METHANE AND HYDROGEN SIBO BREATH TESTING DEVICE
The Benefits of Food Marble SIBO Breath Testing
Have chronic bloating and gas? Test and treat to stop it.
Still feeling bloated?
If you’ve been dealing with bloating for months or years and finally want to figure out what’s going on so that you can get rid of it, then SIBO breath testing with the Food Marble might be a necessary step.
We are health nerds. We want to know as much information about your health as possible, and there is a new at-home testing device that gives us that oh-so-precious data we crave!
Food Marble is
“The latest, most advanced digestive breath testing devices for people with SIBO, IBS and certain digestive issues. Monitor your meals, stress, sleep and symptoms and test your fermentation level with personalised, real-time results.”
About Food Marble
The FoodMarble device measures hydrogen and methane gas, and is paired with an app that collects data about your symptoms, dietary inputs and breath scores. It can then guide us on what you’re reacting to, and how you’re reacting to it.
The standard SIBO breath testing prior to the availability of the Food Marble was a 1-time hospital laboratory tested breath testing kit, which was almost as expensive as this new device, which can be used for testing up to 10x per day. This would often lead to little-to-no follow up, as patients would be reluctant to spend the money to re-test and confirm that the overgrowth had been eradicated. And truthfully, many SIBO cases are complex, and the symptoms may persist even after treatment if there is a concurrent food intolerance or if biofilms impeded total annihilation of the bacterial load. Repeat testing allows us to persistently prune the overgrowth with antimicrobials, and starve the population via food malabsorption identification.
Benefits of Testing with Food Marble
There are many benefits of using FoodMarble for patients, such as improved digestive health, personalized dietary recommendations, and better quality of life. It allows us to:
How the Food Marble tests for SIBO:
The small intestine is meant to be mostly clear of bacteria. This is a section of our digestive tract into which we secrete digestive juices that are “bacteriostatic” meaning that the environment is inhospitable to bacteria (and other microorganisms). These digestive juices also breakdown the food into small absorbable building blocks, which should all get transported into the bloodstream, leaving only fibre to be transferred on to the large intestine. In the large intestine there is a LARGE population of beneficial bacteria, and they feed on the measly scraps of fibre, which is just enough to keep their populations alive and well, and in return they provide us with vitamins, immune stimulation and we are in perfect symbiosis (living in harmony).
If bacteria is able to populate the small intestine, rather than the small amount of gas production that occurs when the large intestinal bacteria is fed fibre scraps, they are able to feed on the abundant amount of carbohydrate before it is absorbed into the bloodstream, and subsequently produce much larger volumes of gas. It’s not the patient that is producing the gas that is causing their bloating and digestive discomfort, they are acting as a fermentation chamber for out-of-place bacteria that has wandered into a buffet.
The FoodMarble breath testing device allows us to determine:
- How much gas is being produced (how bad is this overgrowth);
- What types of bacteria/archaea are producing it (and therefore what types of herbs/medication will be most effective at killing it off);
- Has it been resolved.
Once we identify the overgrowth and treat it, all gases produced within the first 90 minutes of eating should be eliminated.
How the Food Marble tests for food intolerances:
The small intestine is meant to be mostly clear of bacteria. This is a section of our digestive tract into which we secrete digestive juices that are “bacteriostatic” meaning that the environment is inhospitable to bacteria (and other microorganisms). These digestive juices also breakdown the food into small absorbable building blocks, which should all get transported into the bloodstream, leaving only fibre to be transferred on to the large intestine. In the large intestine there is a LARGE population of beneficial bacteria, and they feed on the measly scraps of fibre, which is just enough to keep their populations alive and well, and in return they provide us with vitamins, immune stimulation and we are in perfect symbiosis (living in harmony).
If bacteria is able to populate the small intestine, rather than the small amount of gas production that occurs when the large intestinal bacteria is fed fibre scraps, they are able to feed on the abundant amount of carbohydrate before it is absorbed into the bloodstream, and subsequently produce much larger volumes of gas. It’s not the patient that is producing the gas that is causing their bloating and digestive discomfort, they are acting as a fermentation chamber for out-of-place bacteria that has wandered into a buffet.
The FoodMarble breath testing device allows us to determine:
- How much gas is being produced (how bad is this overgrowth);
- What types of bacteria/archaea are producing it (and therefore what types of herbs/medication will be most effective at killing it off);
- Has it been resolved.
