If you often battle uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms, you’re not alone. A survey of over 71,000 Americans found that 2/3 of individuals reported symptoms of gastrointestinal distress.
Though an occasional case of bloating, stomach pain or gas may not mean much, when these symptoms become more prevalent, it could be a sign of a more significant medical issue.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition that accompanies many gastrointestinal disorders. When something is off in the gut it can cause an imbalance of bacteria in the small intestine and this is when SIBO can occur.
What is SIBO?
Though some bacteria are expected in the small intestine, a large amount are not and can interfere with normal functioning. SIBO is defined by the American Journal of Gastroenterology as “the presence of excessive numbers of bacteria in the small bowel, causing gastrointestinal symptoms” and is thought to impact millions of Americans.
Studies show the condition often goes undiagnosed, and milder cases may present no symptoms at all. Kendra Weekley is a registered dietitian in the Department of Human Nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic. She counsels patients with SIBO and says that the condition often results from something else in the GI tract, so if the primary problem is not resolved, SIBO can reoccur.
Risk factors and causes of SIBO
Overgrowth of small intestinal bacteria can occur anytime the flora of our microbiome is negatively impacted. Studies show that SIBO may be a common manifestation of specific GI disorders, such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or Crohn’s disease.
Still, many other conditions may put an individual at risk as well. These include:
SIBO symptoms
Symptoms of SIBO are broad in both scope and severity. Though symptoms of SIBO vary in each patient, common symptoms include chronic diarrhea, weight loss, stomach pain and malabsorption. Weekley tells TODAY.com that symptoms can be broad and include “nausea, bloating, flatulence,…
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