Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth can occur from a number of different mechanisms. Often, it’s when something occurs that created either slow motility or an imbalanced gut.

What’s often misunderstood, is that SIBO is an overgrowth of very bad bacteria.

It’s actually an accumulation of commensal bacteria (in other words, normal GI bacteria). The problem lies in the location and amount of it.

The small intestine is not meant to house so much bacteria. It’s job is to help digest and absorb food, so when there is an overgrowth of bacteria this becomes interfered.

When this happens, we see many symptoms arise:

1. Food intolerances

2. Pain

3. Bloating

4. Constipation, diarrhea, or both

5. Malabsorption

6. Leaky gut symptoms

7. Brain fog, anxiety

8. GERD

There are many built in protections for preventing SIBO.

What often gets missed after SIBO treatment is supporting the natural mechanisms our body has in place for keeping SIBO at bay.

The first is our stomach acid! A large percentage of us walk around with low levels of stomach acid, which is important for killing any incoming bacteria. Stomach acid also signals to our body to start gut motility.

• This can be supported through apple cider vinegar right before meals, HCL supplementation like HCL Guard, digestive enzymes like Holozyme, chewing food slowly and thoroughly, & eating bitter foods.

The second is our body’s digestive enzymes that get released during digestion! These get released along various parts of the digestive process: mouth, pancreas, stomach, gallbladder & brush border enzymes in the small intestine. They help to kill/arrest any bacterial overgrowth.

• This can be supported through supplementation with a quality digestive enzyme like Holozyme, eating bitters, be present with your food, and eat foods naturally high in enzymes (papaya, apples, bananas, mangos, fermented foods, kiwi, and pineapple).

The third is bile that gets released from our gallbladder. It also helped to kill/arrest any bacteria overgrowth.

• This can be supported through use of bitters supplement (herb pharm or wise woman), eat bitters before meals, drink dandelion tea, artichoke supplement, dandelion root supplement, burdock supplement & phosphatidylcholine.

The fourth is our immune system in our gut, otherwise knows as our gut associated lymphoid tissue. 80% of our immune system is located in the gut, and if this is weakened it can make bacteria colonization easy to occur.

• This can be supported through the use of paraprobiotics, nervous system support, reducing environmental chemical exposure (ie filter water, reduce plastics, eat organic), eat variety of plant based foods (pro & prebiotic rich), exercise.

The fifth is our Migrating Motor Complex. The job of this is to move bacteria out of the small intestine, and prevent bacteria from coming backward into the SI from the large intestine.

• This can be supported through overnight fasting (11-12 hours), reduction in snacking, space meals 4-5 hours apart, reduce sympathetic activity, reduce artificial sweeteners, and not drinking too quickly. An integral piece to preventing relapse of SIBO is taking a high dose ginger supplement, such as SIBO-MMC or MotilPro, at nighttime.

If you are struggling with SIBO, often one of those mechanisms is not functioning optimally and needs support!

For one on one guided support through chronic SIBO, MCAS or mold toxicity, you can sign up to get on the waitlist for this year!

In other news…. I started a podcast!

Called the Holistic Hub Podcast, where I will be bringing on experts in the field of different chronic conditions to help YOU heal.

You can check out my very fist episode, the introduction here!

Happiness & Health,

Dr. Steph