MetabolicMarkers

Educational content only, not medical advice. We are not a medical provider; review your results with a licensed physician. Details

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Lab Tests for Bloating, Gas & Irregular Digestion: Where to Start

Turn vague digestive symptoms into concrete biomarkers you can review with your doctor.

Affiliate disclosure: we earn a commission when you purchase lab tests through links on this site, at no extra cost to you. Learn more

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Digestive Health panels from $175.96 with code ULTADH (regularly $219.95); Basic Plus $215.16, Advanced $275.16, Comprehensive $503.16, promotional pricing at time of writing.

At a glance

If you are dealing with bloating, gas, cramping, or bowel habits that keep changing, lab testing can replace guesswork with objective data. Stool and blood tests measure gut inflammation (fecal calprotectin, lactoferrin), screen for H. pylori infection and markers associated with celiac disease, and check how well you are digesting and absorbing nutrients. You can order online without a doctor's visit and bring the results to your clinician to guide next steps.

Best suited for

  • People with persistent bloating, gas, or abdominal pain who want objective answers
  • Anyone with diarrhea, constipation, or alternating bowel habits lasting more than a few weeks
  • Those with reflux, nausea, or discomfort that flares after meals or gluten-containing foods
  • People noticing fatigue, brain fog, unexplained weight change, or skin issues alongside gut symptoms
  • Anyone with a family history of IBD, celiac disease, colon cancer, or peptic ulcer disease

What's included

Digestive Health - Basic Panel

4 tests, 59 biomarkers

Digestive Health - Basic Plus Panel

7 tests, 64 biomarkers

Digestive Health - Advanced Panel

11 tests, 70 biomarkers

Digestive Health - Comprehensive Panel

19 tests, 84 biomarkers

Fecal Calprotectin

stool marker of intestinal inflammation

Fecal Lactoferrin

marker of neutrophil-driven gut inflammation

Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)

screens for hidden (occult) blood in stool

H. pylori Stool Antigen or Urea Breath Test

screens for H. pylori infection, as available

Stool Culture / Ova & Parasite

select panels

tTG-IgA with Total IgA

primary celiac serology screen

Deamidated Gliadin Peptide IgA/IgG

additional celiac serology

Pancreatic Elastase-1 (stool)

measures pancreatic enzyme output

Fecal Fat

fat digestion and absorption

Vitamin B12

nutrient status

Vitamin D (25-OH)

nutrient status

Iron, Ferritin & TIBC

iron status

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)

liver, kidney, glucose, and electrolytes

GGT

liver and biliary marker

Bilirubin

liver and biliary marker

CRP / ESR

systemic inflammation, where offered

Deep-dive the key markers: Fasting Glucose, Vitamin D, Ferritin, eGFR, ALT

Key biomarker ranges

Commonly used adult reference ranges for markers this panel measures, labs vary, so always interpret results against your lab's stated ranges and with your doctor.

Fasting Glucose (mg/dL)

Commonly used reference ranges place fasting glucose at 70–99 mg/dL; results vary with sleep, stress, and recent illness, and labs differ slightly.

Fasting Glucose reference ranges (mg/dL)
ZoneRange
Low5070 mg/dL
Optimal70100 mg/dL
Prediabetic range100126 mg/dL
Diabetic range126160 mg/dL
Vitamin D (25-OH) (ng/mL)

Commonly used cutoffs: below 20 ng/mL deficient, 20–30 insufficient, 30–60 a frequently cited target band; season and supplementation move levels substantially.

Vitamin D (25-OH) reference ranges (ng/mL)
ZoneRange
Deficient020 ng/mL
Insufficient2030 ng/mL
Sufficient3060 ng/mL
High60100 ng/mL
Ferritin (ng/mL)

Commonly used reference ranges differ by sex, roughly 30–200 ng/mL is typical, with men’s upper bounds higher; inflammation can raise ferritin and mask low iron.

Ferritin reference ranges (ng/mL)
ZoneRange
Low030 ng/mL
Typical range30200 ng/mL
Elevated200400 ng/mL

The importance of testing

Digestive symptoms overlap heavily: bloating, cramps, reflux, diarrhea, and constipation can each stem from very different underlying processes. That is why symptom-guided lab testing is useful, instead of trial-and-error diet changes, you get measurable data points. Fecal calprotectin and lactoferrin quantify intestinal inflammation and are often used to help distinguish inflammatory patterns from functional ones, while a FIT test screens for hidden blood in the stool.

If your symptoms lean toward upper-gut discomfort, an H. pylori stool antigen or urea breath test screens for a common bacterial infection associated with gastritis and peptic ulcers. If symptoms flare around meals or gluten, celiac serology (tTG-IgA with total IgA, plus deamidated gliadin antibodies) screens for markers associated with celiac disease, ideally before you remove gluten from your diet, since serology is most informative while gluten is still being eaten; discuss timing with your doctor.

Fatigue, brain fog, weight change, and skin issues alongside gut symptoms can point toward malabsorption. Pancreatic elastase-1 and fecal fat measure digestive capacity, and vitamin B12, vitamin D (25-OH), and iron studies (ferritin, TIBC) show whether nutrient levels are being affected. A CMP, GGT, and bilirubin add liver context, and CRP/ESR tracks systemic inflammation where offered.

Many blood results return in 24–48 hours in a private portal with trend charts, so you can arrive at your next appointment with numbers, not just a list of symptoms, and work with your clinician on what to do next.

Promo code

ULTADH

Save 20% with code ULTADH, limited-time promotion, not combinable with other offers; confirm final pricing on the partner page.

Ready to get your numbers? Order online, visit a nearby draw site, and receive private results to review with your doctor.

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Frequently asked questions

Which lab tests should I get for bloating and gas?

Common starting points for bloating and gas are fecal calprotectin (intestinal inflammation), an H. pylori test (stool antigen or breath), celiac serology (tTG-IgA with total IgA), and pancreatic elastase, chosen based on your symptom pattern and history. A bundled Digestive Health panel covers several of these markers at once, and your doctor can help you interpret results and decide what to do next.

Can these tests tell me whether I have IBS?

No single lab test confirms IBS, these tests measure markers that help you and your doctor narrow down what is going on. Fecal calprotectin and lactoferrin, for example, quantify intestinal inflammation, which clinicians often use to help distinguish inflammatory conditions from functional symptom patterns. Bring your results to your clinician for interpretation and next steps.

Do I need a doctor's appointment to order these tests?

No, you can order online without a doctor's visit because the partner lab provides the physician-authorized requisition. Blood draws are completed at one of 2,100+ US locations, and some stool tests use an at-home collection kit.

Is this testing available in every US state?

No, direct-to-consumer lab testing is restricted or prohibited in New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, so residents of those states may be blocked at the partner's checkout. Availability and turnaround can also vary by location.

Do I need a stool sample, a blood draw, or both?

It depends on the tests you choose, the Digestive Health panels combine blood and stool (specimen type is listed as blood and varied). Inflammation, H. pylori antigen, elastase, and fecal fat tests use stool samples collected with a kit, while celiac serology, nutrient levels, and the metabolic panel come from a standard blood draw. Fasting for 8–12 hours may be recommended for the CMP and iron tests.

How quickly do results come back?

Many blood test results return in 24–48 hours; stool test turnaround varies by assay. Results are delivered to a secure private portal with trend charts, and HSA/FSA cards are accepted at checkout.