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Breath test could replace guesswork in lactose intolerance diagnosis
NCT ID NCT06177938
First seen Sep 15, 2026 · Last updated Sep 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers at ETH Zurich are testing whether analyzing exhaled breath can diagnose lactose intolerance. The study includes 112 adults aged 18 to 65 in the Zurich area who consume a lactose or glucose solution. By measuring specific gases in the breath and comparing them to urine and genetic markers, the team aims to identify a breath profile that distinguishes people who digest lactose from those who do not.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- lactose and glucose solutions
- What this could lead to
- If breath markers prove reliable, doctors could use a simple breath test to diagnose lactose intolerance and guide low-FODMAP diets.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study, so the breath markers may not be accurate enough for routine use, and results might not apply to other food intolerances.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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112 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2024
- Finished
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Apr 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion criteria: * Men and women * Swiss and non-Swiss living in the Zurich area (if necessary, beyond Zürich in Switzerland), * Ability/desire to provide informed consent and partake in the procedures of the study * Aged 18-65 years at screening * Agreement to refrain from all other treatments and products used for dairy intolerance (e.g., Lactaid® dietary supplements) during study involvement * Willing to return for all study visits and complete all study-related procedures, including fasting before and during the intervention * Able to understand and provide written informed consent in English and/or German. Exclusion criteria: * Allergic to milk * Currently pregnant * Currently lactating * Cigarette smoking or other use of tobacco or nicotine-containing products within 3 months of screening * Diagnosed with any of the following disorders known to be associated with abnormal GI motility: gastroparesis, amyloidosis, neuromuscular diseases (including Parkinson's disease), collagen vascular diseases, alcoholism, uremia, malnutrition, or untreated hypothyroidism * History of surgery that alters normal GI tract function, including but not limited to: GI bypass surgery, bariatric surgery, gastric banding, vagotomy, fundoplication, pyloroplasty (N.B. history of uncomplicated abdominal or GI surgeries such as removal of an appendix \>12 months before screening will not be excluded) * Suspected obscure GI bleeding * Past or present: organ transplant, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic insufficiency, symptomatic biliary disease, coeliac disease, diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, strictures (suspected or known), fistulas, or any GI obstruction, gastroparesis, history of gastric bezoar or any other medical condition with symptoms that could confound collection of adverse events * Diabetes mellitus * Congestive heart failure * Human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C * Body mass index \> 35 kg/m2 * Swallowing disorders or dysphagia to food or pills * Presence of implantable or portable electro-mechanical medical devices (e.g. pacemakers) * Recent bowel preparation for endoscopic or radiologic investigation within 4 weeks of screening (e.g., colonoscopy preparation) * Chronic antacid and/or proton pump inhibitor use * Recent use of systemic antibiotics, defined as use within 2 months prior to screening * History of ethanol (alcohol) and/or drug abuse in the past 12 months * Patients with severe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (i.e., IBS Symptom Severity Score \>400) * Dietary restrictions including vegan or vegetarian diet. * Any other conditions/issues noted by the study staff and/or Principal Investigator that would impact participation and/or protocol compliance. * Previous enrollment in another clinical trial within the last 3 months. * Results of the screening test showing GI symptoms in response to lactose ingestion and genetic LP.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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ETH Zurich
Zurich, Canton of Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.