One common digestive complaint that people have is bloating. The background for this problem, to some degree, is North American diets and processed food intake. I want to address bloating that is brought on by small intestine bacterial overgrowth. This is a common problem that I am encountering in patients more and more. Bacteria populate our intestinal tract helping with food breakdown and absorption as well as the manufacture of B vitamins and Vitamin K. They help strengthen our immune system at the level of the gut and help prevent absorption of large protein molecules which could contribute to food allergies.
There are good bacteria and bad bacteria that make up your bacterial flora. If our intestines are populated with ‘bad’ bacteria, these bacteria can compete with our good bacteria and cause us problems. Bacteria can ferment food meant for the human host by their inappropriate location in the small intestine. This fermentation causes hydrogen or methane gas which can lead to IBS symptoms of bloating, gas, and belching, heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain and in some cases diarrhea or constipation. Other symptoms can include systemic symptoms like headache, joint pain and fatigue. Bad bacteria can also compete with us for nutrients including B12 and iron which could leave us in a deficient situation.
These bacteria eat carbohydrates in the form of all sweeteners and starches (grains, beans, and starchy vegetables). Prebiotic nutrients such as inulin, fructooligosaccharides and arabinogalactan are consumed by these bacteria as well. Thus when dealing with this problem, one must eat a diet that starves the bacteria but feeds the person. These bacteria can damage the digestive function not to mention the absorptive structure and integrity of the small intestine. This process contributes to food allergies via increased permeability of the gut.
How does one know if they have this problem? Ask your MD for a hydrogen/methane breath test. When these bacteria ferment carbohydrates they produce methane and hydrogen gas that can be measured. Treatment once established that SIBO is a problem is extensive. Antibiotics can be used for a short course therapy (14 days). If using natural medicine that act like antibiotics (allicin being one example) treatment is for 30 days. Treatment also requires a prokinetic drug which keeps the bacteria from stagnating in the small intestines and an extensive diet (specific carbohydrate or GAPS diet) for a matter of months. Comprehensive treatment also includes probiotic bacteria and small intestinal healing agents (l-glutamine, zinc carnosine to list a few examples). Please talk to your MD or consult with your naturopathic doctor if you feel you have this problem.
Reference: The Townsend Letter Feb/March 2013 Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: Often Ignored Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Allison Siebecker, ND, MSOM, L.Ac and Steven Sandberg-Lewis, ND, DHANP.