SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, meaning bacteria that shouldn't be there. You may experience problems such as stomach pain, intestinal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and bloating 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. Their 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 people get SIBO?
Factors that can cause SIBO include:
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, bacteria aren't stopped and travel into the small intestine where they shouldn't be.
Formation of hydrochloric acid. The production of hydrochloric acid also depends on several minerals such as zinc, chromium, manganese, selenium, iron, copper, and chromium.
Hydrochloric acid deficiency – lack of enzymes.
Long-term constipation.
Diabetes.
Old age.
What's the difference between SIBO & IBS?The indications of SIBO mirror the symptoms of other gastrointestinal diseases, including IBS. It's therefore important to rule out SIBO before making a definitive diagnosis of IBS. Many people with IBS actually have SIBO which needs to be addressed first. Studies show that 80-85% of people with IBS have bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.
What happens if I don't do anything about SIBO?
First of all, it's not normal to have constant digestive problems; this shouldn't be normalized, and 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, causing deficiencies. If SIBO persists long-term, we can develop anemia (iron deficiency), vitamin B12 deficiency, calcium deficiency, and deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
With nutritional deficiencies, we get a weakened immune system, become tired, and often develop skin problems. We simply don't feel well.
How to overcome SIBO
The first thing to review is your diet. There are also herbs and supplements that counteract SIBO. See further down. SIBO problems are very much 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 conventional healthcare. This helps reduce the problematic bacteria but also kills the healthy bacteria that are necessary for proper digestion. We recommend starting with diet and herbs first.
Diet
Diet is crucial for curing SIBO. You need to work on your foundational health, replenishing with good, 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 salad greens such as arugula and endives also support digestion and bile.
Vegetables and berries are essential.
It also helps to consume smaller amounts of food during meals. Spread meals into 5-6 smaller portions per day rather than 3 larger meals.
Equally important is to chew your food thoroughly.
Remember to drink water throughout the day.
Foods to Avoid
You should completely eliminate:
Most conventional, processed dairy products.
All sugar.
Gluten.
Poor-quality vegetable oils such as sunflower, canola, and soybean oil.
Refined carbohydrates – for an extended period.
Herbs
Bitter herbs such as dandelion, artichoke, wormwood, and cloves support digestion and bile. Ginger, peppermint, fennel, and turmeric support digestion. Thyme and garlic are also beneficial.
Herbal extracts that fight bacteria include oregano oil, berberine, thyme, olive leaf, and lemon balm. All herbs and bitter herbs should be taken in low doses initially to ensure tolerance.
Recommended Supplements
Digestive enzymes
Vitamin D
Zinc
Vitamin B-12
B-complex
Magnesium
Potential 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 such as Holistic Spore Biome.
Holistic stomach acid balance (hydrochloric acid).
SIBOBA (specialized product specifically for SIBO). Products that can be advantageously combined with SIBOBA include oregano oil, Ultrabalans, and products that support digestion such as enzymes and hydrochloric acid. We wish you good luck and please email us if you have any questions.
