Symptoms of SIBO are nonspecific and include bloating, abdominal distension, abdominal pain or discomfort, diarrhea, fatigue, and weakness. The frequency and severity of symptoms likely reflect both the degree of bacterial overgrowth along with the extent of mucosal inflammation.
When you have SIBO, the bile acids responsible for the breakdown and absorption of fat are deficient, resulting in a pale-colored stool that is also bulky and malodorous.
For most people, the initial way to treat bacterial overgrowth is with antibiotics. Doctors may start this treatment if your symptoms and medical history strongly suggest this is the cause, even when test results are inconclusive or without any testing at all.
But did you know that SIBO may also cause non-digestive symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, poor mood, headache, joint pain and much more? If you struggle with fatigue and other unexplained SIBO symptoms, gut treatments like probiotics and diet might not be top of mind.
Left untreated, SIBO can lead to serious complications including nutrient deficiencies, dehydration and malnutrition. The condition is treatable, but it can also recur. If you suspect you have SIBO, it's important to work with an experienced physician.
If you have SIBO it means that the bacteria have either overgrown from your large intestine into your small intestine. Symptoms of SIBO include: Loose, pale and foul-smelling stools.
Common symptoms of SIBO, including gas and bloating, abdominal pain and distension are uncomfortable enough. But left unmanaged, SIBO can cause more serious complications with long-term consequences. Malabsorption of fats, proteins and carbohydrates can lead to malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.
Flatulence/wind – again some wind is normal, after all everybody farts! Patients with SIBO are often very windy and the wind can be very smelly. For a SIBO patient this can mean not going out and may cause some relationship difficulties!
Symptoms of SIBO are nonspecific and include bloating, abdominal distension, abdominal pain or discomfort, diarrhea, fatigue, and weakness.
This type of SIBO occurs when bacteria in the small intestine consume the hydrogen gas made by other bacteria to produce hydrogen sulfide, the gas that smells like rotten eggs. Hydrogen Sulfide SIBO may correlate with diarrhea.
How is it diagnosed? You may have a blood draw for laboratory tests. Imaging of your GI tract may be ordered. Examination of the tissue of the GI tract itself with an upper endoscopy or colonoscopy may be obtained.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) are two gastrointestinal conditions that share many symptoms, including bloating, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel movements. But IBS affects the large intestine, while SIBO, as the name suggests, is a problem with the small intestine.
SIBO often leads to more-frequent-than-normal bowel movements.
Surprisingly, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a fairly common bacterial disorder. It can often go undiagnosed for years and make your quality of life very poor. SIBO is a dysfunction of the small bowel that allows bacteria to proliferate above normal levels.
An anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, good quality sleep, and probiotics are all strategies to put in place before trying antimicrobials or antibiotics to get rid of bad bacteria.
Methane-producing SIBO has been shown to cause constipation and may cause a slower transit time, which means that food stays in the digestive tract longer than it should2. This slower transit time can lead to various symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain and weight gain.
During the first few days of treatment with either of these agents, some patients will experience increased or worsened symptoms of bloating and abdominal discomfort as well as fatigue and body aches. This effect is called the “die-off reaction”.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when there is an abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine — particularly types of bacteria not commonly found in that part of the digestive tract. This condition is sometimes called blind loop syndrome.
Doctors can diagnose SIBO by carrying out a lactulose breath test or a small bowel aspirate and culture test. The treatment for SIBO usually involves taking one or more antibiotics to remove the overgrowth of bacteria. The effectiveness of other treatments, such as probiotics, is less clear.
Lifestyle Changes for SIBO
Drink plenty of fresh water throughout the day to stay properly hydrated. It's also important to manage stress during healing. Yoga, barre, tai chi, regular exercise and acupuncture can help reduce stress levels and keep you motivated to stay on track with the SIBO diet.
Yes, you can eat bananas with SIBO. However, the low FODMAP diet, the SCD, and the GAPS diet all differ in banana consumption recommendations. If you are following the low FODMAP diet, an unripe, green banana may be eaten while a ripe banana may not.
Eggs will not feeds SIBO and can be consumed in any amount according to the anti-SIBO diet.
Many with SIBO have low stomach acid. Increasing stomach acid helps normalize the pH throughout the digestive system and prevent overgrowth. Some ways to increase stomach acid include taking apple cider vinegar or digestive bitters before meals or supplementing with HCl during meals.