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Managing SIBO Through Dietary Interventions

Flat lay of homemade bone broth with scattered ingredients and spoons on a marble cutting board. Bone broth contains minerals and healthy nutritional benefits that may be helpful in treating SIBO and gut dysfunction.

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By KARA FITZGERALD, ND, IFMCP, and LARA ZAKARIA, RPH, MSC, CNS, CDN, IFMCP

SIBO Basics

Awareness of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) has increased in recent years, in part as relatively common risk factors have become more widely recognized. For instance, low stomach acid (including from PPI use), pancreatic insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn’s, celiac diagnosis, and diabetes all raise the risk of SIBO.1-3

Despite its prevalence, SIBO can be challenging to diagnose. SIBO sufferers often describe a range of agonizing gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, including:4,5

  • Abdominal distension
  • Flatulence
  • Cramping
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation

Non-GI symptoms attributed to SIBO include systemic symptoms like brain fog, headaches, fatigue, skin conditions, and joint pain.5-8

Interventions focus on the primary pathophysiology, which includes dysbiosis, altered GI motility, hypochlorhydria, reduced production of digestive enzymes, osmotic pressure, fermentation, and nutrient depletion due to malabsorption and maldigestion along with altered local and/or systemic immunity and intestinal permeability.4,5,9,10

The mainstay of SIBO treatment is antimicrobial therapy (prescriptive and herbal),4,11 although recurrence of infection may be common.5 Additionally, used solo, antibiotics are insufficient for addressing the full spectrum of underlying pathologies.9,12,13

(Video Time: 2 minutes) In this video, Patrick Hanaway, MD, IFM educator and senior advisor to IFM’s CEO, discusses possible nutritional approaches in personalized SIBO treatment strategies. Dr. Hanaway is a board-certified family physician who teaches the clinical application of nutritional biochemistry, with an emphasis on digestion, immunology, mitochondrial function, and wellness. He is also the former medical director of the Center for Functional Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.

Elimination Diet and Other Nutritional Considerations

In our clinic, we emphasize safe, nutrient-dense therapeutic foods with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and phytonutrient properties. An elimination diet can remove problematic foods contributing to local inflammation while reducing FODMAPs, starches, and sugars, which may aggravate GI symptoms.9

In the context of an elimination diet, specific foods can help these patients. Therapeutically beneficial healthy fats should be leveraged, including medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), omega-3 sources, and butyric-acid and vitamin A–rich ghee. Bone broth is rich in L-glutamine and can help satiate and provide added minerals and collagen support to heal hyperpermeability.14,15 Due to the nature of the pathophysiology, supplementation is usually necessary to enhance micro/macronutrient status,4 and we often use the following:

  • Digestive enzymes
  • Betaine HCL titration
  • A multivitamin with attention to fat-soluble vitamins and B12

Ideally, nutrient supplementation is informed by advanced nutrient testing to cover any nutritional gaps. Certain prebiotic sources may be helpful;16 however, tolerance varies. Therefore, we implement prebiotics cautiously as they may contribute to GI distress, activation of inflammatory response, and non-compliance.7 For the same reasons, fermented foods and probiotics are generally not tolerated.7 Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin are common prebiotics that are not well-tolerated, but low-FODMAP fruits, vegetables, and sources of hydrolyzed guar gum or psyllium are better tolerated and contribute to improving antimicrobial efficacy.17,18

Migrating Motor Complex Support

Support of the migrating motor complex (MMC) is essential; therefore, it’s important to integrate mindful eating, careful chewing, meditation, and pre-meal breathing and gratitude practice. Additionally, singing and gargling exercises have been shown to support MMC activation.19,20

Meal timing strategies can be leveraged to ameliorate GI discomfort. Meal spacing and intermittent fasting might be beneficial for some with slow bowel motility.21,22 Furthermore, therapeutic herbs such as Swedish bitters, bitter greens, ginger, and fennel seeds might also be useful.23,24

Final Considerations

Due to the complexity and risk for nutritional inadequacy, the elimination diet should be followed under careful supervision of a nutritionist.9 Furthermore, this should be considered a temporary intervention meant to be followed by a careful reintroduction as soon as is safely tolerated to diversify the diet and to prevent unnecessary restriction and potential hyperreactivity. Symptom tracking during the process of careful challenge can help the clinician evaluate protocol success and guide on next steps in treatment.

Finally, in refractory SIBO cases, using an elemental diet alone, or with a few carefully selected, well-tolerated foods may be useful as a first step or for periodic intervention.25 In our clinic, we have noted a rise in the number of patients presenting with SIBO who have failed antibiotic monotherapy or suffer from relapse as a result. Augmenting antibiotic therapy with a nutrition strategy that addresses all underlying pathologies can greatly improve results, prevent recurrence, and restore health.

