Benefits Of S Boulardii
1. S. boulardii Relieves GI Inflammation2. S. boulardii is Beneficial in Chrons Disease3. S. boulardii May Alleviate Drug-induced GI Damage4. S. boulardii is Beneficial in H. pylori Therapy5. S. boulardii Combats Bacterial, Parasite and Fungal Infections6. S. boulardii Boosts the Immune Response by increasing SIgA7. S. boulardii Increases Feeding Tolerance in Infants8. S. boulardii May be Beneficial in Diabetes and Obesity9. S. boulardii Improves IBS10. S. boulardii improved the quality of life in patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS or mixed-type IB
Sibo Treatment Phase One: The Kill Phase
The first phaseor the kill phaseis when youre taking medications to eliminate the SIBO, typically either a general antibiotic or an herbal alternative. Another treatment that may happen during this phase is starting a FODMAP diet, which well talk about more later. People with severe SIBO symptoms can get early relief with this diet, but being too strict with it can possibly cause the bacteria to go into hibernation because they lost their food source.
Can I Cure Sibo On My Own
Its definitely possible to successfully tackle SIBO on your own. We dont use the word cure with SIBO, because youll always have bacteria in your small intestine: a small number of microbes are supposed to live there. Our aim is to reduce them to a level that puts an end to your uncomfortable symptoms.
While SIBO is famous for causing IBS symptoms like diarrhoea, bloating and constipation, its also been linked to:
If youre not sure if your symptoms could be linked to SIBO, check out our blog SIBO symptoms: what they mean and what to do next.
While you could do your own research and create a protocol to beat SIBO by yourself, we recommend that you get the advice of a qualified practitioner. Thats because treating SIBO involves more than just taking some supplements, and going down the wrong path could cost you more time and money in the long run.
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Preventing Methane Sibo Relapse
As discussed above, methane SIBO is generally less susceptible to relapse than hydrogen-dominant SIBO in our experience. Its also important to understand that at this stage of the methane SIBO treatment process, everything is going to be individually tailored to your specific case, given your test results, response to various treatments, health history, symptoms, etc. That said, here are a couple of general ongoing considerations to incorporate for long-term methane relapse prevention:
Can You Treat Sibo Without Antibiotics
This is an important question many people ask after looking at the SIBO antibiotic relapse rates, side effects, and the cost of purchasing Xifaxan. Yes, you can definitely treat SIBO without antibiotics, and in many cases, this may be a better strategy over the long term.
When you realize that most people will relapse after a successful course of antibiotics it makes sense to consider treating SIBO naturally and taking a more gradual approach.
There are a few treatment options that you might find to be effective:
- Herbal antibiotics like Allimed, berberine, oregano oil, and neem
Remember that while some treatments work for others, they may not be the best for you. Everyone has a different health history and underlying causes contributing to their issues. Its best to consult with a doctor for specialized advice.
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Which Herbs Should I Take And In What Combination
Ultimately, you may want to consult a naturopath or other practitioner for this question.
Dr. Siebecker recommends either taking a combination of two to three herbs. She suggests a combination of Berberine, Neem, and Oregano if you have hydrogen-dominant SIBO .
For methane-dominate SIBO , she recommends a combination of Neem, Garlic, and Oregano.
For both hydrogen and methane, try Garlic, Berberine, and Neem, or Garlic and Oregano.
But, it all depends on your symptoms and what you tolerate. For example, if you have bloating and hydrogen, you may want to try adding peppermint to the combination you take.
Reasons Your Sibo Isn’t Clearing
If youre like most people, you probably felt a mixed sense of frustration and relief when you found out that you have Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth . Relief, because all of your symptoms finally made sense. Frustration, because youd heard how difficult treating SIBO could be diet changes, herbs, antibiotics, pro-kinetics. Its a lot to learn about, let alone put into action!
You ran a breath test. You changed to a low FODMAP diet. You found a practitioner and took a protocol of herbs or supplements. All of this felt empowering, and, at first, your symptoms started to get noticeably better. In fact they may have even resolved for the first time in years! But, then things changed and those old familiar symptoms started to return.
When things dont go as planned
What is even more frustrating than finding out that you have SIBO, is when you complete the protocol..and the bloating, discomfort, diarrhea, or constipation, come right back, despite your best efforts. Its just not fair, right?
What is even more frustrating than finding out that you have SIBO, is when you complete the protocol..and the bloating, discomfort, diarrhea, or constipation, come right back, despite your best efforts. Its just not fair, right?
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Sibo Herbal Treatment: Key Takeaways
Herbal treatment may help you to recover from SIBO. But matching the right treatment to the right type of SIBO is important, as is working to prevent unintended consequences such as SIBO die-off symptoms.
We dont necessarily recommend herbals over prescription antibiotics. Either can be effective options. We recommend getting an accurate diagnosis, identifying your root cause of SIBO and planning for the best, most effective plan that resolves your current symptoms and works hard to prevent relapse.
