If the gas levels rise quickly and to an abnormal level a diagnosis of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth can be made and treated. Gas levels rise as the sugar solution passes through the intestine resulting from fermentation of the sugar by bacteria. In this test, a non-absorbable sugar solution is swallowed and hydrogen and methane gases are measured in the breath. It can be diagnosed by the lactulose breath test. SIBO can be caused by many gastrointestinal conditions.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition where the small intestine is populated by an abnormal amount and/or types of bacteria. Information about SIBO and Dysbiosis in IBS, Rosacea and other conditions.Your provider might suggest you follow a low-FODMAP diet and take prebiotics and/or probiotics to increase good bacteria levels in your gut.įODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) are carbohydrates that may encourage the growth of bad intestinal bacteria in some people.įind out whether you have SIBO and get the most effective treatments by calling Anne Arundel Gastroenterology Associates, P.A. Sugary foods and sugar alcohols are likely to trigger SIBO, so cutting them out can help.
If the problem is excessive methane, you need the antibiotic neomycin.ĭietary changes can also make a considerable difference to your SIBO. If your lactulose breath test records hydrogen levels that are too high, you might need to take an antibiotic called rifaximin to rebalance your gut bacteria. What treatments are available for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth? As these symptoms are typical of numerous disorders, it's vital to visit Anne Arundel Gastroenterology Associates to confirm the diagnosis. When the bad bacteria in your small intestine first start to multiply, you could experience:Īs SIBO worsens, you might begin to lose weight and develop anemia if your body isn't extracting the nutrients it needs from your food. Your provider tests the air in the balloon for high levels of methane and hydrogen that the bacteria give off when you have SIBO. You drink a special sugary beverage, then over a period of three hours, you breathe into a balloon every 15 minutes. To confirm a diagnosis of SIBO, your provider at Anne Arundel Gastroenterology Associates conducts a lactulose breath test.
If partially digested food stays in your small intestine for too long, the bad bacteria in that area start to multiply. SIBO can develop if food isn't moving through your small intestine at the right speed. What causes small intestinal bacterial overgrowth? Sometimes a problem develops with the balance between good and bad bacteria, resulting in SIBO. These beneficial strains of bacteria are vital for a healthy digestive system, but there are also less helpful bacteria in your gut. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition where higher than normal numbers of “bad” bacteria grow in your gastrointestinal system.Įveryone has bacteria within their small intestine that play an important role in digestion. What is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth?