We've probably all seen Selena Gomez's recent post in a comments section on TikTok, clapping back at someone commenting on her lil round tummy. Firstly, big slay from Miss Gomez, we do not have to accept comments about our bodies, and we are allowed to (and should) call them out. But she also mentioned a reason for it -- SIBO.
Now my heart did a little sing here, because I too have SIBO. I live with the difficult symptoms, the change to my life and my body since diagnosis has been enormous, and I'm spending pretty much every waking minute researching it and learning as much about it as I can, because the NHS response to it is so poor. It's a lonely illness, and I'm keen to spread as much awareness as I can, so to see a mention on such a huge platform is fantastic for the cause.
Lisa Bhatt is a registered Nutritional Therapist, passionate about empowering and supporting people to optimise their health and well-being.
So with the help of Lisa Bhatt, Registered Nutritional Therapist PG Dip, BSc, mBANT, CNHC, let's delve a little deeper into what SIBO is, how it affects daily life, and why many many more people should be testing for it...
SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) is a condition where excessive bacteria populate the small intestine, a part of the digestive system that typically contains low levels of bacteria due to the presence of digestive enzymes and stomach acid.
While the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in overall health, an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine (even a healthy population of bacteria) can disrupt normal digestion and absorption, leading to a range of symptoms and health concerns. SIBO is generally associated with an imbalance in the gut microbial population. This is known as dysbiosis.
SIBO can be classified into three main types based on the dominant type of gas produced by bacteria:
I have the methane version of SIBO, which means my large intestine is also affected.
At this point, it may be easier to list what doesn't cause it, because frankly? The list is a long one! Causes include stress, antibiotic use, food poisoning, celiac disease, autoimmune disease, food allergies, virus, diabetes, hypochlohydia (low stomach acid), mould illness, brain injury, use of PPI's like omeprazole, H. pylori, abdominal surgery, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, diverticular disease, bowel obstructions, and many more.
It's really crucial that you nail down your own particular root cause, as without fixing this, any overgrowth you manage to clear is highly likely to grow back. SIBO is a symptom of failing digestion, so you've got to look at the whole picture and try to narrow down where the issue lies in your body.
Sometimes, you might be dealing with a few root causes. In my own case, we think an initial virus triggered the symptoms, but that low stomach acid caused by chronic stress allowed the overgrowth to flourish and really take hold. We also think that environmental mould could be a factor, so with so many potential elements at play, it's especially important to keep working through these layers.
Much like the list of causes, the list of symptoms is just as long -- but the most common are bloating, gas, changes in bowel habits (either diarrhoea, constipation, or a mix of the two), nausea, abdominal pain/cramping, acid reflux, headaches, brain fog, fatigue, malabsorption and nutrient deficiencies, changes in weight that are out of your control. This list is by no means exhaustive and we can thank the gut microbiome for that.
The gut microbiome provides us with many benefits and is said to work symbiotically with our human cells. It plays important roles in shaping the immune system, protecting against pathogens, breaking down metabolites of both food digestion and biochemical processes in the body (like hormones), producing vitamins, supporting energy production and maintaining a healthy gut barrier.
An imbalance in the gut microbiome is known as dysbiosis. This is where the delicate harmony of beneficial and harmful microorganisms is disrupted. This imbalance can occur due to factors like poor diet, processed foods, stress, antibiotics and other medications, pathogens and environmental toxins.
Dysbiosis has been linked to a range of health issues, including digestive issues, metabolic conditions like diabetes and obesity, skin conditions, allergies, cardiovascular problems, chronic fatigue and mental health disorders.
Keeping this microbial population in balance may play a key role in the development of disease and in our overall health and wellbeing.
I think it's really important to give you a clear picture of the last year of my life.
I'm on a reduced diet of about 15 safe foods. I've been on a short term only medication for far too long in a desperate attempt to keep my daily nausea at bay so I can still parent. I've spent over £10,000 on private testing, complementary therapies, and medications and supplements. I've visited my GP 34 times, and many more times to the nurse for blood, stool, and urine tests. I've had referrals to gastroenterology, neurology, and rheumatology. I've had 3 CT scans, 2 ultrasounds, an upper endoscopy, a SEHCAT scan, and a gastric emptying study, all trying to find out my root cause. I've had to start injecting B12 as the SIBO has impaired my ability to absorb it through my gut.