All of this leads to poor digestion of fats and poor absorption of nutrients, especially calcium and fat-soluble vitamins. The bacteria also consume proteins and vitamin B12 meant for us, and bile salts that are supposed to be there to help you digest fats. More bacteria can mean more gas and other byproducts, which often triggers diarrhea. How does SIBO affect my body?īacteria in the small intestine digest carbohydrates and convert them into gas and short-chain fatty acids. If this mechanism is slowed or impaired, the bacteria in the small intestine have more time to breed, and the bacteria in the large intestine may begin to creep upward. The emptying of food contents from the small intestine into the large intestine is another important cleansing mechanism. Different conditions can inhibit these chemical functions. Gastric acid, bile, enzymes and immunoglobulins are some of the chemicals that control bacteria in the small intestine. For SIBO to occur, one or more of these functions must be failing. Your body maintains the balance of flora in your gut through a complex network of chemical and mechanical functions. The wrong bacteria can overwhelm the beneficial bacteria that you need to be there, and they can upset your digestive system by feeding on products that aren’t meant for them. It’s normal and healthy to have bacteria living in your small intestine, but too many can cause problems with your digestion - especially if they're the wrong kind. It means that the bacteria that live in your small intestine are overgrown and the things that normally maintain balance among your gut flora aren’t working. SIBO stands for “small intestinal bacterial overgrowth”. What is SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)?

Bacterial overgrowth symptoms