What is SIBO?

SIBO stands for Small Intestional Bacterial Overgrowth

An accumulation or colonization of commensal gastrointestional bacteria in the small intestine resulting in abdominal symptoms.

Symtoms Include:

• IBS – Abdomnial Bloating, Abdominal Pain, Diarrhea, Constiaption, or Mixed
• Food Sensitivitites
• Acid Reflux (GERD)
• Nausea
• Anxiety
• Brain Fog
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Etc

Did you know there are three main types of SIBO?

Here’s a simple breakdown:

1. Hydrogen SIBO:
   This type happens when certain types of bacteria — like E. coli or Klebsiella — grow where they shouldn’t. They release a lot of hydrogen gas, which can cause bloating, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

2. Methane SIBO:
   This version is caused by a different type of tiny organism (not exactly bacteria) called Methanobrevibacter smithii. It produces methane gas instead of hydrogen. Methane SIBO usually leads to constipation and slower digestion — meaning food feels like it just sits in your gut.

3. Hydrogen Sulfide SIBO:
   Here, other bacteria like Fusobacterium and Desulfovibrio are to blame. They create hydrogen sulfide gas, which smells like rotten eggs. People with this type might experience gas, diarrhea, and sometimes even strange symptoms like brain fog or sensitivity to smells

Common Signs of SIBO

When Your Body Isn’t Absorbing Nutrients Properly (Malabsorption):
Sometimes your body can’t absorb the nutrients it needs from food. This can lead to problems like low iron (causing tiredness and weakness), low B12 (causing fatigue and nerve issues), too much folate, trouble absorbing healthy fats, and low levels of important vitamins like A, D, E, and K, as well as omega-3s.

Leaky Gut:
When your gut lining isn’t working right, it can let things into your body that shouldn’t be there. This can cause symptoms like headaches, joint pain, skin problems, and brain fog (feeling mentally cloudy or forgetful).

Other Conditions That Can Happen Along With These Problems:
You might also deal with things like rosacea (skin redness), restless legs at night, bladder pain (Interstitial Cystitis), psoriasis (skin issues), and rheumatoid arthritis (painful, swollen joints).

What Can Put You at Risk for SIBO?

• Food poisoning (like getting sick from bad food)

• Low stomach acid (your gut needs acid to protect itself!)

• Taking acid-blocker meds like Omeprazole for too long

• A weakened immune system

• Chronic illnesses like Lyme disease, mold toxicity, or infections

• Past belly surgeries (scar tissue and blockages can mess with digestion)

How We Find and Treat SIBO

• Breath Testing:
  You drink a special sugar drink (like lactulose or glucose), then breathe into a machine over 3 hours. It checks for gases that can show if you have SIBO.

• Other Helpful Tests:
  We can also look at your blood for certain antibodies or run a urine test (called an Organic Acids Test) to give more clues — even though it doesn’t officially diagnose SIBO, it can still be really helpful.

How We Treat SIBO

• Special Diets:
  We use plans like the SIBO Specific Food Guide, Low FODMAP Diet, or the SIBO Bi-Phasic Diet to help reduce symptoms and starve the bad bacteria.

• Natural Remedies:
  Herbal treatments like Allicin (from garlic), Berberine, Oregano, and Neem can help kill off the extra bacteria.

• Prescription Medications:
  Sometimes we use an antibiotic called Xifaxan (Rifaximin), which stays in your gut to target the problem.

• Elemental Diet:
  This is a liquid-only diet with easy-to-digest nutrients that gives your gut a break while you heal.