

In addition to these tests, your doctor may recommend blood testing to look for vitamin deficiency or a stool evaluation to test for fat malabsorption. A sample of intestinal fluid is withdrawn and then tested in a laboratory for the growth of bacteria. To obtain the fluid sample, doctors pass a long, flexible tube (endoscope) down your throat and through your upper digestive tract to your small intestine. This is currently the gold standard test for bacterial overgrowth. Small intestine aspirate and fluid culture.Although widely available, breath testing is less specific than other types of tests for diagnosing bacterial overgrowth. A rapid rise in exhaled hydrogen or methane may indicate bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine. This type of noninvasive test measures the amount of hydrogen or methane that you breathe out after drinking a mixture of glucose and water. Talk to your provider about using these supplements, so you make the right choice.įor more information about SIBO or to book an appointment, call Gastroenterology Associates of Beverly Hills today or use the online scheduling feature.In order to diagnose small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), you may have tests to check for bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine, poor fat absorption, or other problems that may be causing or contributing to your symptoms. Some people might benefit from taking prebiotics or probiotics to boost levels of good bacteria in the gut. You need to follow a nutritionist’s advice when on a FODMAP diet. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which are types of carbohydrates. Cut out sugar to start with, including anything containing sugar alcohol.

Making changes to your diet can also help. If you have high levels of methane, you can also take the antibiotic neomycin. If your breath test shows high levels of hydrogen, you can take an antibiotic called rifaximin to rebalance the gut bacteria.

Where possible, treating the underlying cause of SIBO can reduce your symptoms and prevent future attacks. How is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth treated? Your provider can then test the air for high levels of hydrogen or methane, which indicates you have SIBO. You have a sugary drink first, then breathe into a balloon every 15 minutes for three hours. If your provider at Gastroenterology Associates of Beverly Hills suspects you have SIBO, they’ll ask you to do a lactulose breath test. The slowing down of your digestive system that leads to SIBO could be due to: Why would I get small intestinal bacterial overgrowth? These symptoms are quite vague and could be due to many other causes, so you need to visit Gastroenterology Associates of Beverly Hills for a diagnosis. If your SIBO gets worse, you could also experience weight loss and anemia because your body isn’t absorbing enough nutrients from your food.

What are the symptoms of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth? There are good bacteria that help you digest food, but there are also harmful bacteria in your gut, and if they are the ones growing out of control, it can cause the imbalance that leads to symptoms of SIBO. If the partially digested food isn’t progressing along at the right speed, the bacteria in that area start to multiply. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth typically arises when your small intestine isn’t moving food through your gut fast enough. However, the balance between good and bad bacteria can sometimes get disrupted, leading to SIBO. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) means you have high levels of bacteria in your gut.īacteria are essential to gut health, and everyone has bacteria in their small intestine that help with digestion. What is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth?
