SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
What SIBO Actually Is
SIBO occurs when bacteria build up in the small intestine, an area of the gut that normally contains relatively low levels of bacteria.
When this balance is disrupted, digestion can become inefficient. Food may ferment too early, leading to symptoms such as bloating, discomfort, altered bowel habits, and shifting food sensitivities.
SIBO isn’t a disease in itself. It’s a pattern, a sign that something has changed in how digestion is functioning upstream.
A Common SIBO Experience
People with SIBO often describe symptoms that feel inconsistent or unpredictable. Bloating may worsen as the day goes on. Foods that were once tolerated may suddenly cause discomfort. Symptoms can flare during stressful periods or after illness, travel, or antibiotics.
This fluctuation happens because SIBO is influenced by several moving parts, including:
how effectively food is broken down
how well the gut moves food and bacteria along
shifts in stress, sleep, or hormonal rhythms
Understanding this variability helps explain why SIBO rarely responds to a single dietary change alone.
The Nervous System and SIBO
The small intestine is particularly sensitive to stress.
When the nervous system is under pressure, whether from emotional strain, long-term stress, or feeling constantly “on”, digestion can slow significantly. This slowing affects gut motility, including the migrating motor complex (MMC), which helps clear bacteria from the small intestine between meals.
When this process is disrupted, SIBO symptoms can worsen or become harder to resolve. For many people, supporting nervous system regulation becomes just as important as addressing bacteria directly.
What’s Often Missed
SIBO is sometimes treated as a purely bacterial problem. While antimicrobial approaches can be helpful, they don’t always address why SIBO developed in the first place.
Common underlying factors include:
low stomach acid or enzyme output
slowed gut motility
post-infectious changes
medication or antibiotic history
hormonal influences (particularly in women)
long-standing stress patterns affecting digestion
When these drivers aren’t explored, SIBO can recur or persist despite multiple protocols.
A More Supportive Way Forward
Long-term improvement with SIBO is rarely about one protocol or quick fix.
Support often involves working across several layers, gently and in the right order. This may include improving digestive capacity, supporting motility, addressing microbial balance, and reducing inflammation, alongside nervous system support for stress-related flares.
Testing, such as breath testing or functional stool analysis, can be useful when it helps guide care, not overwhelm it.
When the wider context is understood, treatment becomes more targeted, sustainable, and easier for the body to respond to.
This Page in One Sentence
SIBO isn’t just about bacteria, it’s a digestive pattern shaped by motility, digestion, microbial balance, and nervous system regulation, and it improves most when these layers are addressed together.