A healthy, diverse gut bacteria is essential for well-being.
However, an excessive growth of this bacterium within the small intestine – referred to as SIBO could cause serious issues.
This article offers a comprehensive examination of SIBO and the diet changes that are proven to be beneficial.
What exactly is SIBO?
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a digestive disorder marked by the presence of excessive bacteria that reside in the small intestine.
These bacteria ferment (interact in a way with the food and other nutrients) to produce a broad variety of symptoms.
In contrast to your large intestine (also called the colon or gut) which is the largest of your gut flora, the small intestine shouldn’t contain a significant amount of bacteria.
SIBO is not common in middle-aged and young adults, however it is believed to be present in about 14% of patients older than on average.
Common Risk Factors for SIBO
Researchers believe that SIBO is caused due to a combination of lower pancreatic enzymes as well as bile acids, as well as gut motility.
In turn, certain medical circumstances or lifestyle choices can increase the chances for developing SIBO:
Gastrointestinal disorders: Examples include the post-infectious IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
The long-term use of antacids A long-term usage of antacids (such like omeprazole) decreases the production of acid within the stomach. Inconsistently low levels stomach acid may cause an overgrowth of bacterial cells within the stomach as well as the small intestinal.
Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Disorders that can affect our immune system, like AIDS and IgA antibodies – can create the perfect setting for bacteria that are harmful to flourish.
Celiac illness: Celiac disease can disturb the way food is moved through intestinal tract, especially when it is not diagnosed or is not properly managed. This can lead to an increase in bacteria growth in the gut.
Aging: Generally speaking, older individuals are at a higher risk of developing SIBO as the digestive tract becomes weaker as we get older. It is believed that this is due to a decrease in physical exercise, weight gain, continuous medication use, and general weakening of the digestive tract.
Alcoholism: Long-term alcohol consumption is believed to increase the likelihood of SIBO.
Gastroparesis: There’s an obvious overlap in symptoms, and it appears those suffering from gastroparesis (also called delay in gastric emptying) have a higher likelihood to suffer from SIBO.
Many other diseases are associated with an increased SIBO risk, however more research is required. This includes hypothyroidism, C. r. o. colitis, ulcerative the fibromyalgia syndrome, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease and much more.
Summary: The chance of developing SIBO is significantly increased due to various conditions and causes which are usually related to a decreased function and effectiveness of the intestines.
SIBO Symptoms
Many SIBO patients exhibit distinct symptoms and signs.
They often occur in conjunction with other ailments, like IBS. The most frequently encountered issues are:
Fatigue
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea and bloating
Lack of absorption of nutrients, which can lead to deficiency
Insufficiency and weight loss.
Certain people might also experience anxiety and skin issues like acne and eczema.
The intensity of symptoms could be different, too.
Although some people may suffer from diarrhea and vitamin deficiencies that are milder Others may suffer from massive nutrient malabsorption as well as impaired digestion.
Nutrient Deficiencies
If left untreated for a long time, SIBO can cause several mineral and vitamin deficiencies.
Vitamin B12 deficiencies are among the most frequent deficiencies, in addition to fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E and K.
Mineral deficiencies, such as calcium, iron and magnesium are common among SIBO patients.
Summary SIBO signs range from digestion distress to severe nutritional deficiency. They can be like IBS.
Diagnosing SIBO: Hydrogen Breath Test
SIBO is a very undiagnosed and under-treated condition.
This is because a huge part in our small intestinal tract are difficult to access without surgery.
Luckily, tests that are non-invasive have been created to help with this, such as tests that are non-invasive, such as the Hydrogen Breath tests. This test can also be used to determine typical food allergies, IBS or H. Pylori infection.
The First Line of Treatment: SIBO and Antibiotics
Diet alone won’t rid you of SIBO So you’ll require herbal remedies or antibiotics (or either) as the initial method of treatment.
The most common SIBO treatment for unwelcome growth of bacteria is antibiotics.
Antibiotics are made to kill bacteria. That is the reason they are prescribed if you are suffering from an infection.
The most commonly used antibiotics include rifaximin, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole.
Rifaximin is among the studied antibiotic to treat SIBO and has a success rate of approximately 50% after one week. Combining rifaximin with the other antibiotic, Neomycin, has been proven to be about 90% efficient after a period of 10 days.
Here’s the recommended therapy according to the information provided by an SIBO symposium held in 2014:
Patients who have a positive smell test for hydrogen: 550 mg of rifaximin 3 times daily during 14 consecutive for 14 days (not taking any other dose).
Patients who have positive breath tests for methane: 550 mg of rifaximin three times a day and 500 mg of neomycin twice per each day over 14 days. Alternatively, 550 mg of rifaximin three times a day, along with 250 mg metronidazole three times a each day over 14 days.
The treatment for antibiotics should be accompanied by a prokinetic (which improves the intestinal tract’s mobility) for 3 months, then a follow-up breath test, followed by following a low FODMAP diet (more on that in the following).
Herbal Antibiotics
Herbal antibiotics are another alternative, with over 50 percent of patients who do not succeed with rifaximin report success with herbs for treatment. This particular research, it involved Dysbiocide as well as FC Cidal or Candibactin AR and Candibactin BR.
A few people might have to take multiple doses of herbal or pharmaceutical antibiotics to stop all growth of bacteria.
Remember that herbal antibiotics should be administered with the guidance of a physician. They may interfere with other medicines.
But don’t rely too much on Antibiotics
The issue with antibiotics, either pharmaceutical as well as herbal is that that they do not distinguish between bad and good bacteria They kill all bacteria.
In the long run, prolonged use can lead to severe digestive issues and is linked to many other health issues, including obesity and insulin resistance.
SIBO antibiotics are only temporary “band-aid” treatment they do not tackle the root of the issue. This is the reason why patients who are treated with antibiotics are more likely to experience SIBO relapse yet again.
In actual fact, a study of antibiotic therapy by itself as opposed to antibiotics and guar-guar Gum supplementation (a fermentable carb) observed that rate of success was increased between 62% and 87% when addition of guar gum.
This isn’t logical since it found that the use of guar gum (which provides a source of the gut microbes) proved to be more advantageous than harming. This is also in line with research that shows that prebiotics and probiotics, which are additional bacteria, are beneficial (more about that later).
Thus, antibiotics can be beneficial in the short-term (and often required) however they are not an all-time solution they are certainly not an end-to-end cure by themselves.
Summary: Antibiotics are beneficial (and frequently necessary) for short-term use in treating SIBO. However, patients who exclusively rely on them are most likely to experience relapse. They also kill good and bad bacteria, which can be very detrimental for long-term health.
