SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth ) is a malabsorption disorder characterized by dysbiosis in the small intestine, mainly due to a pathological proliferation of colonic bacteria outside their usual location. The causes of SIBO are very varied, from mechanical causes such as volvulus, tumor, post-surgical adhesions, to systemic diseases such as diabetes, scleroderma, amyloidosis, motility disorders: IBS, obstruction, myopathies... It can also be the result of medication, opiates, antibiotics, antisecretory agents... or even as a result of malabsorptive disorders: IPE, cirrhosis, intolerances...

Among the signs and symptoms that a patient with SIBO may present are: abdominal distension, diarrhea/constipation, meteorism (gas), bowel sounds, abdominal pain, steatorrhea (fatty stools), weight loss/anemia, and other extra-digestive symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, eczema, acne, etc.

SIBO, in turn, can be the cause of other disorders, such as inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, food sensitivity and allergies, or nutritional deficiencies (vit B12, vit D, Fe).

As for the treatment of SIBO, an integral approach must be taken, starting with the control of the possible causes, whether due to an underlying pathology, surgery, etc., passing through the evaluation of the need for an eradicating treatment by means of antibiotherapy or other adjuvant natural methods, and ending with the modification of lifestyle habits, mainly at a nutritional and physical activity level.

A proper assessment of the health of the gut microbiota is essential, as it can be key to many of the symptoms you may suffer from. Therefore, a proper and timely diagnosis can be the answer to many diseases and deficiencies. The breath test is one of the most widely used techniques to know if an individual suffers from SIBO or not, since unlike other tests it is non-invasive and its high sensitivity and specificity allows for greater convenience and speed of diagnosis.