SIBO – Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Healing SIBO Naturally

Your Gut Microbiome

The average adult human’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract, commonly referred to as “the gut”, contains upwards of three pounds of microorganisms with vast diversity. These microorganisms are collectively referred to as your gut microbiome. It is estimated that nearly 1,000 different species of microbes reside in the human gut, 99% of which are bacteria (the rest are yeast/fungi). ¹

There are 10x more bacteria in your body than there are human cells! Human cells are the minority in fact. This explains why the health of your microbiome can greatly impact how you feel!

Research in recent years has made it patently clear that the human gut microbiome is essential for a multitude of physiological functions, especially immunity (roughly 70-80% of the immune system derives from the gut).²

But what happens when these microbes are able to grow uncontrollably without being eliminated from the body? Read on to learn all about a form of gut dysbiosis known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), what causes it, what the symptoms are, and how LifeWorks Wellness Center naturally treats this condition.

What is Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)?

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) refers to a condition in which an excessive amount of bacteria (at least 100,000 bacteria per mL of fluid) occupy the small intestine, especially bacteria that normally reside in the colon.

This overgrowth can cause damage and inflammation to the gut wall, which can subsequently manifest into leaky gut.

What Causes SIBO?

The gastrointestinal tract is a continuous muscular tube through which digesting food is transported to the colon. The coordinated activity of the muscles of the stomach and small intestine propels the food from the stomach, through the small intestine, and into the colon. Even when there is no food in the small intestine, muscular activity sweeps through the small intestine from the stomach to the colon.

The muscular activity that sweeps through the small intestine is important for the digestion of food, but it also is important because it clears bacteria out of the small intestine and thereby limits the number of bacteria in the small intestine. Anything that interferes with the progression of normal muscular activity (peristaltic waves) through the small intestine can result in SIBO by allowing the bacteria to stay longer and multiply in the small intestine. The lack of muscular activity also may allow bacteria to spread backward from the colon and into the small intestine, which is why types of bacteria normally found only in the colon are found in the small intestine.

What are the Symptoms of SIBO?

Symptoms of SIBO often include:

• Bloating
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Mood disturbances and brain fog
• Unexpected weight loss
• Poor sleep
• Reduced energy
• Abdominal pain/cramping

SIBO Natural Treatment Options

Your gastrointestinal treatment plan is based on what was discovered as the underlying cause(s) and trigger(s). This can include one or more of the following:

• balancing the gut microbiome
• antifungals to kill off fungus or mold
• ozone therapy to kill off of any bad bugs, microbes, etc.
• treating and healing any autoimmunity
• resolving any hidden infections, etc. that would have triggered the autoimmunity
• calming an overactive immune system
• detoxifying any heavy metals, toxins, or chemicals
• food allergy detection & elimination
• healing the gut lining
• IV Therapies to speed gut healing
• thermal heat treatments
• HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) to speed healing
• PEMF to speed healing
• prebiotics & probiotics to re-inoculate the gut
• boosting mitochondrial function, to speed healing
• any needed dietary modifications
• enzymes & HCL as needed short-term, to support digestion
• high quality targeted supplements to provide the gut raw materials to heal

Don’t Put off Addressing Gut Dysfunction

Gastrointestinal complications are not to be overlooked or put on the backburner. It affects all areas of your health. Your gut sets the foundation for immunity, nutrient absorption, waste elimination, and maintaining a healthy microbiome.

Left untreated it tends to develop into more serious issues, like autoimmune conditions, arthritis, joint pains, neurological disorders, harm to the cardiovascular system and more.

Learn Even More About Gut Health…

What’s the Difference Between Leaky Gut & SIBO?

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and leaky gut are distinct gastrointestinal disorders, albeit with similar presenting symptoms. Thus, SIBO is often misdiagnosed as leaky gut since it is a fairly unknown condition among conventional medical practitioners.

In contrast to SIBO, leaky gut is when your gut (intestinal) wall becomes severely compromised and highly permeable, thereby allowing foreign substances and toxin to effectively traverse across the intestinal wall and invade the bloodstream. Consequently, having leaky gut leads to an ongoing inflammatory response that can cause painful symptoms throughout the body, especially the lower abdominal region.

The good news is that both SIBO and leaky gut are treatable naturally by LifeWorks Wellness Center. The key is properly diagnosing whether you have SIBO, leaky gut, or another gastrointestinal complication so that we can create an effective treatment plan to restore and revitalize your gut.