Information on irritable bowel syndrome and Sibo (bacterial overgrowth)

Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome

Do these complaints sound familiar to you?

  • Chronic bowel-related complaints (e.g. abdominal pain, flatulence) lasting longer than three months, which are usually associated with changes in bowel movements
  • a relevant impairment of quality of life due to the symptoms
  • no changes characteristic of other clinical pictures that could explain the symptoms

Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common gastrointestinal diagnosis worldwide. In western industrialized countries, the prevalence of the population is around 15%. About 50% of patients with gastrointestinal complaints suffer from irritable bowel syndrome.

Cause Sibo

A large number of scientific studies have confirmed that in most cases, badly colonized bacteria in the small intestine trigger the irritable bowel symptoms.

In around 2/3 of those affected by irritable bowel syndrome, the cause is a bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, SIBO for short. Bacteria that normally colonize the large intestine enter the small intestine.

Do I have a Sibo?

Bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine (Sibo) should always be considered when:

  • Common examinations (blood and stool analyzes as well as other exclusion diagnostics) do not bring any clarity about the cause of the irritable bowel symptoms
  • you have had little or no success with therapy recommendations such as psychotherapeutic measures, the administration of prebiotics or probiotics, intestinal cures or intestinal rehabilitation, more or less dietary fiber, whole foods, etc

Test Sibo

Our Sibolab breath test can give you clarity about the presence of SIBO. By measuring the respiratory gases with our easy-to-use home test kit, you and your treating therapist can find out whether a bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine is the cause of your irritable bowel symptoms. 

treat Sibo

A positive Sibo result gives you the chance to get your symptoms under control with targeted measures. Your doctor or therapist can advise you on which diet is right for you and whether it makes sense to supplement it with naturopathic or pharmaceutical products.  

More about Sibo

HOW IS A SIBO MADE?

In contrast to the large intestine, the small intestine houses only a fraction of the intestinal bacterial flora. Various causes, such as food poisoning, administration of antibiotics or adhesions after operations, can lead to a disorder at the transition from the small to the large intestine. If colon bacteria now increasingly reach areas of the small intestine and carry out their regular tasks there, this can trigger a number of complaints.

Since important components of the food are digested too early by the bacteria in the case of a SIBO, this can result not only in an undersupply of calories, vitamins and minerals, but also in an increased increase in "air in the stomach". The bacteria produce gases such as hydrogen and methane as a by-product.

Due to the now enormously increased amount of "feed", the gas volume increases accordingly. Then that's the gas that plagues so many people with irritable bowel syndrome.

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