SIBO: the evil of the microbiota that triumphs on TikTok
In addition to being another of the trends that are popular on TikTok, SIBO corresponds to the acronym for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowht, which we could translate as “bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.”
People with SIBO have more bacteria than normal in the small intestine. Bacteria that are misplaced because, although their natural habitat is the colon, they have remained “trapped” there for different reasons. And as usual, quality is as important as quantity.. There are some especially “damn” bacteria like E. coli o K. pneumoniae.
SIBO: the risks of self-diagnosing the trendy disorder on networks
These bacteria, while they watch life pass by in the small intestine, ferment the carbohydrates that arrive with the food.. “Fermenting” means that the bacteria eat the sugars and, in exchange, they make other compounds and make a kind of mess.. This “excess gas” generated in the small intestine (where there is no need for bacteria to fart) leads to common symptoms that come and go, such as bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas and nausea. There are also more serious associated symptoms such as weight loss and malabsorption, which as its name indicates is the difficulty in absorbing nutrients with its possible associated nutritional deficits.
Why does SIBO appear?
The small intestine has many defense mechanisms to prevent bacteria from setting up camp there.. For example, the movement of the digestive tract itself that “pushes” them forward, the gastric acids that create an environment hostile to bacteria or the ileocecal valve, which acts as a gate preventing the fecal contents of the colon from returning backwards.
When these mechanisms fail, bacteria spend more time in the small intestine, they have more time to grow and it becomes a breeding ground.. And in a river where the water flows, less debris will grow than in a place where the waters are stagnant.. Some reasons why these defense mechanisms fail may be alterations in the anatomy (due to surgeries, obstructions…), problems that alter motility (irritable bowel syndrome, drugs) or problems that alter the pH of the digestive tract (drugs). ).
The three challenges of SIBO
Having SIBO is a trend and precisely for this reason it also has its dark side:
- The diagnosis. There is great concern within the healthcare sector about the “self-diagnosis” and “overdiagnosis” of SIBO. This is largely due to misinformation on social networks where we can find hundreds of testimonies from “supposed” patients.. The “home” self-diagnosis kits sold online can be a tool to take into consideration, but they are also a double-edged sword since it is a difficult disease to diagnose, even for doctors themselves.. There are diseases with common symptoms such as celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome and it is necessary for a health professional to make a complete assessment to be able to make a differential diagnosis.
- · The treatment. The antibiotic, which is capable of annihilating the “bad bacteria”, is the key weapon. However, if SIBO is not correctly diagnosed, using antibiotics can alter the microbiota and the remedy will be worse than the disease.. The objective of the famous low FODMAP diet (low in some types of sugars found in fruits, vegetables, legumes or nuts) is to avoid the favorite foods of the bacteria that camp in the small intestine.. If we take away their food, they can no longer produce flatulence. It is important to know that the FODMAP diet helps improve symptoms but SIBO will not be cured without antibiotics.
- · The communication. Thanks to social networks, having SIBO has become a trend and a kind of justification for many of our problems. Although it is human to want to label our ailments, the presence of gas and flatulence can have multiple origins. We are faced with a problem that is difficult to diagnose and treat. If our doctors are struggling to do both, it would be very bold for us to think that we can do it ourselves with a home test or because we identify with the symptoms described by an influencer who advertises probiotics with his discount code.