HYDROGEN AND METHANE PRODUCTION IN MAN*

Abstract

For many years it has been known that hydrogen and methane are produced by bacteria and that these gases may be present in high concentration in flatus.Recently, Nielsen has developed methods to measure hydrogen and methane in expired air,l and Calloway has related the breath hydrogen concentration to the ingestion of certain foods.2There are, however, few data on the site and rate of formation of H2 and CH4 in man.In our studies a constant-infusion technique ordinarily used for the study of intestinal absorption of liquids was modified to obtain quantitative data on human intestinal gas production. MethodNine young control subjects were intubated with a triple-lumen polyvinyl tube constructed so that the three orifices of the tube were separated by intervals of 60 cm.