What is SIBO?

SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth — quite a mouthful, so most people just call it “see-bo”. In simple terms, it’s when bacteria that normally live elsewhere in the digestive tract start to grow in higher numbers in the small intestine, where they’re not meant to be in such abundance.

Why does that matter?
Your small intestine’s main job is to absorb nutrients from the food you eat. When there’s too much bacterial activity here, these bacteria can interfere with digestion and produce gases as they ferment food. For some people, this can lead to bloating, wind, abdominal discomfort, changes in bowel habits, or even tiredness and brain fog.

It’s not that the bacteria are “bad” — in fact, most are harmless and many are essential when they’re in the right place. But location matters! Imagine having a beautiful herb garden — wonderful in your garden bed, but not so great if it starts growing in the middle of your living room carpet.

SIBO can develop for many reasons, including slowed gut motility (how food moves through the digestive tract), digestive insufficiencies such as low stomach acid or reduced enzyme output, certain medications, previous gut infections, or structural changes in the gut.

When looking at SIBO, it’s important not only to understand what’s happening now, but also to explore what may have led to it in the first place. Addressing these contributing factors is just as important as managing the SIBO itself — otherwise, the problem may keep coming back.

If your symptoms suggest SIBO could be playing a role, one way to investigate further is through a simple, non-invasive breath test. This measures gases you breathe out after drinking a sugar solution, providing clues that can help guide your next steps.