In: Anatomy and Physiology
1. As hydrogen gas from the intestines enters the blood stream, will this affect the blood plasma?
(Remember, hydrogen gas is H2). Do you expect this to alter the blood pH? Why or why not?
2. Can you think of another test you might do to determine a person’s lactase status? (besides hydrogen breath test)
1. Presence of hydrogen ions will alter the blood pH, it will decrease the blood pH. Blood pH is normally 7.35-7.45. Sometimes, however, blood pH decreases to below 7.35 and becomes acidic. This occurs due to the presence of hydrogen ions, The number of H+ ions increases as the pH number decreases and vice versa.
An acid is a substance that increases the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution, usually by dissociating one of its hydrogen atoms
2. Besides hydrogen breath test, other test to determine a person's lactase staus include, Lactose tolerance test and Stool acidity test
Lactose tolerance test, In this test a doctor will instruct you to drink liquid containing lactose and after two hours, your doctor will take a blood sample to measure how much glucose is in your blood. If your blood glucose level does not rise, this means that your body is not digesting or absorbing lactose.
Stool acidity test, this test is usually performed on infants or small children, as they are not eligible for other tests.