And Some Final Words Of Advice
Whether treating SIBO with herbal antibiotics or pharmaceutical ones, keep an open mind about trying new treatments! You may have to try several courses of treatment, whether with the same drugs or different ones. But know that improvement IS possible and dont give up!
Learn about how I treated my SIBO here.
Have you used herbal antibiotics before? How did they work for you?
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Another Early Stage Probiotic That Can Be Used In Early Stages Of Sibo Treatment Is
Saccharomyces boulardii. S. boulardii has been prescribed in the past 30 years for the prevention and treatment of diarrheal diseases caused by bacteria.
Evidence suggest that this probiotic are beneficial for IBD and IBS patients. Saccharomyces boulardii is actually not a bacteria but rather a type of yeast. It is the only yeast which is considered beneficial enough to be considered a pro-biotic. It helps fight off pathogenic strains of bacteria and reduces inflammation. It is also widely used in cases of diarrhea.
I believe one of the reasons why S. boulardii is so helpful to SIBO sufferers comes down to the fact that because this yeast is a good yeast- it crowds out the yeast that we often see in conjunction with SIBO.
One thing worth mentioning is that S. boulardii like the soil based probiotics I just talked about, do not colonize the gut so it will need to be taken on a regular basis to see benefit.
What Causes Methane Sibo
Its not technically bacteria, but single-celled organisms called archaea, that are responsible for the methane form of SIBO. But, SIAO just doesnt have the same ring to it. The specific species of archaea we hear about most, who resides in the GI tract is methanobrevibacter smithii. And if you have an overgrowth of this critter in your small intestine, you most likely have a bacterial overgrowth as well.
Why? When you eat fiber, the bacteria in your gut ferment it and produce hydrogen. And what do archaea feed off? Hydrogen! It is only once the archaea consume the hydrogen that they produce their own by-product: methane.
So, to support a large amount of archaea , you need to be producing sufficient hydrogen to feed them. Which, if youve tested positive for methane SIBO, generally means two things:1. You also have an overgrowth of bacteria which produce excess levels of hydrogen.2. Even though you have an overgrowth of hydrogen-producing bacteria, excess hydrogen levels may not show up on your testing as the archaea consume the hydrogen and produce methane instead. So they can remain hidden.
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Not Including Probiotics During Treatment
Many people hesitate to include probiotics during treatment, thinking that they might make SIBO worse. This is especially understandable if you took a certain probiotic formula and immediately felt symptomatic. Yes, some strains , can aggravate pre-existing SIBO. But some strains of antibiotics are shown to be more effective at treating SIBO than prescription antibiotics! Stick to soil based organisms, spore based probiotics, or Bifidus strains to be safe.
Match Your Sibo Treatment To Your Type Of Sibo
Now that you know that there is more than one kind of SIBO, and your breath testing has identified your specific type, we get to dive into SIBO antibiotic and herbal treatment options.
But lets not forget, we must also address the root cause of your SIBO. Ultimately, SIBO is a symptom of something else going on, not the root cause.
We are going to say this again because its so importantThe most effective SIBO treatment is the one that also addresses the root cause of your SIBO as well as your specific type. Unfortunately, its not always as simple as taking pills to make the problem go away.
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How Do Antibiotics Treat Sibo And Ibs
First of all, if you dont understand the basics of small intestine bacterial overgrowth, which is found in 60-80% of people with IBS, I would recommend reading this article.
Basically, antibiotics treat SIBO by killing the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine.
Antibiotics do this by either stopping bacteria from replicating or destroying them. The reason we want to kill bacteria is that people with SIBO have accumulated too many bacteria in their small intestine , which causes debilitating digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, and abnormal stools.
When you treat this imbalance of bacteria in the small intestine with specific antibiotics, you reduce the amount of gas being produced, which can reduce symptoms.
For some people, just treating this bacterial overgrowth can solve the problem, but others will need to address other underlying causes that enabled this bacterial overgrowth in the first place.
Sibo: Finding A Treatment For You
SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, can be a stubborn digestive affliction. Luckily, there are a variety of treatments, including diet, herbal and antibiotic, that can help you get back to having a healthy gut. There are benefits to each type of treatment, and not a single treatment that works perfectly for everyone. Herbal treatments can be a great alternative to antibiotics because they have fewer potential side effects and will not cause antibiotic resistance. The difficulty with treating SIBO is due to the fact that it involves numerous types of bacteria, therefore, a more complex antimicrobial is often the most effective. By clicking the name of each Herbal Supplement, a new window will open where you can purchase it.
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Not Treating For Long Enough
Duration of treatment should be based on several factors. Most important is what levels of hydrogen and methane gasses were found on your lactulose breath test, prior to the 120-minute mark. Many practitioners will recommend a standard treatment length of 2-4 weeks. While this is adequate for some cases, more progressed cases may require 8-12 weeks of continuous treatment with antimicrobials.
Sibo Treatment Step : Antimicrobial Treatment
If the previous steps of this process did not alleviate your symptoms completely, it may be time for you to incorporate antimicrobial treatments into your daily routine. When starting antimicrobial treatment, it is important to maintain any diet and lifestyle changes, as well as the ingestion of supplements that were useful to you, throughout this process.
