The Science Behind the GIMate

Part of digestion happens when bacteria breaks down carbohydrates in a process called fermentation. When fermentation occurs in the colon, gases are released, causing symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Some of the gases created by fermentation are then absorbed into the bloodstream.

Eventually, when blood reaches the lungs, these gases are expelled from the body in our breath. The GIMate helps us look at how hydrogen produced by the fermentation of poorly absorbed carbohydrates is associated with uncomfortable abdominal symptoms.

The GIMate measures and records hydrogen levels in your breath before and after eating. These hydrogen levels are mapped to foods eaten and symptoms experienced to create personalized diet suggestions.

This is all in collaboration with your Dietitian, with the goal of feeling your best! The GIMate measures hydrogen gas levels on a scale from 0-100 parts per million. Each person will have a different baseline level and will feel differently at each level. You may find that you feel fine at a certain level. Others, however, could feel miserable at that same level.

How your GIMate Works

The GIMate is a wellness monitor used to measure breath hydrogen. We’re not the first to use this technology — GI clinics, laboratories, and researchers have been using this technology for years. In these settings, patients follow a strict diet, fast in the morning, and then drink a specific solution before their test. Afterward, their breath is checked every 15-60 minutes for up to 4 hours. In contrast, the GIMate does not require a strict diet and you can use it at home. You won’t get a diagnosis based on the readings — but you will see how your body reacts to your meals, snacks, and beverages in the real world, in real-time.