Thank you for helping me feel like myself again and teaching me about the risks of freshwater sports (parasites!). I am so much smarter because of your guidance and now know how to best to avoid reinnoculation.
Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) refers to excessive bacteria growth in the small intestine. Common symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, and even malnutrition due to impaired nutrient absorption.
SIBO may be responsible for up to 80% of IBS cases. It refers to commensal bacteria (normal, good bacteria) — not opportunistic bacteria or pathogens.
Yes, but not in large amounts. The greater amounts are what cause your symptoms — distension, cramps, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, etc.
You may also be thinking of the large intestine (the colon) — it is normal for there to be greater amounts of bacteria in the large intestine compared to the small intestine.
SIBO can be caused by several things, there are four categories we can lump all the causes into: a) impaired motility of the intestine b) impaired digestion c) medication and d) impaired outflow usually by scar tissue and adhesions.
There are a lot of single causes you'll see listed on the internet, instagram, and TikTok — many of them fall into these categories. Some of the more commonly shared ones are a) low stomach acid (sometimes caused by vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, other times from the use of acid-reducing medications like PPIs (TUMS)), b) changes in pancreatic function (enzymes), and c) a diet heavy in carbohydrates and sugar
It's actually quite simple: test for hydrogen, methane & hydrogen sulfide gas levels and complete a stool test.
Drink a glucose , fructose, or lactulose solution and provide breath samples afterward to measure bacterial gas production over time.
Mail in your stool sample (to the lab, not us! :)) to be analyzed for its bacterial composition and other components.
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There are three types of SIBO, and they're treated differently. You can also have two types at one time (all three is possible, but much more rare). The three types are: hydrogen (SIBO-H), methane (IMO), and hydrogen sulfide SIBO (SIBO H2S)
They're caused by different types of bacteria, and the methane type is actually caused by archaea (not bacteria!) — so it's technically called intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO).
Since most cases of IBS and relevant symptoms like bloating, cramps, gas, diarrhea, and constipation turn out to be caused by SIBO ~80% of the time, we usually order SIBO tests for most Acumen clients based on their intake assessment.
We recommend you do. SIBO (too much bacteria in the small intestine) can damage a) the lining of the small intestine (the tiny tiny cells call microvilli that help absorb nutrients you eat) and b) the glycocalyx (a layer that provides enzymes so the microvilli can appropriately absorb nutrients and even histamine).
This damage is what creates leaky gut. Leaky gut is when undigested food particles and other toxins are able to pass through the villi and intestinal lining into the bloodstream. This usually creates an inflammatory response by the immune system.
If leaky gut persists for too long, in addition to your current symptoms, food sensitivities and autoimmune conditions can develop.
But even before food sensitivities or early autoimmune pops up, SIBO and leaky gut cause malnutrition from malabsorption. When the small intestine is not able to function properly, you can't absorb necessary nutrients. Your symptoms today are your body telling you it needs help, because the small intestine is not functioning well.
Let us help you get back on a healthy track.
This is where Acumen shines. We listen to your symptoms, lifestyle, and the data from your test results to create a custom set of recommendations that includes lifestyle changes, an appropriate diet for the type of SIBO you have, and a few supplements that will help your body to lower the exact type of bacteria that you have too much of.
Don't forget that we're also going to address the root cause and make sure you're body is prepared for the change (detoxification pathways are open!). This might mean we need to help you increase your stomach acid, address your constipation first, or adjust your diet. We'll also monitor you for "relapsing SIBO", which can be a sign of a deeper root cause like damage to vinculin motor proteins, mold, MCAS, Lyme, or other co-infections.
Our team is very nerdy about this, so we'll happily teach you all we know — just ask us to give you the full download. If you'd rather save time and skip the details, you can trust you're in good hands.
You can try, but we don't recommend it. Our past clients recommend you lean on us — as a team we've seen thousands of cases!
Reducing gas numbers isn't super hard, but finding the root cause of why you have SIBO & addressing that root cause is the complicated part where our functional health training and prior case experiences allow us to draw on years of experience.
There are three major benefits of working with Acumen: a) you'll achieve results efficiently in a shorter period of time, b) you'll learn a ton along the way — details that are buried in the minds and notes of other health professionals — that will equip you to maintain your results going forward, too, and c) if you have other things going on (like parasites, hormone dysfunction, or skin issues) we're going to help you see the connections and address those issues too. The body is a unit and we treat it as such!
We help clients feel better, heal their symptoms, repair their gut lining, and reduce the risk of future disease. It'd be an honor to work with you or your loved one!
Thank you for helping me feel like myself again and teaching me about the risks of freshwater sports (parasites!). I am so much smarter because of your guidance and now know how to best to avoid reinnoculation.
John L.
My IBS was actually SIBO but you guys took care of me. Thank you for doing what my gastroenterologist couldn't. I appreciate you all immensely.
Cameron P.
I feel confident in a bikini again!! I knew how vain that goal was when I said it but you got behind me and made it happen. I'm equally as grateful to have normal bowel movements again.
Tammy F.
Get the full list to know if SIBO is something you should consider testing for.
Structured weekly meal plans to help you easily follow a gut-friendly nutrition protocol tailored for SIBO.
Ideas for how to improve constipation. We promise you'll learn something new.
Health Acumen is a family of brands that provides advanced functional lab testing and health coaching to identify health issues early before they become chronic. In the process, we help reduce your symptoms so you have more healthy and enjoyable days.
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