Severe bloating, gas, and food reactions that won't resolve often point to SIBO.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when bacteria that normally reside in the large intestine migrate to and proliferate in the small intestine, where they interfere with digestion, nutrient absorption, and gut lining integrity. Symptoms include bloating (often severe and rapid-onset after eating), gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and nutritional deficiencies.
SIBO is strongly associated with underlying motility issues, low stomach acid, structural factors, and prior antibiotic use, and is frequently misidentified as IBS. Root cause investigation explores not just which bacteria are overgrown, but what created the environment for that overgrowth in the first place, because without addressing the underlying conditions, SIBO tends to recur.