science
Wearable hydrogen sensor accurately detects lactose-induced flatulence in double-blind study
A hydrogen-detecting sensor the size of a nickel measures how often people break wind, revealing that many cannot accurately gauge their own flatulence. In a double-blind trial of 37 participants, 24 proved lactose sensitive by producing over 1.5 times their baseline gas after consuming the sugar. Researchers say the non-invasive tool could improve diagnosis of gut conditions.
May 11, 6:33 AM·2m read1 source
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A small hydrogen sensor worn near the perineum has revealed that individuals are unreliable at estimating their own daily flatulence frequency. Brantley Hall at the University of Maryland designed the sensor, which is the size of a medium-sized coin such as a nickel or two-pence piece and a couple of coins thick.
Hall and his colleagues recruited 37 people to wear the device while following a low-fibre diet for two days to establish a baseline of farting.
On the morning of the third day, each participant received either 20 grams of lactose or 20 grams of sucrose. On the fourth morning, participants consumed the other sugar. The study was double-blind, with neither participants nor research teams knowing who received lactose or sucrose on which day.
5 times more than their baseline the day after consuming it. For 22 of those 24 lactose-sensitive participants, the day with higher gas production corresponded to lactose consumption. Yet an accompanying survey showed the same participants correctly guessed which day they were gassier only 50 per cent of the time.
“It’s literally like a coin flip. People aren’t reliable narrators about their flatulence patterns,” Brantley Hall said. In healthy adults, daily fart count ranges between 4 and 59, with the average being 32.
Hall said the average figure of 32 is likely to go down over time because studies are probably biased towards people who are farting a lot. Hall and colleagues are trying to establish the baseline of healthy human flatulence patterns, including how many times a day people fart and what foods are the major causes.
