What Is SIBO and Does Diet Matter?

A healthy and diverse gut bacteria is important for health.

However, an overgrowth of this bacteria in the small intestine – known as SIBO – can cause serious problems.

This video takes a look at SIBO and whether dietary changes can help.

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Title: What Is SIBO and Does Diet Matter?

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a digestive disorder characterised by excessive bacterial growth in the small intestine.

Unlike the large intestine [also known as the gut or colon] which contains your gut bacteria, the small intestine should not contain a high concentration of bacteria.

Many SIBO patients experience different signs and symptoms.
The most common problems are Fatigue, Nausea and vomiting, Bloating and diarrhea and even malnutrition and weight loss.

Left unmanaged for several months, SIBO usually causes several vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the most common, alongside the fat-soluble vitamins and mineral deficiencies such as iron, calcium and magnesium.

"Supplementation and maintenance of vitamin B12 and fat-soluble vitamins, with correction of calcium and magnesium deficiencies, are key components of treatment."

It reportedly takes about 2 to 5 years on average for SIBO to be completely corrected. For this reason diet is actually the most important aspect for sustainable SIBO treatment, but it's often overlooked by medical professionals.

An appropriate diet not only treats SIBO-related nutrient deficiencies, but can also help prevent recurrence of SIBO after initial symptoms are treated with antibiotics.

Priority should go to nutrient dense-foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Foods like leafy greens, potatoes, eggs, salmon and tuna, and shellfish. [should be a regular feature in your diet].

Withe regards to preventing recurrence, there is some interesting research around intentionally altering our gut bacteria.

SIBO shares almost all the same symptoms as IBS irritable bowel syndrome. In fact, studies show that between 30-85% of patients with IBS also have SIBO.

So a low FODMAP diet may help initially by “starving” the problem bacteria in the small intestine. But it's more of a temporary diet because it's so restrictive.

There's also some interesting research for probiotic use and SIBO.

So probiotics are bacteria we intentionally eat for health benefits. They are the opposite of antibiotics.

It seems counterintuitive to treat SIBO bacterial overgrowth with additional bacteria, but recent research has seen success using probiotics instead of antibiotics.

One study found that 82% of patients receiving probiotics for 5 days reported improvements compared to only a 52% improvement in those receiving the antibiotic metronidazol.

However to be fair, some research found no significant benefits, and its really unclear what probiotic strains are best. So until we know more, antibiotics may still be required, especially for more advanced cases.

And of course, this all needs to be done under the supervision of your doctor and dietitian.

Thanks for watching if you found it informative please give a thumbs up and leave a comment.

And if you're watching on youtube be sure to subscribe to the Diet vs Disease channel by clicking the red button below so that you don't miss other videos like this one.

Dietitian: Joe Leech (MSc Nutrition)

[dave]

just tested positive for SIBO. Have hag GI issues for like 3 years so glad to finally have a diagnosis

[satanfiras]

I suspect of having it ! I been constipated for 2 month

[jasonvanboesschoten]

It would be great if I had a doctor who believed SIBO is an actual thing. She is refusing to test me fir it because she says it's not a real thing.

[LorrieSmithSTOPANIMALCRUELTY]

What about vegetarians? I'm not a foodie, so I'm happy with organic eggs, love spinach salads and mushrooms....I need to get with a nutritionist, don't I? It's weird, my doctor who suspects SIBO, (I tube blow tomorrow, ) is very clever, but I forgot to tell him I'm very deficient in potassium. All that spinach and low in POTASSIUM? Makes no sense. But all the symptoms are dead on. He didn't just jump to Candida, which is why I respect him so much. If you're in Columbus, Ohio, ask me, I'll give you his name. He found early cancer and removed it! He's done over 40k Endos and Colos and has only perforated 5 patients! Statistically, that number should be 80! He's amazing. NOW, CURE ME! (Besides getting all the cancer! =D

[pkp]

There is no diet for SIBO, it's Fasting, or Intermittent Fasting that's all Period.