SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, meaning bacteria that shouldn't be there.
You can experience problems such as stomach pain, intestinal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and a bloated stomach after eating.
You can also develop skin problems like acne and rosacea.
*Researchers at the University of Genoa in Italy found that rosacea patients have a significantly higher prevalence of SIBO. The study also showed "an almost complete regression of their cutaneous lesions that maintained excellent results for at least 9 months" after SIBO was cured.
Why do you get SIBO?
Things that can cause SIBO are:
Reduced hydrochloric acid production and bile secretion.
Long-term use of acid-suppressing medications.
Disrupted pH value in the stomach. Bacteria should be stopped in the acidic environment of the stomach, so if the pH value is disrupted in the stomach, the bacteria are not stopped but continue into the small intestine where they shouldn't be.
Hydrochloric acid formation. Hydrochloric acid formation is also dependent on several minerals such as zinc, chromium, manganese, selenium, iron, copper, and chromium.
Hydrochloric acid deficiency – enzyme deficiency.
Chronic constipation.
Diabetes.
Old age.
What is the difference between SIBO & IBS?
The indications of SIBO mirror the symptoms of other gastrointestinal diseases, including IBS. So it's important to rule out SIBO before making a definitive diagnosis of IBS.
Many people with IBS actually have SIBO, and this needs to be addressed first. 80-85% of people with IBS have been shown to have bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine according to studies.
What happens if I don't do anything about SIBO?
First of all, it's not normal to have constant stomach problems, this shouldn't be normalized, it can be cured.
Secondly, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine can lead to malnutrition.
Important nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are not properly absorbed, which causes deficiencies. If SIBO is long-term, we can develop anemia (iron deficiency), vitamin B12 deficiency, calcium deficiency, and deficiencies in the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
With nutritional deficiencies, we get a weaker immune system and become tired, often experiencing skin problems. We don't feel well.
How to Overcome SIBO
The first thing to examine is dietary management. Then there are herbs and supplements that counteract SIBO. See below.
SIBO problems are highly related to lifestyle and can affect both children and adults. It's about lifestyle, it's absolutely not an incurable disease!
You should first test to see if you have SIBO through healthcare or privately, you can also buy tests online.
SIBO is usually treated with antibiotics in healthcare. This helps reduce the problematic bacteria but also kills the healthy bacteria that are necessary for digestion to function properly.
We recommend starting with diet and herbs first.
Diet
Diet is crucial for curing SIBO. You need to work on foundational health, replenish with good and clean nutrition. At the same time, you add bacteria-killing herbs to normalize bacterial levels.
Drinking lemon water, celery juice and green juices and eating sour and bitter foods like grapefruit and sauerkraut is excellent.
Bitter salads like arugula and endive also support digestion and bile production.
Vegetables and berries are essential.
It also helps to consume smaller amounts of food during meals. Spread out meals over 5-6 smaller portions per day rather than 3 larger meals.
Equally important is to chew food thoroughly.
Remember to drink water throughout the day.
Exclude
You should completely exclude:
Most conventional, processed dairy products.
All sugar.
Gluten.
Bad vegetable oils such as sunflower, canola, and soy oil.
Fast carbohydrates – for an extended period.
Herbs
Bitter herbs such as dandelion, artichoke, cloves, and wormwood support digestion and bile production.
Ginger, peppermint, fennel, turmeric support digestion. Thyme and garlic are also good.
Herbal extracts that counteract bacteria are oregano oil, berberine, thyme, olive leaf, and lemon balm.
All herbs and bitter herbs should be taken in low doses initially so you can see that you tolerate them.
Supplement Tips
Digestive enzymes
Vitamin D
Zinc
B-12
B-complex
Magnesium
Possible iron if you have iron deficiency (should be tested first).
Good gut bacteria (probiotics). A good microbial strain for SIBO is Saccharomyces boulardii. Or a product like Holistics Spore Biome.
Holistic hydrochloric acid.
SIBOBA (specialty product specifically for SIBO). Products that can be advantageously combined with SIBOBA are oregano oil, Ultrabalans, and products that support digestion such as enzymes and hydrochloric acid.
We wish you good luck and please feel free to email us if you have questions.
