A Gut feeling

Gut Health Blog, Gluten Free and Grain Free recipes

7 signs you may have SIBO (and what to do about it)

By 5 Comments

GUEST POST BY REBECCA COOMES OF THE HEALTHY GUT

sibo_01

image courtesy of the healthy gut

Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth.

Do you suffer from bloating, constipation, gas or wind? Would you like to know what causes it? There is a little-known condition called Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) that is estimated to cause up to 84% of cases of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. So how can you tell if you have it?

1. Bloating

Have you ever had to undo your belt buckle because your gut has bloated and made you look like you’re pregnant? Bloating is a really common symptom of SIBO and is caused by gasses being released by the bacteria as they ferment and digest your food.

2. Abdominal pain and cramps

Unexplained pain and cramping commonly occur and can leave you feeling miserable and very uncomfortable.

3. Constipation

Have you noticed that you don’t have daily bowel movements? Or perhaps you don’t feel like you have fully emptied your bowels when you have been to the toilet. The excess bacteria in your small intestine can disrupt the regular movement of the bowel, called the Migrating Motor Complex, which can lead to constipation.

4. Diarrhoea

At the opposite end of the spectrum, some people experience regular diarrhoea with SIBO because their gut is over stimulated. Not only is this unpleasant, it also makes outings difficult as you are left worrying about where the closest toilet is.

5. Gas and wind

Feeling gassy? This is another common symptom of SIBO. The gasses (burping and wind) are created by the bacteria as a bi-product of them eating and fermenting your food. The small intestine isn’t designed to be full of gas, so it needs to escape and comes out as a burp or wind.

6. Food intolerances or sensitivities

The excess bacteria in your small intestine can result in you becoming intolerant or sensitive to foods. Have you noticed that foods you once ate with abandon now cause any or all of the symptoms listed above?

7. Restless leg syndrome

Have you ever felt like your feet and legs are full of ants and you want to rip them off or kick them until the sensation stops? Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is commonly experienced by people who have SIBO. It is believed that the damage to the gut lining, caused by the SIBO, increases the likelihood of RLS occurring.

What is SIBO?

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is caused when normal bacteria enters the small intestine in large numbers, causing havoc.

What causes SIBO?

It is believed SIBO may be caused or exacerbated through a variety of means, including:
  • Food poisoning
  • The contraceptive pill
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Gastrointestinal infection and upset
  • Use of antibiotics
  • Acid blockers
  • Fungus overgrowth
  • Surgical interventions and operations to the abdomen
  • A dysfunctional ileocecal valve
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Overconsumption of simple carbohydrates
  • Stress
  • DiabetesCaesarian birth
  • Caesarian birth
  • Lack of breast feeding as an infant

What does SIBO do to you?

Instead of allowing the villi and microvilli to absorb nutrients from the food, the bacteria digest it instead, causing it to ferment. A biproduct of the bacteria’s digestion is methane and/or hydrogen gas, which is only produced by the bacteria and not our bodies.

These gases cause bloating, wind, cramping, diarrhoea, burping, constipation and more. It is also believed this gas can cause leaky gut syndrome, where the cell wall of the gut becomes permeable and allows food particles through to the blood stream, which creates an immune response.

The other side effect of SIBO is damage to the villi and microvilli, which results in nutrients not being absorbed. When the bacteria digest your food, it means they’re taking a lot of the nutrients before it makes it to you, which leads to malabsorption of monosaccharides, amino acids, vitamins (especially B12 and folic acid) and minerals (especially magnesium, iron, and calcium).

Some side effects of poor nutrient absorption can include fatigue, hormonal imbalances, and restless leg syndrome.

Unfortunately, SIBO goes largely undiagnosed which can result in years of damage to the small intestine. People may develop intolerances to certain foods like gluten, lactose or fructose as the small intestine becomes less equipped to manage it.

So what can you do about it?

The first step in understanding if you have SIBO is to find a Practitioner who is experienced in this condition. They will order a breath test for you to take at home, which will analyse if you have excess bacteria in your small intestine. If the results come back positive, they will develop a treatment program for you to reduce your bacteria. Treatment options include antibiotics, herbal supplements or a specially formulated liquid diet. In conjunction, a temporary, modified diet is followed to reduce the foods the bacteria love to eat and thrive from.

Click here to visit [email protected]

Start cooking SIBO friendly meals

sibo_cookbooks_white

PRINTED BOOK: Click here to view more details

E-BOOK:  Click here to view more details

Comments

  1. Hmmm my feet/toes and fingers tips always go numb or have a tingling sensation, legs sometimes feel really heavy too, makes me wonder if I could be suffering from this. Thanks for this article !!!

    Reply

    • It’s an interesting one isn’t it. I’m fascinated by SIBO. Digestive, IBS pain and bloating are the most common, tell-tale symptoms, though. The test is quite simple and always worth testing?

      Reply

      • The test would be worth it for sure, do you know if they are expensive to run, the SIBO breath tests? I had no diea that kind of Test existed, learning so much on this health Journey, Im off to see my new Nutritionist this week, so Im not sure what tests they will start me off with, hopefully it may pick up something that this article addresses, if not, I may have to request something like a breath test, you have raised some interesting points, I have learnt something more about my health today too 🙂

        Reply

        • I contacted Rebecca Coomes and asked about the SIBO test. You can find further information here https://sibotest.com/products?type=tests. Lets hope your new nutritionist or doctor has experience with this. Aparently you can do home testing but you will need the results interpreted, so best you work with someone who understands the treatment & diet. The treatment protocol can vary. Good luck. Let me know how you go?

          Reply

          • Thanks so much, If I can’t have further tests from my Nutritionist, I will definitely keep Rebecca’s details for future reference, seems like everyone offers different tests and therefore I may need to work with others to go further with this. Thank you for helping out with the information Barb :-))))

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Posts
%d bloggers like this: