The symptomatic picture of individuals with SIBO is diverse. You are unlikely to find two people with SIBO who have the exact same symptoms. These differences are due to many factors including genetics, unique microbiomes, and the fact that SIBO is not necessarily a disease, but rather a description of a process occurring inside the body. That means that it can be caused by a multitude of different factors which will impact how symptoms present. However, symptoms frequently include some sort of intestinal involvement.
Common intestinal symptoms include the following:
- Bloating
- Excessive and/or foul-smelling flatulence
- Abdominal pain & discomfort
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Incomplete stool evacuation
- Greasy stools
However, SIBO also commonly involves systemic symptoms that can include nearly anything you can think up. Individuals I have worked with frequently suffer from weight issues (underweight or overweight), skin problems such as acne, mood disorders such as anxiety/depression, and a variety of autoimmune conditions.
In my personal experience, the following intestinal and systemic symptoms and conditions disappeared as I improved my gut health by addressing SIBO:
- Itching
- Flatulence
- Constipation
- Food sensitivities
- Psoriasis
- Menstrual cramps
- Migraines
- Acne
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Seasonal allergies
- Chronic muscle pain
At Bridgetown Nutrition, we help people become more in tune with their symptoms so that they can identify triggers, remove them, and experience symptomatic relief.