Why You Can’t Compare AIRE 2 Readings with SIBO Test Results

Understanding Your AIRE 2 Readings vs. SIBO Test Results

If you’re living with IBS or SIBO, you already know how important it is to understand what’s happening in your gut. AIRE 2 is designed to give you daily insights into your breath hydrogen and methane levels, helping you spot changes and patterns over time.

If you’ve previously had a formal SIBO test, you might be curious about how those results compare with your day-to-day AIRE 2 readings. It’s a great question — and here’s what you need to know.

Why you can’t directly compare a SIBO test with daily AIRE 2 readings

A clinical SIBO test (using lactulose or glucose) and daily monitoring with AIRE 2 measure fermentation in very different ways.

• SIBO test conditions: Before a SIBO test, you fast so your digestive system starts out empty of food, water, and gas. Then, you drink a sugar solution (lactulose or glucose) that digests very differently from real food. This creates a very specific “challenge” situation that’s useful for diagnosis.
• Day-to-day AIRE 2 readings: In everyday life, your digestive system isn’t empty. It’s filled with food, water, and gases that have built up and changed over time. You’re also eating a mix of foods — some digest quickly, others slowly — which means fermentation patterns look very different. For example, hydrogen can even convert into methane as it lingers in the gut.

Because of these differences, comparing the two tests is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. Both provide valuable information — but they’re designed for different purposes.

What your daily readings really tell you

Instead of thinking of daily readings as a “mini SIBO test,” it may help to reframe them as a reflection of real life digestion. AIRE 2 helps you see:

• How your gut responds to the foods you actually eat.
• How fermentation levels shift throughout the day.
• Whether your patterns change over weeks or months.

This kind of insight can be powerful. It gives you and your healthcare team a fuller picture of your digestive health, beyond the one-time “snapshot” that a SIBO test provides.

Remember — you’re not alone

Managing IBS or SIBO can sometimes feel overwhelming, but tools like AIRE 2 are here to support you with practical, day-to-day data. If you ever feel unsure about your results, or if something doesn’t look right, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [hello@foodmarble.com](). Our team is always happy to listen, answer questions, and help you make sense of your readings.

✨ Takeaway: A SIBO test and daily AIRE 2 readings are different, but together they can give you a broader understanding of your gut. One shows how your body responds under test conditions, the other reflects how your digestion works in daily life.

Updated on: 15/09/2025