When bacterial overgrowth, an abnormal increase in bacteria in the small intestine, often called SIBO. Also known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, it disrupts digestion, steals nutrients, and triggers bloating, diarrhea, and fatigue. This isn’t just a gut feeling—it’s a real, measurable condition that shows up in lab tests and responds to specific treatments.
Bacterial overgrowth often links to antibiotics, medications that wipe out good and bad bacteria, throwing the gut off balance. Long-term use, even short courses, can leave room for harmful strains to take over. It also connects to probiotics, supplements meant to restore gut balance, but sometimes they make things worse if used without knowing the root cause. And then there’s gut health, the overall state of your digestive system, influenced by diet, stress, and medications like acid reducers or painkillers. People on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for heartburn, or those taking opioids for chronic pain, are more likely to develop bacterial overgrowth because these drugs slow digestion and change the gut environment.
It’s not just about eating wrong foods—it’s about how your body moves food through the system. Slowed motility from nerve damage, surgery, or certain medications lets bacteria cling to the small intestine instead of being flushed out. That’s why some people with diabetes, thyroid issues, or past abdominal surgeries see recurring symptoms. Even something as simple as skipping meals or eating too fast can worsen it. The real issue? Many doctors miss it. Symptoms like bloating after meals, gas, and loose stools get labeled as IBS—when it could be bacterial overgrowth.
What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t just theory. It’s real-world connections: how bacterial overgrowth ties into drug interactions, why some pain meds make gut problems worse, and how supplements like probiotics can backfire if used blindly. You’ll see how medications like ACE inhibitors, antispasmodics, and even creatine can indirectly affect your gut. No fluff. No guesswork. Just what works—and what doesn’t—based on actual cases and medical evidence.
SIBO causes bloating, gas, and digestive issues. Breath tests are the most common way to diagnose it, but they’re not perfect. Learn how testing works, why results can be misleading, and what treatments actually help-plus how to prevent it from coming back.
