What is the testing to see if you have SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)? The best way to test for SIBO is through a Breath test. This test involves ingesting lactulose, then we collect your breath every 20 minutes for 3 hours. Then we send all of those vials with your breath collection to a specialized lab for analysis. This specialized lab is analysing the samples for two gases: methane and hydrogen. Methane and hydrogen are by-products produced due to overgrowths of different types of gut bacteria. Based on the timing we can figure out where in the digestive tract, certain bacterial overgrowths are occurring and the type of gas will give us an idea of the type of bacterial overgrowths that are occurring.
If you have hydrogen dominant SIBO, you will tend to experience diarrhea. If you have methane dominant SIBO, you will tend experience constipation. Some people have a mixture of the two.
Based on this information we will come up with a naturopathic protocol to treat the SIBO. After a person goes through a treatment plan, then it is best to run a repeat breath test to determine success of treatment, and determine if levels have changed.
