5 Signs You Might Have SIBO
What is SIBO and Why Does It Matter?
SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. It happens when bacteria that are meant to live in the large intestine start growing in the small intestine where they don’t belong. This can disrupt digestion, cause inflammation, and interfere with how your body absorbs nutrients. SIBO is more common than many people realize and often overlooked in conventional care.
If you’ve been told you have IBS or your gut symptoms are just from stress, SIBO might be a root cause worth investigating.
Here are five signs that SIBO could be behind your symptoms.
1. You Feel Bloated After Almost Every Meal
That feeling of fullness or distention that shows up within 30 to 90 minutes after eating is one of the most common signs of SIBO. It’s often worse after eating carbs or fiber-rich foods. That’s because the excess bacteria ferment those foods in your small intestine, creating gas in a place that wasn’t built to handle it.
2. You Have a History of Food Poisoning or Stomach Bugs
SIBO often shows up after a bout of food poisoning, a stomach virus, or even travel-related digestive issues. These infections can damage the migrating motor complex, the system that sweeps bacteria out of the small intestine. When that system is disrupted, bacteria start to accumulate in the wrong place.
3. Your Bowel Movements Are Inconsistent
SIBO can cause constipation, diarrhea, or a mix of both. The type of bacteria overgrowing will often influence your symptoms. Methane-producing bacteria tend to slow motility and cause constipation, while hydrogen-producing bacteria are more likely to cause loose stools or urgency.
4. You Struggle with Brain Fog, Fatigue, or Mood Swings
SIBO doesn’t just affect your gut. Because your gut and brain are deeply connected, imbalances in the microbiome can lead to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and even anxiety or depression. The inflammation and nutrient malabsorption caused by SIBO can contribute to these issues.
5. You Have a Hard Time Tolerating Prebiotics or Probiotics
If you’ve tried gut health supplements like probiotics or fiber blends and felt worse afterward, that’s a red flag. While these can be supportive for many people, they may actually feed the overgrowth in someone with SIBO, making symptoms like bloating, cramping, or gas even worse.
How to Know for Sure
If these signs sound familiar, the best way to find out if you have SIBO is with a breath test. This non-invasive test measures hydrogen and methane gas levels after drinking a sugar solution. From there, we can determine the type of overgrowth and create a targeted plan to clear it and restore balance.
Functional testing, like the GI-MAP gives us real data so we can stop guessing and start healing.
The Bottom Line
SIBO can be stubborn but it is treatable. When addressed with the right tools, many people experience relief from symptoms they’ve been dealing with for years. If you’re bloated, exhausted, or struggling with unpredictable digestion, it might be time to look deeper.
Ready to find out if SIBO is behind your symptoms? Book a consult to get started with functional testing and personalized support.
