Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Testing

What is Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)?

This indicates overgrowth of a certain threshold of bacteria in the small intestine (we don’t really want bacteria in the small intestine, they should live primarily in the large intestine or colon).

SIBO happens when bacteria travel from the large intestine to the small intestine and proliferate there. There are many underlying causes of this including stress, low stomach acid (aka hypochlorhydria) – think long-term use of PPIs, gallbladder issues, dysfunctional migrating motor complex (I’ll tell you all about that in your visit)…

Signs and Symptoms of SIBO
  • Abdominal bloating/distension after meals
  • Abdominal discomfort/pains after meals
  • Excessive burping
  • Excessive flatulence
  • Nausea
  • Heartburn/GERD
  • Sensation of fullness and slow digestion
  • Chronic constipation
  • Alternating bouts of loose stool & constipation
  • Bowel movement urgency
  • Steatorrhea (excretion of fat in the stool d/t fat malabsorption)

Do these sound like your "IBS" symptoms?

That’s because a large number of Irritable bowel syndrome cases are actually caused by SIBO. Testing can give us answers.

Other conditions that are associated with SIBO include:

  • IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)
  • IBD (inflammatory bowel disease)
  • Celiac Disease
  • Diabetes
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Rosacea
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Obesity

SIBO testing is a non-invasive breath test that captures exhaled hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) gases patient ingestion of a solution to evaluate bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine.

Think SIBO testing is right for you? Let’s find out! Book an appointment with me.

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