A New Answer to Problems with Your Intestines

Are you bothered by abdominal bloating, gas, flatulence, belching or an irritable bowel (constipation alternating with diarrhea, or maybe predominantly one or the other)?

You may have a condition called “small intestine bacterial overgrowth,” or SIBO, a relatively newly recognized form of intestinal dysbiosis.

You may already know about one kind of intestinal dysbiosis, where candida and/or other bad bugs get the upper hand over the good bugs in your intestines.

SIBO is another kind of intestinal dysbiosis found only in the small intestine—that twenty-foot long convoluted tube curled up in your abdomen that leads from stomach to colon. When bacteria and other microorganisms that usually live in the small intestine, with beneficial or at least neutral effects, proliferate abnormally (“overgrow”), a pathological situation develops. This leads to the kind of symptoms mentioned above, as well as to nausea, leaky gut, malabsorption and deficiencies in certain nutrients, including iron, vitamin B12, and the fat-soluble vitamins.

They say SIBO may lead to problems outside the gut as well, such as GERD, headache, fatigue, joint and muscle pain (people with fibromyalgia commonly have SIBO), and certain skin conditions, and play a role in many different diseases.

Some other indications that you may have SIBO are experiencing a dramatic improvement in symptoms when you take antibiotics (either herbal or prescription), or a dramatic worsening of symptoms when you take prebiotics or ingest lots of fiber. Another indication is having a low iron level with no apparent cause.

Stool tests are of no value in diagnosing SIBO. Instead, a breath test is used. When bacteria and other microorganisms overgrow in the small intestine, they produce a lot of gas. Bacteria produce hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide gas, and a microorganism called M. Smithii produces methane gas. These gases can be measured in your breath.

Treatment for SIBO is complex, and you’ll probably want to work with a healthcare practitioner. It involves following a diet low in specific carbohydrates, such as grains and starchy vegetables, and taking herbal or pharmaceutical antibacterials to eradicate the excess bacteria. Berberine is one herb that’s been used. Once your breath test is negative, preventing a relapse involves continuing a restricted diet and taking various supplements, including probiotics (but not prebiotics) and nutrients to heal the intestine, like cod liver oil and curcumin.

Taking probiotics (good bacteria) may seem counterintuitive when your goal is to reduce bacterial load, but the doctors point out that the few studies done on probiotics and SIBO have found them to be useful. Anecdotal evidence also supports the use of a potent probiotic like Beyond Health’s Probiotic Formula.

If you’ve been struggling with irritable bowel syndrome and/or any of its related symptoms, getting treated appropriately for SIBO could be life-changing!