Stop Suffering from SIBO: How to Manage and Cure Your Gut Issues

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Stop Suffering from SIBO: How to Manage and Cure Your Gut Issues
Digestive issues can really wreak havoc on your quality of life. An invitation to a birthday party or a dinner with friends can suddenly become a source of anxiety when the reality of managing these issues kicks in. But before you think about politely declining that next invite, know that there is hope! What is SIBO? SIBO is an acronym for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. It’s an uncomfortable digestive condition that occurs when too many bacteria live in the small intestine. SIBO is estimated to affect around 36 million people in the US alone. Your gut microbiome is designed to flourish with all kinds of diversity from the food you eat. Those nutrients should be processed and digested through your large intestine and your colon. But for some people, those microbes start setting up camp in the small intestine, a place that’s meant to be sterile. This unwelcome colonization creates issues with digestion and nutrient absorption. There are three different types of SIBO, each named for the type of gas produced:
  • Hydrogen-dominant: This is the most common type, producing side effects like bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and dehydration.
  • Methane-dominant: The second most common SIBO diagnosis, leading to symptoms such as constipation and weight gain.
  • Sulfide-dominant: Referring to an over-abundance of naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide, this type causes diarrhea, constipation, gas, bad breath, light and sound sensitivity, and a tingling sensation in your hands and feet.
What’s the Difference Between SIBO, IBS, and Leaky Gut Syndrome? Oftentimes, you’ll hear the terms IBS, Leaky Gut, and SIBO all lumped together. One reason for this is because IBS and Leaky Gut Syndrome often occur together. You can differentiate this trio by their location. SIBO and Leaky Gut Syndrome are small intestine issues, while IBS is most often a large intestine issue. Usually, people who have been diagnosed with IBS and Leaky Gut already have SIBO, and it’s actually the SIBO that is causing Leaky Gut and IBS. Here’s how the issues compare: IBS | Irritable Bowel Syndrome: An elimination issue that is often linked to SIBO. It causes bloating, abdominal discomfort, gas, constipation, and diarrhea. Leaky Gut | Intestinal Hyper-permeability: A condition where microtears in the cells of the small intestine allow leakage of molecules into the bloodstream. This triggers an immune response that can cause issues with digestion, joint pain, allergies, skin conditions, fatigue, and fibromyalgia. What causes SIBO? When food doesn’t pass through the small intestine as it should, the bacteria hang on and start causing problems. There are a few reasons why your small intestine might not be passing food normally. One potential culprit is a lack of gastric acid. Hydrochloric acid and pancreatic enzymes are responsible for helping dissolve your food. Without enough of them, the movement of solids slows down. What doesn’t get dissolved colonizes your small intestine because there’s no other outlet if it’s not moving through your digestive tract. The most common bacteria found in the small intestines of those who suffer from SIBO are Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Klebsiella pneumonia, and Proteus mirabilis. Essentially, they ferment the carbohydrates from the food you eat, which leads to unpleasant side effects like gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Signs that you could be predisposed to SIBO-causing bacteria:
  • Food allergies or sensitivities
  • Recent food poisoning
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Yeast/candida overgrowth
  • Thyroid problems
  • An imbalance of serotonin or dopamine
  • Frequent use of antibiotics
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Low stomach acid
  • Not enough fiber
  • A diet high in carbohydrates
  • Zinc deficiency
  • High-stress lifestyle
  • Insomnia
Can You Cure SIBO? The simple answer is yes, but knowing exactly how to cure and/or manage your SIBO takes work. That’s because you first have to determine which type of SIBO you have. Then you can start to address issues related to the bacteria that are causing your specific gas-dominant type. Here are the most common approaches to curing SIBO: Medication: Many people turn to antibiotics to reduce bacterial overgrowth. This can be effective in the short term, but for most people, it’s not a cure. Once the effects of the antibiotics taper off, underlying conditions like motility disorder or malabsorptive disorder will persist. If you’ve tried antibiotics and your SIBO keeps coming back, then you may want to consider the role that stress and anxiety could be playing in your recurring SIBO. When you’re stressed out, your body produces less stomach acid, affecting the motility of your small intestine. Stress and anxiety also negatively affect your immune system by reducing the good bacteria and allowing the bad to thrive. Diet: A diet low in fermentable carbohydrates can help you cure and manage SIBO. Our team of experts at Project You Be Well has created a customizable SIBO diet that has brought long-term relief to many SIBO clients over the years. Often recommended for people with IBS, research shows that it can help 60-70% of those who suffer from it. While research is still lacking in its efficacy for SIBO, we can connect the dots since SIBO is often the underlying cause of IBS. Herbs: Another route you can take is the botanical one. Herbs have shown a lot of promise when you know exactly which type of SIBO bacteria you need to target. Ginger has long been used as a good bacteria-promoting root. If you know you suffer from methane-dominant SIBO, allicin, an extract of garlic, and peppermint oil have been shown to help treat methanogenic bacteria. Studies have also shown that oregano oil and berberine, a compound found in turmeric and goldenseal, can treat SIBO bacterial overgrowth by killing intestinal microbes. No matter which approach you take for curing your SIBO, dietary changes are key. If you’ve noticed significant improvements but you’re not quite “cured” yet, then you’re in the management phase. This is where you can really benefit from reaching out to the Project You Be Well nutrition team. Through our wellness services, we can help design a holistic approach that tailors functional medicine to your lifestyle. Gut issues like SIBO can make cultivating and maintaining a healthy microbiome challenging. Our digestive systems are complex and there are a lot of moving parts. If you’re ready to get out of the loop and learn how to tackle your unique digestive issues head-on, we’re here to help! There are ways to manage the condition so you can enjoy your life, and your dinner parties, just like everyone else. For more information about a customizable diet for SIBO of all types, reach out to us to set up a consultation. We can help! To discover how Functional Nutrition can help you with SIBO and other gut issues, contact our team: https://projectyoubewell.com/wellness-services/
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