Katarzyna Pawłowska 
10.08.2026 Table of contents
You may get used to bloating, stomach ache or problems with bowel movements. However, your body shouldn’t be forced to live with a symptom whose cause nobody has investigated. Recurring gastrointestinal complaints are easily dismissed as the result of stress, diet or simply „part of life”. However, persistent symptoms may require more thorough diagnosis, and simply masking them with further dietary changes does not always solve the problem.
Intestinal surveys They help to assess the condition of the digestive tract and identify the causes of any symptoms. Depending on the symptoms and the suspected problem, diagnostic tests may include, amongst other things, blood test and stool tests. The scope of these tests should be determined on a case-by-case basis, based on symptoms, medical history and clinical assessment.
It is not, therefore, a question of carrying out a random set of tests, but of targeted diagnostics, which can help determine the cause of chronic symptoms. It is worth bearing in mind that not every bowel problem can be diagnosed on the basis of a single test, and the results need to be interpreted in the context of the overall clinical picture.
Basic diagnostic markers
The majority of information about the condition of the bowel is provided by three main groups of indicators, which help to differentiate the causes of the discomfort and establish a treatment plan.
Indicators of intestinal inflammation
| Study | Material | Role in diagnosis |
| Faecal calprotectin | Faeces | It is first-line marker in the assessment of inflammation. Elevated calprotectin levels are indicative of active neutrophil migration into the intestinal wall, suggesting inflammation or inflammatory bowel disease (such as UC or Crohn's disease), helping to differentiate it from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). |
| CRP (C-reactive protein) | Blood | Overall indicator acute and chronic inflammation throughout the body, including the digestive system. |
Indicators of the intestinal barrier (leaky gut syndrome)
| Study | Material | Role in diagnosis |
| Zonulin | Serum or faeces | Marker that assesses intestinal permeability. It is a protein that regulates the so-called. close connections. Elevated zonulin is indicative of disruption of the intestinal barrier (leaks), which can lead to the penetration of undigested food residues and toxins into the bloodstream, causing systemic reactions. |
| Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) | Blood | Bacterial endotoxin penetration rate (parts of the wall of Gram-negative bacteria) through the damaged intestinal barrier into the bloodstream, confirming the leaky gut. |
Assessment of digestion and absorption
| Study | Material | Role in diagnosis |
| Pancreatic elastase | Faeces | Evaluates the exocrine capacity of the pancreas. Low values indicate problems with the production of digestive enzymes, leading to poorer absorption of nutrients. |
| Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) | Faeces | Analysis of metabolites produced by the gut microbiota (e.g. butyrate, acetate). Good SCFAs are essential to nourish colonocytes (intestinal cells) and improve barrier integrity. |
Indications for bowel examinations
Intestinal surveys are recommended for:
- Chronic digestive complaints - recurrent abdominal pain, bloating, irregular bowel movements (diarrhoea or constipation).
- Suspected inflammatory bowel disease - to monitor disease activity or to distinguish it from irritable bowel syndrome.
- Autoimmune diseases - where co-occurrence of intestinal barrier disorders (e.g. Hashimoto’s disease) is frequently observed.
- Unclear systemic symptoms - chronic fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, skin problems (acne, eczema) with no obvious cause.
Another worrying sign is the unjustified weight loss, loss of appetite and vomiting. Early detection of bowel disease increases the chances of a quick cure. For the sake of your own health, remember never to underestimate these symptoms.
What bowel tests are worth having?
You could spend months trying to improve your digestion, cutting out one food after another and alleviating your symptoms, and still not know what’s actually going on in your gut. Bloating, abdominal pain, bowel movement problems or recurring symptoms are often put down to diet or stress. However, if the problem keeps coming back, constantly trying to find a solution by trial and error may simply delay a proper diagnosis.
There is no single, universal set of tests that can assess the condition of the gut in every patient. The scope of diagnostic tests should depend primarily on the symptoms present, their severity and any suspicion of a specific problem. Depending on the situation, the doctor may recommend blood tests, stool tests or more detailed tests which assess, amongst other things, inflammation and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
If gastrointestinal symptoms persist or recur, it is advisable to start with a consultation and appropriate diagnostic tests. This enables you to look for the causes of the problem, rather than endlessly focusing solely on alleviating its symptoms.
Sources:
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) „Faecal calprotectin diagnostic tests for inflammatory bowel diseases (DG11)”
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/dg11 - The BMJ „Faecal calprotectin for screening patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease: a diagnostic meta-analysis”
https://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c3369 - Wiley Online Library „Zonulin and its regulation of intestinal barrier function: the biological gateway to inflammation and autoimmunity”
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06538.x - American Diabetes Association (Diabetes) „Metabolic Endotoxemia Initiates Obesity and Insulin Resistance”
https://diabetesjournals.org/diabetes/article/56/7/1761/14101/ - United European Gastroenterology (UEG Journal) „United European Gastroenterology evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis (HaPanEU)” https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1177/2050640616684695
- Frontiers in Endocrinology: „Formation of short-chain fatty acids by the gut microbiota and their impact on human metabolism”
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2016.00010/full - ScienceDirect (Gastroenterology) „Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: History, Pathophysiology, Clinical Features and Rome IV”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016508516002237
+48 600 100 177