The time-course of the contamination of exogenous hydrogen from cigarette smoke on postprandial breath hydrogen concentration was evaluated in 10 subjects, six regular smokers and four occasional smokers. Breath hydrogen values were determined by gas chromatography 10 min, 5 min, and immediately prior to smoking a filter cigarette; during smoking from a sample of exhaled air containing smoke; and 5, 10, and 15 min after extinguishing the cigarette. A three- to 137-fold increase above basal hydrogen concentrations was produced by exhaled cigarette smoke, but most subjects had re-equilibrated to baseline values within 10 to 15 min after the cigarette. If subjects undergoing clinical hydrogen breath tests cannot refrain from smoking during the duration of the test, one should allow an interval of at least 15 min from the end of smoking to the collection of a breath sample.