Learn More About gut Dysfunction and Chronic Conditions

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Prebiotic Foods for Postbiotic Abundance

References

  1. Bures J, Cyrany J, Kohoutova D, et al. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2010;16(24):2978-2990. doi:3748/wjg.v16.i24.2978
  2. Banaszak M, Górna I, Woźniak D, Przysławski J, Drzymała-Czyź S. Association between gut dysbiosis and the occurrence of SIBO, LIBO, SIFO and IMO. Microorganisms. 2023;11(3):573. doi:3390/microorganisms11030573
  3. Efremova I, Maslennikov R, Poluektova E, et al. Epidemiology of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. World J Gastroenterol. 2023;29(22):3400-3421. doi:3748/wjg.v29.i22.3400
  4. Adike A, DiBaise JK. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: nutritional implications, diagnosis, and management. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2018;47(1):193-208. doi:1016/j.gtc.2017.09.008
  5. Pimentel M, Saad RJ, Long MD, Rao SSC. ACG clinical guideline: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Am J Gastroenterol. 2020;115(2):165-178. doi:14309/ajg.0000000000000501
  6. Pimentel M, Wallace D, Hallegua D, et al. A link between irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia may be related to findings on lactulose breath testing. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004;63(4):450-452. doi:1136/ard.2003.011502
  7. Rao SSC, Rehman A, Yu S, Andino NM. Brain fogginess, gas and bloating: a link between SIBO, probiotics and metabolic acidosis. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2018;9(6):162. doi:1038/s41424-018-0030-7
  8. Losurdo G, Salvatore D’Abramo F, Indellicati G, Lillo C, Ierardi E, Di Leo A. The influence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in digestive and extra-intestinal disorders. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(10):3531. doi:3390/ijms21103531
  9. Bohm M, Siwiec RM, Wo JM. Diagnosis and management of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Nutr Clin Pract. 2013;28(3):289-299. doi:1177/0884533613485882
  10.  Grover M, Kanazawa M, Palsson OS, et al. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in irritable bowel syndrome: association with colon motility, bowel symptoms, and psychological distress. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2008;20(9):998-1008. doi:1111/j.1365-2982.2008.01142.x
  11.  Chedid V, Dhalla S, Clarke JO, et al. Herbal therapy is equivalent to rifaximin for the treatment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Glob Adv Health Med. 2014;3(3):16-24. doi:7453/gahmj.2014.019
  12.  Rao SSC, Bhagatwala J. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: clinical features and therapeutic management. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2019;10(10):e00078. doi:14309/ctg.0000000000000078
  13.  Tuteja AK, Talley NJ, Stoddard GJ, Verne GN. Double-blind placebo-controlled study of rifaximin and lactulose hydrogen breath test in Gulf War veterans with irritable bowel syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. 2019;64(3):838-845. doi:1007/s10620-018-5344-5
  14.  Chantler S, Griffiths A, Matu J, Davison G, Holliday A, Jones B. A systematic review: role of dietary supplements on markers of exercise-associated gut damage and permeability. PLoS One. 2022;17(4):e0266379. doi:1371/journal.pone.0266379
  15.  Zhou Q, Verne ML, Fields JZ, et al. Randomised placebo-controlled trial of dietary glutamine supplements for postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 2019;68(6):996-1002. doi:1136/gutjnl-2017-315136
  16.  Rau S, Gregg A, Yaceczko S, Limketkai B. Prebiotics and probiotics for gastrointestinal disorders. Nutrients. 2024;16(6):778. doi:3390/nu16060778
  17.  Furnari M, Parodi A, Gemignani L, et al. Clinical trial: the combination of rifaxin with partially hydrolysed guar gum is more effective than rifaximin alone in eradicating small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2010;32(8):1000-1006. doi:1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04436.x
  18.  Sloan TJ, Jalanka J, Major GAD, et al. A low FODMAP diet is associated with changes in the microbiota and reduction in breath hydrogen but not colonic volume in healthy subjects. PLoS One. 2018;13(7):e0201410. doi:1371/journal.pone.0201410
  19.  Pimentel M, Soffer EE, Chow EJ, Kong Y, Lin HC. Lower frequency of MMC is found in IBS subjects with abnormal lactulose breath test, suggesting bacterial overgrowth. Dig Dis Sci. 2002;47(12):2639-2643. doi:1023/a:1021039032413
  20.  Miyano Y, Sakata I, Kuroda K, et al. The role of the vagus nerve in the migrating motor complex and ghrelin- and motilin-induced gastric contraction in suncus. PLoS One. 2013;8(5):e64777. doi:1371/journal.pone.0064777
  21.  Abdallah H, Khalil M, Farella I, et al. Ramadan intermittent fasting reduces visceral fat and improves gastrointestinal motility. Eur J Clin Invest. 2023;53(9):e14029. doi:1111/eci.14029
  22.  McIver VJ, Mattin LR, Evans GH, Yau AMW. Diurnal influences of fasted and non-fasted brisk walking on gastric emptying rate, metabolic responses, and appetite in healthy males. Appetite. 2019;143:104411. doi:1016/j.appet.2019.104411
  23.  Klaassen T, Keszthelyi D, Troost FJ, Bast A, Masclee AAM. Effects of gastrointestinal delivery of non-caloric tastants on energy intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Nutr. 2021;60(6):2923-2947. doi:1007/s00394-021-02485-4
  24.  Avau B, Rotondo A, Thijs T, et al. Targeting extra-oral bitter taste receptors modulates gastrointestinal motility with effects on satiation. Sci Rep. 2015;5:15985. doi:1038/srep15985
  25.  Pimentel M, Constantino T, Kong Y, Bajwa M, Rezaei A, Park S. A 14-day elemental diet is highly effective in normalizing the lactulose breath test. Dig Dis Sci. 2004;49(1):73-77. doi:1023/b:ddas.0000011605.43979.e1

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