Let’s Talk Bloating. What Is SIBO?
Ever wonder, “why am I so bloated?”
Could it be SIBO or gallbladder?
Do you have indigestion, bloating soon after eating?
Bloating is a very common complaint these days. It is not just a bother. It is a red flag that something is off in your gut. But what?
It could be SIBO.
SIBO stands for small intestinal bacteria overgrowth.
The small intestine should have very little bacteria. It’s the large intestine where all the good bacteria should be. In SIBO the bacteria from the large intestine are getting into the small intestine.
When you are bloating your ileocecal valve is probably open. It is the valve between the small and large intestine. It is there to prevent large intestine bacteria from going upstream into the small intestine. If the ileocecal valve remains open bacteria can get into the small intestine, proliferate, and cause trouble.
Various scenarios cause the ileocecal valve to remain open and allow large intestine bacteria to “translocate” upstream into the small intestines.
In addition to bloating, insufficient hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach can result in a less acidic intestines that may host undesirable bacteria or yeast. Slow intestinal movement can contribute to SIBO. This can be due to nerve damage and/or long term constipation. Heavy, and even moderate alcohol consumption, as well as oral contraceptives have been associated with SIBO as well.
- Bloating
- Gas
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Fatigue
- Skin problems
- Bad breath
- Brain fog
- Muscle aches/pain/weakness.
You may notice that not all of these are “gut” symptoms. In one study, up to 50 percent of SIBO patients didn’t have gut symptoms, but 100 percent of fibromyalgia patients had SIBO.
Interesting, huh?
It is also possible to feel completely healthy without any noticeable symptoms at all, but have high cholesterol or thyroid levels. When the SIBO is treated, these levels tend to come down.
So, now you may be thinking you have SIBO. Hold on.
It could be gallbladder causing your bloating. See Part 2!
Interested in More?
Check out these other two articles:
