Helicobacter pylori

check icon Optimal Result: 0 - 1 x10^3 CFU/g.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a spiral-shaped bacterium that lives in the lining of the stomach and, in some cases, the upper small intestine. It is one of the most common bacteria found in humans worldwide. While many people carry H. pylori without symptoms, in some individuals it can cause inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis), ulcers, and, over time, digestive discomfort or nutrient absorption issues.

H. pylori is typically acquired during childhood and can persist throughout life if untreated. It spreads mainly through saliva, food, or water contaminated with the bacteria.

What does it mean if your Helicobacter pylori result is too high?

What Does It Mean If H. pylori Is Elevated or Detected on a Gut Panel?

A positive or elevated H. pylori result indicates that this bacterium is present in your gastrointestinal tract.
In the context of a Microbiome or Comprehensive Gut Panel, this finding may suggest bacterial overgrowth or imbalance, and in some cases, an active or chronic gastric infection.

While some individuals remain symptom-free, elevated H. pylori can lead to:

  • Inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis)

  • Stomach or duodenal ulcers

  • Bloating, nausea, or upper abdominal pain

  • Impaired stomach acid balance (H. pylori can reduce stomach acid production over time)

  • Increased risk of nutrient deficiencies, especially vitamin B12, iron, and folate

In rare cases, chronic infection can increase the risk of gastric cancer or mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.


Typical Reference Range

H. pylori Result Interpretation
Not Detected / Within Normal Range Normal — no evidence of H. pylori
Detected / Elevated H. pylori present — may indicate infection or overgrowth

(The exact cutoff for “elevated” depends on the testing method used, such as stool antigen, DNA-based testing, or breath testing.)


Common Causes and Risk Factors for H. pylori Infection

  • Person-to-person transmission (saliva, shared utensils)

  • Contaminated food or water

  • Crowded living conditions during childhood

  • Low stomach acid or frequent antacid use (which makes the stomach environment more hospitable for H. pylori)

  • Weakened immune function or high levels of oxidative stress


Symptoms Associated with Elevated H. pylori

Many people with H. pylori infection have no symptoms, but when symptoms occur, they can include:

  • Bloating, burping, or feeling full quickly after eating

  • Upper abdominal discomfort or pain

  • Nausea or loss of appetite

  • Reflux or indigestion

  • Fatigue due to poor nutrient absorption

  • In more advanced cases, symptoms of ulcers such as burning pain or black stools


Health Implications

If H. pylori is detected at high levels or in combination with other signs of gut inflammation, it may:

  • Disrupt the protective stomach lining, leading to ulcers and gastritis

  • Alter stomach acidity, affecting digestion and the balance of beneficial gut bacteria

  • Reduce nutrient absorption, particularly iron, B12, and folate

  • Trigger immune activation and inflammation, which can impact the entire gut ecosystem

A persistent H. pylori infection may also affect gut microbiome diversity, contributing to symptoms of dysbiosis (gut imbalance).


What To Do If H. pylori Is Elevated

  1. Confirm the result with your healthcare provider

    • Depending on symptoms, your doctor may order additional tests (such as a urea breath test or stool antigen test) to confirm active infection.

  2. Treatment options

    • Standard therapy usually involves a combination of antibiotics with acid-suppressing medications (called triple or quadruple therapy) to eradicate the infection.

    • It’s important to complete the full treatment course and retest afterward to ensure the bacteria have been cleared.

  3. Support gut healing

    • After eradication therapy, support the gut microbiome with probiotics, prebiotic-rich foods, and anti-inflammatory nutrients (such as glutamine and zinc carnosine).

    • Avoid alcohol, smoking, and NSAIDs, which can irritate the stomach lining.

  4. Optimize diet

    • Focus on whole foods rich in antioxidants (berries, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables).

    • Avoid overly processed or spicy foods that may worsen symptoms.

  5. Monitor for recurrence

    • H. pylori can sometimes return if the gut environment remains imbalanced.

    • Maintaining healthy gut flora, good hygiene, and digestive balance can help prevent reinfection.


Key Takeaway

An elevated Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) level on a microbiome or gut panel indicates the presence of a bacterium that can irritate the stomach lining, disrupt digestion, and lead to ulcers or nutrient deficiencies if untreated.

While some individuals remain symptom-free, persistent H. pylori should be addressed through medical treatment and gut-healing support to restore digestive balance and prevent long-term complications.

All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.

Laboratories

Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place

We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.

lab corp logo
genova diagnostics logo
quest diagnostics logo
dutch test logo
doctors data logo
vibrant america logo
diagnostic solutions logo
zrt laboratory logo
the great plains laboratory logo
cyrex laboratories logo
spectracell logo

Pricing Table

decoration

Personal plans

$15/ month

Complete Plan

Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track all results with visual tools
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export your full lab history anytime
  • Share results securely with anyone
  • Begin with first report entered
  • Cancel or upgrade anytime

$250/ once

Unlimited Account

Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track all results with visual tools
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export your full lab history anytime
  • Share results securely with anyone
  • Receive 10 reports entered for you
  • Skip the $15/month subscription — no recurring payments ever

$45/ month

Pro Monthly

Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track lab results for multiple clients
  • Customize reference ranges per client
  • Export lab histories and reports
  • Begin with first report entered by us
  • Cancel or upgrade anytime

About membership

What's included in a Healthmatters membership

microscope icon Import Lab Results from Any Source

person icon See Your Health Timeline

book icon Understand What Your Results Mean

textbook icon

textbook icon Visualize Your Results

folder icon

folder icon

card icon Securely Share With Anyone You Trust

Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story

What Healthmatters Members Are Saying

5 stars rating

I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with  any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.

Anthony

Unlimited Plan Member since 2021

5 stars rating

What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!

Karin

Advanced Plan Member since 2020

5 stars rating

As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!

Paul

Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.

  • Individuals who want to track and understand their health over time.
  • Health professionals, such as doctors, nutritionists, and wellness coaches, need to manage and interpret lab data for their clients.

With a Healthmatters account, you can:

  • Upload lab reports from any lab
  • View your data in interactive graphs, tables, and timelines
  • Track trends and monitor changes over time
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export and share your full lab history
  • Access your results anytime, from any device

Professionals can also analyze client data more efficiently and save time managing lab reports.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

shield icon

We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.

gdpr compliance image hipaa compliance image