Objective: In this study, the duration of enzyme induction provoked by unlabelled lactose ureide (LU) in orocaecal transit time (OCTT) measurements with lactose-[ 13 C]ureide ( 13 C-LU) was evaluated. Design: Experimental study. Setting: University of Rostock, Children's Hospital, Research Laboratory. Subjects: Fifteen healthy adults aged 19-54 years. Intervention: One-half gram of 13 C-LU was administered together with a continental breakfast. After 1 week, the test was repeated after pre-dosing of 5 Â 100 mg LU on the day before the study began. The 13 C-LU ingestion was repeated under identical conditions but without pre-dosing 1 and 3 weeks after pre-dosing. Expired air samples were taken over 14 h. 13 CO 2 -enrichment was measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (SerCon, Crewe, UK). The OCTT was calculated from the interval between 13 C-LU administration and the detection of a significant and sustained 13 C-rise of 2 delta over baseline in breath. Results: Without pre-dosing, an OCTT of 419782 min was measured. The pre-dosing resulted in higher 13 C-enrichments and caused a significant OCTT shortening of 311799 min (P ¼ 0.028). One and 3 weeks after pre-dosing, the measured OCTT again increased to 4047124 and 3797103 min, respectively. Conclusions: Pre-dosing with LU before pulse labelling with 13 C-LU led to an induction of enzyme activity and resulted in a definitive estimation of the OCTT when using a threshold of 2 delta over baseline. After 1 and 3 weeks, respectively, the OCTT was no longer significantly different to those without pre-dosing, indicating the disappearance of enzyme induction. Therefore, a pre-dosing with LU on the day before 13 C-LU ingestion is essential for OCTT measurements.