
Digestion Process Evaluation
Through these tests we can evaluate the ability of the digestive system to digest food.
Lactose intolerance test:
Lactose intolerance occurs in 20% of the population and to detect it we analyze the air expelled by the patient after taking the lactose solution administered in the clinic. The patient must come fasting and be in the hospital 2-3 hours. It is a simple and convenient test and the result of this test are at the time and include nutritional recommendations based on the result.
Fructose intolerance test:
The fructose intolerance occurs in people who have discomfort while taking fruits. Little is known about the incidence but is estimated between 40 and 60% of the population have a greater or lesser affection, and to detect it we analyze the air expelled by the patient after drinking a solution of fructose which is administered in the clinic. The patient must come fasting and be in the hospital 2-3 hours. It is a simple and convenient test and the result of this test are at the time and include nutritional recommendations based on the result.
Sorbitol intolerance test:
Sorbitol is a polyol which is naturally in some fruits like apples and is used as an artificial sweetener in chewing gum, candy and other products and drinks without sugar. Little is known about the incidence but is estimated between 40 and 60% of the population have a greater or lesser affection, and to detect it we analyze the air expelled by the patient after drinking a solution of sorbitol which is administered in the clinic. The patient must come fasting and be in the hospital 2-3 hours. It is a simple and convenient test and the result of this test are at the time and include nutritional recommendations based on the result.
Bacterial overgrowth test:
It is a noninvasive and easy to perform test to know if there is a higher intestinal flora growing. This is important to determine anomalies in the digestion, absorption and gastrointestinal malformations.
It is done by analyzing the air by an innocuous procedure. Requires being for two hours in the clinic.
Gastric emptying study:
Some patients have slow the part of digestion that takes place in the stomach. It is common in diabetics, with neurological pathologies or patients under specific treatment, but occurs in many other circumstances.
It’s a study consisting in blowing tubes to check if the speed with which empties the stomach of the patient is altered. The patient has to come to the hospital fasting, first blow into a tube to collect a base sample, after this is given a test meal with a substrate to perform the test, 15 minutes after finishing the meal test begins to blow over the next four hours every 15 minutes in 16 different tubes, during this time the patient can go home and continue the test following the instruction given to him, 4 hours later the patient must bring the tubes with sample to the hospital to be analysis.
Study of hepatic function:
This study allows us to know if liver function is correct or not. The patient has to come to the hospital fasting, to begin testing the patient must blow into a tube to collect a base sample, after this the patient is given a substrate to be taken with water, after which the patient has to blow another 9 tubes every 10 minutes during the first hour and every 20 minutes during the second hour, once done the patient can start eating normally.
Study of pancreatic function:
This study helps us determine whether pancreatic function is correct or not. The patient must come to the hospital having taken his usual breakfast two hours before the test, you will first be given metoclopramide and after 20 minutes has to blow into a tube to collect a base sample, then given a test meal with a substrate and after 30 minutes has to start blowing in 12 tubes, one every 30 minutes for 6 hours, during which time the patient can go home and continue the test following the instructions given to him, once completed he must bring it to the hospital to be analyzed.