SIBO: The Hidden Cause of Bloating, Gas, and IBS Symptoms
If you feel bloated after eating or were told you have IBS but still don’t feel better, there may be a missing piece.
It’s called SIBO.
What Is SIBO?
One of the most common, and overlooked, causes of digestive symptoms. SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. It occurs when bacteria grow in the small intestine where they aren’t meant to be in large amounts and instead of helping digestion, these bacteria:
Ferment food too early
Produce excess gas
Disrupt normal digestion
Common SIBO Symptoms
SIBO can look different for everyone, and can look very similar to IBS, common symptoms include:
Bloating (often shortly after eating)
Gas and abdominal distention
Diarrhea, constipation, or both
Feeling full quickly
Brain fog or fatigue
Methane vs Hydrogen SIBO
Not all SIBO is the same. The type of gas produced can influence symptoms, and treatment.
Hydrogen-Dominant SIBO
More commonly associated with diarrhea and loose stools
Rapid fermentation, Rapid transit time
Methane-Dominant SIBO
Often linked to constipation and bloating
Slows gut motility
Hydrogen Sulfide SIBO (often missed)
Can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fowl smelling gas ‘rotten egg’
May not show up on standard testing, often related to chronic inflammation
SIBO Testing
SIBO is typically evaluated using a breath test, such as the Trio-Smart Breath Test. This test measures gases produced by bacteria after consuming a specific substrate. Proper testing helps:
Confirm the presence of overgrowth
Identify gas type
Guide treatment decisions
Why SIBO Is Often Missed
SIBO is frequently overlooked because symptoms overlap with IBS, standard testing does not include all gas types (unlike the Trio-Smart Breath Test), and root causes are not fully addressed often causing relapse.
What Causes SIBO?
SIBO doesn’t happen randomly, and without knowing why treatment often leads to relapse. The most common culprits for SIBO include:
Sluggish gut motility
Prior infections (food poisoning)
Chronic stress
Low stomach acid
Structural or functional digestive issues
An Integrative Approach to SIBO
At Sun Valley Natural Medicine, we try to understand why SIBO developed in the first place. Our goal is to provide lasting improvement by addressing both the dysbiosis (overgrowth) and the underlying driver(s).
If you’ve been struggling with persistent bloating or IBS symptoms, it may be time to look deeper. Because when you identify the cause,
you can finally treat it effectively.