SIBO or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth is pretty common these days and gets thrown around a lot online. Many people come to me from Lindenhurst and across Long Island via telehealth, suspecting SIBO is behind their symptoms like bloating. If you haven’t been diagnosed with SIBO, but have been diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), I would highly suggest still giving this blog post a read! It’s estimated that about 60-70% of IBS cases may be linked to SIBO. This blog post will discuss what SIBO is, how you know you’re dealing with SIBO, and what to do about it.

What is SIBO? Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

SIBO, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, is when bacteria enter the part of your intestines, particularly the small intestine, where there shouldn’t be much bacterial activity at all. The large intestine is normally inhabited with millions of bacteria, but sometimes that bacteria migrates into the small intestine and takes over.

Common symptoms of SIBO include:

Bloating that gradually builds throughout the day or feeling like you have a balloon in your stomach by the evening
Gas like burping or flatulence
Abdominal pain
Constipation or diarrhea

If you've already been diagnosed with IBS, that doesn't rule out SIBO. As noted above, an estimated 60-70% of IBS cases may be linked to SIBO. SIBO often goes undiagnosed while patients continue dealing with uncomfortable symptoms. A diagnosis of IBS is technically a diagnosis of exclusion: when the conventional medical model can't pinpoint the real problem, patients are often simply labeled "IBS."

Many people go long periods of time with bloating and thinking this is “normal.” They may have been bloated for all their life, it may be their “normal.” I’m here to let you know, you shouldn’t be bloated after every meal. If you are, there is something going on that needs to be addressed. Let’s get you some help.

How do Naturopathic Doctors Diagnose SIBO?

A breath test is one of the best ways to test for overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine and it can be done at home. During this test you drink a specific liquid included in the kit and then every 20 minutes, you will breathe into a tube, this collects gases that are produced in the gastrointestinal tract.

A positive result will show elevated levels of hydrogen, methane, or both indicating SIBO is likely the cause of your symptoms. From there, your practitioner will design a gut-healing protocol using antibiotics, antimicrobial herbs, and nutrients to address the overgrowth and support gut repair.

What Does SIBO Treatment Involve?

Treatment focuses on three things: removing the bacterial overgrowth, healing the gut lining, and reducing inflammation. Antibacterial herbs are used at specific doses to help eliminate the overgrowth. Garlic, oregano, and peppermint are among the herbs studied for their effectiveness against SIBO. In some cases, antibiotics prescribed by a gastroenterologist are used instead.

During the gut-healing process, patients typically follow a low FODMAP diet. High-FODMAP foods are heavily fermented by the bacteria trapped in the small intestine, which drives bloating so temporarily reducing them gives the gut a chance to calm down.

What many practitioners miss is the importance of supporting digestion and healing the gut alongside treating the overgrowth itself. I hear this so often with the clients I see. They killed off the bacteria, felt good for a few months, and then their symptoms came back again. Using a strong gut healing protocol is vital in a SIBO treatment.

In my protocols, I use herbs like turmeric to reduce inflammation, along with nutrients like colostrum to help repair the gut lining. Since antibacterial herbs can sometimes affect beneficial bacteria too, reintroducing probiotics, through both supplements and food, is a key part of the healing protocol.

Getting to the Root Cause of SIBO

What caused the SIBO in the first place? Root causes vary from person to person, but identifying yours is essential, especially with a condition like SIBO, which has a real tendency to return if the underlying driver isn't addressed.

Root Causes of SIBO:

Low motility: When the digestive tract isn't moving food through quickly enough, it gives bacteria more time to migrate to the small intestine and feed on undigested food. Low motility is often linked to hypothyroidism or other conditions that slow digestion.
Low stomach acid: Without adequate acid, stomach pH can be too high to kill off bacteria ingested with food, allowing it to travel into the small intestine and colonize there.
Poor diet: Diets high in refined carbohydrates, or conditions like diabetes, can also contribute to SIBO.

Addressing the root cause matters because eliminating the "bad bugs" alone, without fixing what let them take over in the first place, sets you up for SIBO relapse. Being bloated all the time isn't something you should have to accept as normal.

If you're ready to get to the bottom of your bloating and think SIBO might be the cause, book a free discovery call with me or learn more about Holistic Gut Healing services. Working with an experienced practitioner makes the process far less overwhelming — and can save you a lot of trial and error.

Frequently Asked Questions About SIBO

What's the difference between SIBO and IBS?

IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion — a label given when symptoms fit a pattern but no clear cause is found through standard testing. SIBO is one of the most common underlying causes of those symptoms, identifiable through a breath test, and is estimated to be behind 60-70% of IBS cases.

How do you test for SIBO?

A breath test is the standard diagnostic tool. It measures hydrogen and methane gas levels after drinking a test substance, which can indicate bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.

Can SIBO come back after treatment?

Yes, if the root cause isn't addressed. Common root causes include low motility, low stomach acid, and dietary factors — treating the overgrowth without fixing these underlying issues raises the risk of relapse.

Do you work with SIBO patients outside of Lindenhurst?

Yes, I work with patients throughout Suffolk County, Long Island, NYC, and Connecticut via telehealth.

Dealing with Bloating? Let’s Talk About SIBO

What is SIBO? Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

How do Naturopathic Doctors Diagnose SIBO?

What Does SIBO Treatment Involve?