What is SIBO and SIBO symptoms
If you’ve been experiencing gas, bloating, diarrhea, and/or constipation, you may be looking for the answer to what is going on within your body. You’ve likely come across SIBO as a potential cause. But what is SIBO? And why did it start affecting you?
Those are great questions. And in this article, we will answer them among others.
So, first…
What is SIBO?
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (commonly known as SIBO) is a condition in which bacterial organisms inhabit your small intestine. This becomes a problem because your small intestine should be mostly sterile. The good gut bacteria should live within your large intestine where the majority of your microbiome is.
The excessive bacteria in your small intestine then leads to slowed digestion and that is when most of your symptoms will arise. Unfortunately sometimes the slowed digestion adds more bacteria to this area so it creates a difficult cycle to break.
This leads to constipation and cramping. The excessive bacteria try to ferment food here and release gasses that cause bloating and gas.
Some of the common bacteria that are seen with SIBO include:
- Archaebacteria
- Escherichia coli
- Enterococcus spp.
- Klebsiella pneumonia
- Proteus mirabilis
SIBO Symptoms
Digestive problems can often be difficult to diagnose. Most conditions all have similar symptoms. And these conditions can range from minor to dangerous even though the symptoms don’t differ much.
The most prominent SIBO symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain/discomfort
- Bloating (with or without distention)
- Diarrhea and/or constipation
- Gas
If you suffer from IBS, you may notice that the symptoms of SIBO are almost identical to those of IBS. If you think about the way doctors treated your IBS flare-up, you’ve probably taken an antibiotic for your symptoms. This is because these two conditions overlap to the point that researchers now believe they are actually two sides of the same coin.
If your doctor hasn’t treated your IBS like they would SIBO and you haven’t found relief from your current treatments, ask them about testing you for SIBO.
Why is it important to get SIBO symptoms under control?
While SIBO may seem like it’s more of an annoyance than an actual issue, there are some reasons to not just ignore it. SIBO can be an indicator of other issues. SIBO can coexist with other conditions like:
- IBS
- IBD (mainly Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis)
- Celiac disease
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases
- Rheumatologic diseases (systemic sclerosis, Bowel associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome (BADAS), etc.)
- Dermatologic diseases (rosecea, psoriasis, etc.)
- Parkinson’s disease
While it isn’t known if these diseases cause SIBO, if SIBO is a side effect/symptom of these diseases, or if SIBO can be part of the onset of these diseases, it is important to note that there is a strong correlation between them.
Comorbidities aren’t the only issue when facing SIBO. If SIBO symptoms continue and are not taken care of, it can lead to more concerning issues like:
- Malnutrition
- Steatorrhea
- Weight loss
How to know if you have SIBO
The first thing you’ll want to do is keep a journal of symptoms and the foods you’ve eaten. If there seems to be a correlation between certain types of food and symptom aggravation, your doctor can help you sort this out.
From this point your doctor will assess your symptoms and see where to proceed. Some important things to know about SIBO versus other, more dangerous, conditions is the consistency and color of your stool.
This may be an uncomfortable topic for you, but know that without all of the information up front, your doctor can’t treat you properly and help you find solutions. Some things to note on your stool include:
- Size
- Shape
- Color
- Frequency
- Does it come out in one long piece or multiple little pieces
- If it seems mucousy
- If it floats or sinks
- If it is hard to pass
- If it is excessively stinky
- If there appears to be blood mixed in or on the stool
Also, keep track of your bloating. Bloating is key to SIBO and helps to distinguish SIBO symptoms, such as diarrhea and constipation, from other diagnoses.
SIBO stool will often alternate between bouts of constipation and diarrhea. If it is getting worse you will notice symptoms of steatorrhea (fatty stools) like poop that floats, is oily, and excessively smelly.
Your doctor will likely do some testing to rule out different conditions. But if SIBO is expected you’ll likely have to take a hydrogen breath test. This will be an automatic diagnosis one way or the other.
How to treat SIBO
SIBO treatment is often pretty straightforward. However, the usual methods might not work for everyone since SIBO can be caused by different things. Typically doctors will opt for antibiotics — usually rifaximin. While rifaximin may work for some people, many people will have recurring bouts of SIBO flare-ups. So researchers are constantly looking for ways to help fight SIBO without killing all the bacteria in the microbiome for a limited result.
Most treatments focus on SIBO symptoms. These will be things like:
- Eating smaller meals
- Light exercise like walking or yoga to promote digestion
- Drinking more water
- Eating specific diets
However, Clinical trials have proven that there are several natural remedies that work just as well if not better than rifaximin. The natural remedies target the root cause and get the bacteria to go back into the colon where they belong.
Want to learn more about SIBO? Check out these articles:
Are Probiotics Adding Fuel to Your SIBO Fire?