The Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and SIBO Connection
Unveiling the hidden epidemic:
Is it IBS or is it SIBO?
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a very common health concern, affecting nearly one in six individuals residing in Western countries. It ranks as one of the most common reasons people visit the doctor’s office and yet, it often leaves both patients and doctors alike scratching their heads when it comes to effective treatment and pinpointing the root cause.
IBS falls into the category of what's known as a functional disorder, a classification that suggests that before a diagnosis of IBS is reached, other diseases must be ruled out. This essentially implies that conventional diagnostic tests such as colonoscopies, gastroscopies, and blood tests typically fail to reveal any physical abnormalities. Recognised gut disorders such as Crohn's disease, Ulcerative colitis, or Celiac disease are excluded from consideration.
So, to recap: if you undergo a bunch of standard testing and all your results come back negative or “normal”, every known disease is dismissed and you would then be eligible to be diagnosed with IBS, hooray! (…) If you meet specific criteria, often referred to as the Rome Criteria, you may be told that "It's just IBS"... which essentially translates to "We're not quite sure."
Which is why I don’t consider it as an accurate diagnosis at all. It tells us basically nothing, other than you have digestive symptoms. I think you were able to figure that one out on your own. This can be incredibly disheartening, especially since your symptoms are undeniably real.
But here's where it becomes interesting:
Recent studies have now shown that as many as 80% of individuals diagnosed with IBS may actually have an underlying condition known as SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth.
SIBO, in a nutshell, occurs when an overabundance (overgrowth) of bacteria takes up residence in the small intestine, where their presence should be minimal. This bacterial overgrowth can lead to a range of gastrointestinal symptoms and systemic symptoms that mimic IBS, making it a potential hidden culprit behind many cases of IBS.
Read more about What is SIBO. Or find out if you could benefit from SIBO Breath Testing.
The connection between IBS and SIBO is a prime example of how looking deep into our digestive system can hold the key to understanding and addressing health challenges that have long remained unresolved. By shedding light on this hidden epidemic, my goal is to empower those struggling with IBS to embark on a path toward a more accurate diagnosis (finding the root cause) and effective management of their condition.