5 Things Patients Should Know About Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Yes, you have bacteria in your gut. Yes, that’s normal. But small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a gastrointestinal condition where there is an excessive amount of bacteria in the small intestine. SIBO can lead to uncomfortable symptoms including bloating, diarrhea and nausea, which overlap with other gastrointestinal conditions, making SIBO diagnosis a bit tricky. SIBO can also cause unintentional weight loss and malabsorption. Dr. Mark Pimentel, a leading gastroenterologist and SIBO expert from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center joins us to explain what’s really going on inside our gut with SIBO. He also gives us some insight on the causes, risk factors, and how SIBO is diagnosed and treated. Dr. Pimentel, who is the author of the book, The Microbiome Connection: Your Guide to IBS, SIBO, and Low-Fermentation Eating, also shares some surprising insight on how artificial sugars can affect our gut microbiome.