Although maintaining strict diet restrictions on fiber and high FODMAP intake is not as important while taking antimicrobial treatments, it is still recommended that patients continue to eat healthy whole foods.
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Sibo Treatment Phase Two: The Healing Phase
Its normally recommended that you get retested for SIBO two weeks after your antibiotic protocol is complete. However, some people continue to the next phase once theyre feeling better without getting tested again, as the test can be quite costly. Ideally, youll wait until you achieve a negative result and then begin to proceed with a diet modification to help rebuild your immune system and heal your intestinal lining. Following that, youll be able to slowly start reintroducing high FODMAP foods back into your diet.
Targeting Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
Researchers are finding that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is affecting more people than was previously thought. In fact, it is estimated that a significant number of people who have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome actually have SIBO.
SIBO is a health condition in which there are an excessive amount of bacteria in the small intestine. SIBO can cause a variety of symptomsincluding, at its extreme, nutritional deficiencies. It is most commonly diagnosed through breath testing, although other means are available.
If you have been told by your healthcare provider that you have SIBO, you will be reassured to know that it is a treatable condition. In this overview you will learn about the ways that SIBO is currently being treated, as well as some other options that are under investigation. This information will be of help to you as you work with your healthcare provider to formulate a treatment plan.
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Our Approach To Sibo Diets
Our clinical approach to diet in both this initial phase, and during phase two, is to focus on reducing symptoms caused by the bacterial overgrowth. We do this by reducing the main food source that the overgrowth feeds on – fermentable carbohydrates.
This means that certain carbs in your diet are going to cause some level of bloating, gas, diarrhoea or constipation, etc, if you have SIBO. These include: > Starch – grains, beans, high starch vegetables > Resistant starch – whole grains, seeds, legumes > Soluble fibre – grains, beans, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruit > Sugar – fruit, dairy, sweeteners > Prebiotics – beans, vegetables, roots, herbs, prebiotic supplements
Proteins and fats are your friend at this point and make up the majority of the diet designed to limit SIBO symptoms. Two diet options that are low in fermentable carbohydrates that we like to use with our clients are SCD/low-FODMAP and Paleo/low-FODMAP. For those who are very sensitive to oxalates, histamines, amines, salicylates, sulphur or other food components, or who have food sensitivities, we will layer this over the top, however sometimes you have to compromise with these otherwise there would be no foods left to eat.
Herbal Treatment For Sibo
If youd like to get herbal treatment for SIBO, we recommend you work with a professional. You can choose from the following:
- A medical herbalist, who is qualified to use all kinds of herbal treatments
- A Registered Nutritional Therapist, who can use herbal extracts in supplement form
- A Functional Medicine Practitioner, who can also recommend herbal supplements.
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Healing Sibo Is Complicated
Even if you know the experiences you have had that triggered your SIBO, the factors allowing it to persist are really the perfect storm. Optimizing the environment of the intestines, clearing out co-infections, personalizing your diet, enhancing motility, and promoting a healthy microbiome are all critical steps to fully resolving SIBO, for good!
Most of the above issues just require specific testing or some detailed detective work to diagnose. Addressing these underlying issues can make or break the success of your treatment.
If this article resonates with you and you need more help to get rid of SIBO for good, please contact my office to set up a FREE 15-minute consultation.
Many thanks to Brie for sharing her expertise on SIBO with us.
Healing SIBO is really complex and its much easier with the guidance of a true pro like Brie.
If youre ready to get the kind of one-on-one, targeted healing only a skilled practitioner can provide, find out how you can work with Brie here.
Jordan
P.S. Did you enjoy this guest post from one of our recommended practitioners? What else would you like our recommended practitioners to write about?
About Steven Wright
Steven Wright is a health engineer and author. In 2009, he reached a breaking point when IBS took over his life and the doctors didnt know how to help. Since then, he has transformed his health and started HealthyGut.com to help others naturally heal stomach problems. You can check out his story here and find him on , or .
Drawbacks Of Treating Sibo With Pharmaceutical Antibiotics
The drawbacks of pharmaceutical antibiotics are that many people think that pharmaceutical antibiotics are harder to tolerate, with more side effects, than herbal ones. However, Im not aware of any actual data confirming that. It also depends on the antibiotics being used, of course. Some antibiotics are systemic, meaning they will impact all your gut bacteria. Others, like Rifaximin, are more selective about which part of the intestine or bacteria they target.
Depending on your insurance, pharmaceutical antibiotics may be more expensive or not covered at all. Rifaximin, the most common antibiotic used to treat SIBO, can be over $2,000 if your insurance doesnt cover it!
In my case, I had to get pre-authorization for Rifaximin, which took several weeks to get approved. The pharmacy billed my health insurance over $2,000 for Rifaximin, but thankfully my health insurance covered the entire cost. If I had to pay for it myself, then treating SIBO with herbal antibiotics would have been significantly cheaper.
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