following address:

Sample Reception – Viva Health Laboratories, The Stables, New Lodge, Drift Road, Winkfield, Windsor, SL4 4RR, Berkshire, England, UK

The test measures three gases in your exhaled breath — hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide — at timed intervals after you ingest a carbohydrate substrate (lactulose or glucose). You provide a fasting baseline breath sample, then nine further samples at 20-minute intervals over approximately three hours. Bacteria in the small intestine ferment the ingested carbohydrate and produce hydrogen and methane as byproducts; these gases cross the gut wall into the bloodstream, are carried to the lungs, and appear in your exhaled breath. If hydrogen or methane levels rise within the first 100 minutes, this indicates bacterial fermentation occurring in the small intestine — where it should not be — rather than the large bowel, where normal fermentation takes place later in the collection window.

We recommend the lactulose test as the standard option. Lactulose is a non-absorbable synthetic sugar that passes through the entire length of the small intestine, meaning it can detect bacterial overgrowth throughout the small bowel — including the more distal ileum, which glucose may not reach. Glucose, by contrast, is absorbed in the upper portion of the small intestine, so it is effective at detecting overgrowth in the proximal (upper) small bowel but may miss bacteria further down. The glucose version is offered as an alternative for patients who are intolerant to lactose or who have been specifically advised by their practitioner to use it.

Accurate results depend on following a strict preparation protocol in the 24 hours before your test:

• For 24 hours before testing, follow a low-fermentable diet — avoiding high-fibre foods, resistant starch, complex carbohydrates, beans, pulses, and fermented foods — to minimise residual gas production from the large bowel
• Fast completely (water only) for 12 hours overnight before beginning the test
• On the morning of the test, do not eat, drink (other than water), smoke, or exercise vigorously before or during the collection period

Detailed dietary guidelines and step-by-step collection instructions are included with your kit, and printable PDFs are available on the product page for both the lactulose and glucose versions.

Yes — the methane component of this breath test allows our practitioners to assess for IMO alongside hydrogen-dominant SIBO. Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth is now formally recognised as a distinct condition in which archaea (methane-producing organisms, primarily Methanobrevibacter smithii) are present in excessive quantities in the intestinal tract. Unlike hydrogen-dominant SIBO, which is more commonly associated with diarrhoea, IMO is particularly linked to constipation-predominant presentations — the methane gas produced by these organisms slows intestinal transit by directly affecting gut motility. Approximately one third of adults naturally produce colonic methane, with increasing prevalence by age, but elevated methane levels during the early phase of the breath test indicate overgrowth in the small intestine. Distinguishing between hydrogen-dominant SIBO and methane-dominant IMO is clinically important because the treatment approaches differ.

Yes — the test is suitable from age 5 years and over. SIBO can affect children, particularly those with a history of gastroenteritis, gut motility disorders, or prolonged antibiotic use. The breath collection process is non-invasive and painless — the child simply breathes into collection tubes at timed intervals — making it a practical option for younger patients who may find blood draws or stool collections more difficult. The 24-hour low-fermentable diet and 12-hour overnight fast should be adapted as appropriate for a child's age and nutritional needs, ideally with guidance from our practitioners.

Yes — this test ships worldwide. UK kits are posted via Royal Mail with freepost returns included. International orders are shipped via Royal Mail Tracked, and samples should be returned using a courier service (FedEx or UPS are recommended) that offers 24–48 hour delivery to ensure sample stability. International samples should be posted back preferably between Monday and Wednesday. The return address and a commercial invoice for customs are included with your kit. Full international return instructions are provided in the kit documentation.

The SIBO breath test identifies whether bacterial overgrowth is present in the small intestine, but it does not profile the specific organisms involved or assess the broader gut environment. Depending on your results and symptoms, our practitioners may recommend additional testing:

• If a comprehensive picture of gut microbial balance, inflammation, and digestive function is needed — the GI360 Complete stool test or Comprehensive Stool Analysis profiles beneficial and pathogenic bacteria, yeast, parasites, inflammatory markers, and digestive enzyme output
• If Candida or yeast overgrowth is suspected alongside SIBO — a dedicated Candida stool test and oral swab can confirm fungal involvement
• If gut inflammation is a specific concern — the Calprotectin and Lysozyme test provides a focused assessment of intestinal inflammation that can help differentiate IBD from IBS
• If histamine reactivity may be linked to gut bacterial overgrowth — the Histamine / DAO full blood test measures circulating histamine and DAO enzyme levels, as SIBO can increase intestinal histamine production
• If parasitic infection is also suspected — a dedicated Parasites Stool Test can screen for parasites that may be contributing to gut symptoms alongside bacterial overgrowth