1. What is the problem?
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition where excessive bacteria grows in the small intestine, an area that normally has a relatively low bacterial load. These bacteria ferment food prematurely, leading to gas, bloating, and nutrients not being properly absorbed.
2. What are common signs and symptoms?
– Bloating, especially after meals
– Abdominal pain or cramping
– Diarrhea, constipation, or both alternatively
– Excessive gas or belching
– Nutrient deficiencies, including B12 and iron
– Brain fog, fatigue, or mood issues
– Skin problems, like rosacea and eczema
3. What is the difference between the conventional view and the functional medicine perspective?
Conventional View:
SIBO is seen as a localized gut disorder and treated by eliminating bacterial overgrowth with antibiotics and correcting nutritional deficiencies.
Functional View:
A downstream consequence of metabolic and gut dysfunction, SIBO includes poor motility, dysbiosis, low stomach acid, insulin resistance, and mitochondrial weakness.
Treatment focuses on SIBO’s root causes such as sluggish gut transit, impaired digestion, food sensitivities, and immune dysregulation.
4. How does the condition stem from metabolic dysfunction?
SIBO doesn’t happen in isolation; it’s often a symptom of deeper metabolic issues. Insulin resistance slows GI motility, allowing bacteria to backflow from the colon into the small intestine. Low stomach acid fails to kill the incoming bacteria so they colonize the small intestine as well. Poor mitochondrial function impairs gut lining and digestive muscle tone. And gut-brain axis dysfunction impairs communication between the brain and digestive system, disrupting the natural “cleansing waves” that keep bacteria in check.
5. Is there a solution?
To resolve SIBO, you must correct the ecosystem that gut bacteria inhabit, not only kill the bugs. Two Feel Great products, Unimate and Balance can help. Unimate improves gut motility, mitochondrial energy, and reduces the inflammation that fuels SIBO relapse. Balance feeds beneficial bacteria downstream in the colon, helping to restore proper bacterial distribution and to nourish the microbiome. Together, they help rebalance the gut ecosystem and support the body’s natural cleansing waves.
Additional Functional Medicine Strategies:
– Support gut motility with ginger, magnesium, and motility activators
– Use herbal antimicrobials or rifaximin in the short-term
– Adopt an elimination or low-FODMAP diet for symptom relief
– Support gut healing with glutamine, zinc carnosine, or probiotics after the clearing phase
SIBO is not just a digestive issue—it’s an immune and metabolic disorder that can be reversed by healing the gut, calming inflammation, and promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the right places.
I’m Dr. Dieter, and I’m here to help you Reclaim Your Health.