Once we identify the overgrowth and treat it, all gases produced within the first 90 minutes of eating should be eliminated.
Remember, only fibre should be making its way to the large intestine. If there are any carbohydrates that were not properly absorbed in the small intestine and make their way to the large intestine, then the abundant population of beneficial bacteria that is present there will consume that food source and therefore make gas. This is not a problem of bacterial overgrowth, it is a problem with improper food breakdown and absorption. We can call this a food intolerance, and we will see this presented as gas produced 90+ minutes after consuming the food.
FoodMarble also offered food intolerance testing kits which include the 4 most common food intolerant compounds; inulin, fructose, sorbitol and lactose. Once the SIBO has been eradicated, we often see that delayed gas production is still occurring, and this is due to the patient’s pre-existing food intolerance. There may be things we can do to help improve the patient’s ability to digest this food over time (food pairings, use of digestive enzymes or fermented foods), or this may just be a genetic limitation that needs to be respected.
After we have eradicated any bacterial overgrowth, and identified the major food intolerances, we may continue to use the Food Marble testing device to make sure there are still no lingering digestive reactions.
How the Food Marble SIBO Breath Testing Works
1) Order testing device + 2x glucose + 4-part food intolerance testing packs
2) Do SIBO breath testing with 1st glucose pack
3) Your ND will be notified of your results and you’ll meet to be given your SIBO elimination plan (often is modified elemental diet = elemental shakes for breakfast and lunch + low fodmap dinner, plus botanical antimicrobials specific to your overgrowth population)
This step can take 2-4 weeks.
4) Second glucose SIBO test to confirm sibo has been resolved.
5) Food intolerance testing, and elimination of the intolerant foods, but otherwise return to a normal diet
6) Use food marble for 1 more week to ensure that all gas production has been eliminated/managed
7) Use food marble only if symptoms arise
If there are still digestive concerns after this process is complete, it is likely that the patient has a parasite or some other imbalance that needs to be assessed using a comprehensive stool analysis.
How we use this digestive testing device
Group program
This program is your opportunity to access expert gut health treatment from a licensed naturopathic doctor — at affordable rates! Plus, sign up now and receive exclusive program launch pricing.
Prefer traditional care?
If you’d prefer 1:1 naturopathic care to resolve your chronic bloating, book your free 15-minute chat with one of our licensed naturopathic doctors. We’re here to help!
Who Can Benefit From SIBO Breath Testing
Food Marble testing is a great tool for people with chronic bloating, constipation or diarrhea. If you have digestive issues and suspect a food intolerance, this may be the most direct path to figuring out what exactly you should be eating.
Our naturopathic doctors have extensive clinical experience that allows us to properly interpret the results and convert them into an actionable plan that fully resolves the digestive issue. It allows patients to finally make informed dietary choices that not only resolve digestive symptoms, but allow for proper nutrient absorption which in turn better fuels their entire system.
Our Gut Health Focused Naturopathic Doctors
Dr. Elizabeth Miller ND
Dr. Miller is a Naturopathic Doctor who has a special focus on digestion and hormone health. She completed her doctor or naturopathic medicine degree at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s of science in Human Health and Nutrition from the University of Guelph. Her extensive knowledge of nutrition and her strong foundation in scientific research allows for a very thorough approach to your care.
Dr. Miller discovered naturopathic medicine after struggling with chronic irritable bowel syndrome for many years. She saw multiple doctors with no solution, as IBS was not well understood at the time. To take matters into her own hands, she devoted her master’s thesis to IBS research, and from here was introduced to naturopathic medicine which helped her immensely. Today Dr. Miller devotes a large part of her practice to treating digestive concerns and chronic bloating as it is very near and dear to her heart. Her goal is to blend the balance of nutrition, modern research, lab testing and traditional medicine to get to the root of her patient’s IBS and chronic bloating.
Dr. Sarah Goulding ND
Dr. Goulding has a naturopathic practice focused on gut health, hormones and burnout. She has a BSc in neuroscience and biology from Dalhousie University, and did her 4-year naturopathic training at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.
Sarah blends science and compassion, and acts as a personal health researcher to help you navigate your health. Tools that she uses include nutrition, supplements and botanicals, bioidentical hormones, and lifestyle modifications. The closer you get to the root cause, the gentler the therapies needed to resolve the issue.
