Do you find yourself feeling uncomfortably bloated after eating?
Maybe you suffer from embarrasing gas or burping?
Or have you battled with IBS your whole life and had no relief?
These are common complaints from individuals who have SIBO.
WHAT IS SIBO?
SIBO stands for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. In a healthy person, most of your bacteria (trillions of it) resides in the large intestine (colon). However in SIBO, the bacteria has overgrown into the small intestine. This bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine interferes with the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients, damages the digestive lining (causing leaky gut syndrome), and causes uncomfortable symptoms.
SIBO SYMPTOMS
* Bloating
* Smelly gas
* Abdominal pain
* Diarrhoea and/or Constipation
* Burping
* Reflux
* Food sensitivies
* Bad reaction to probiotics or fermented foods like sauerkraut
* Fatigue
* Iron and B12 deficiency
* Skin issues like rosacea and acne
* Poor immune function
* Pain & Inflammation
SIBO TIP
Do you find your digestive symptoms worsen when you try and do the good things like eats lots of fibre, raw vegetables or even fermented foods?
This is a key hallmark sign of SIBO!
THE ROLE OF ACID
There are various reasons as to why you might develop SIBO. However the most common reason we see is due to low stomach acid. Our gastric juices are needed to digest our food and kill off any bacteria higher up in the gastrointestinal tract. So ensuring your digestive secretions are working optimally is key to treatment and prevention.
COMMON CAUSES
* Gastroenteritis (“I’ve never been the same since that bug…!”)
* Medications such as acid reflux meds and the oral contraceptive pill
* Chronic stress (reduces our stomach acid and can affect our motility)
* High sugar diet
* Hypothyroidism
ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS
Nutritional Deficiencies + Intolerances
SIBO damages the surface of our small intestine, which reduces our ability to digest food, often resulting in lactose intolerance. It also reduces our absorption of protein, vitamins and minerals. This results in nutritional deficiencies which in the long term can result in chronic health issues.
IBS
SIBO is the leading cause of IBS and commonly misdiagnosed. In 84% of IBS cases, it’s actually SIBO. This is because the symptoms and underlying causes are very similar, however SIBO has some distinctions and the treatment is different to that of IBS.
Immune Dysfunction
80% of our immune system resides in our small intestine. So needless to say if the bacteria are imbalanced here, then our ability to fight off pathogens is reduced, making us more susceptible to infections.
Other Related Health Issues
* Interstitial Cystitis
* Fibromyalgia
* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
TESTING
A simple at home breath test can detect whether or not SIBO is present and which particular treatment options will work best for you. Your practitioner can order this test for you. For some individuals where symptoms are so distinct, testing may not even be required, depending on the practitioner’s advice. For more info on SIBO and testing, watch this video here…
TREATMENT OPTIONS
In the medical world, SIBO is treated using antibiotics. However antibiotic therapy does not discriminate, killing all of the good and bad bacteria. Antibiotic therapy does not work 100% of the time, and relapse is frequent. Specific anti-microbial and anti-bacterial herbs do a fantastic job at treating SIBO.
For long term results and to resolve any symptoms; addressing the diet, starving the bacteria and restoring absorption of nutrients is key. And we offer personalised treatment programs for SIBO and any associated conditions.
If you think you might suffer from SIBO and you want to investigate it further or resolve your digestion for good,
then contact us directly for any questions, or book your next appointment online!
