Stool pH and Reducing Substances - Test, Procedure & Cost

This test is performed to determine the rationale behind troubles in the stomach, intestines, or other parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) system. A stool culture helps the doctor determine whether there's a bacterial or parasitic infection in the patient's intestines.

The organs through which food and liquids transit through when they are engulfed, digested, absorbed, and leave the body as feces. The gastrointestinal tract includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus. This gastrointestinal tract is a part of the digestive system.

Stool-reducing substances test?

Stool-reducing substances is a stool sample tests used to diagnose lactose intolerance. The inability to fully digest sugar (lactose) in dairy products is known as Lactose Intolerance. A protracted episode of viral gastroenteritis can cause lactose intolerance. Gastroenteritis means swelling of the stomach and small and large intestines

The Stool reducing substances test is performed in a laboratory. A sample of stool is taken(5 grams).

Importantly, this sample needs to be brought to the laboratory as soon as possible, within 1 hour. This is because lactose (or other sugars) in the stool usually breaks down by chemical processes within 2-4 hours after the specimen is taken.

Importance of Stool reducing substances test

In the body of a healthy person, the sugar from the food instantly gets absorbed in the small intestine. But in people with metabolic disorders like carbohydrate malabsorption, some sugars remain absorbed, which leads to the building up of osmotic pressure and movement of fluids and electrolytes from the blood into the intestines. This increase in fluids leads to watery stools or diarrhea.

This test is beneficial in differentiating between diarrhea caused by viral infections or parasite infections and diarrhea caused by abnormal excretion of various sugars.

How to prepare for a Stool Reducing Substances test?

Some drugs such as salicylates, neomycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, methotrexate, cephalosporins, penicillin, or ascorbic acid can lead to false-positive(wrong) test results or interfere with the test; therefore, the doctor should be informed before that you take these drugs.

Test Results-

• If Negative – this is a typical result and means that the body is digesting and absorbing sugars properly.
• 0.25 grams per decilitre (g/dL) or <13.9 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) of reducing substances present in the stool is a normal result.
• If Positive – this means there are substances in the stool that can act as a ‘reducing. ’agent.’. There are forms of sugarchairhe store body has not absorbed the body.
• >0.50 g/dL or >2.78 mmol/L of reducing substances in the stool signifies an abnormal result.