SIBO: Finding a Treatment for You
SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, can be a stubborn digestive affliction. Luckily, there are a variety of treatments, including diet, herbal and antibiotic, that can help you get back to having a healthy gut. There are benefits to each type of treatment, and not a single treatment that works perfectly for everyone. Herbal treatments can be a great alternative to antibiotics because they have fewer potential side effects and will not cause antibiotic resistance. The difficulty with treating SIBO is due to the fact that it involves numerous types of bacteria, therefore, a more complex antimicrobial is often the most effective. By clicking the name of each Herbal Supplement, a new window will open where you can purchase it.
Herbal Treatments
Allimed (Allicin) is the major biologically active component of garlic which can be purchased online as well as at select pharmacies. Allicin has antimicrobial effects and immune boosting effects which allow the body to fight against the bacterial overgrowth. It is important to note that Allimed does not contain the FODMAPs part of garlic, so this is not a worry when consuming it to treat SIBO.
Dosage: Take 1-2 caps 3x per day for a total of 14 days (start with 1 cap 3x per day and on day 3 increase to 2 caps 3x per day). It is important that you take 450mg
Berberine Complex: Berberine is a compound found in Oregon grape, barberry, goldenseal, and other herbs.
Dosage: Take 2-3 caps 3x per day for a total of 14 days (start with 2 caps 3x per day and on day 3 increase to 3 caps 3x per day; can cause headaches).
Neem Plus: Neem is a tropical evergreen tree. Neem Plus can be purchased online as well as in our office.
Dosage: Take 1 cap 3x per day for a total of 14 days.
We have seen patient success with taking a combination of the 3 for a 14 day period. They can also be taken while doing a special diet such as the elemental diet or low FODMAP diet
In addition, while being treated, there are a variety of herbal supplements that can treat the symptoms of SIBO in order to provide day to day relief.
Atrantil: Antril has 3 main components each targeting different aspects of your digestive health. It contains M. balsemea Wild extract (peppermint) in order to calm the bowels, next it uses Quebracho extract (a South American hardwood tree) to soak up hydrogen and weaken the bacteria, and finally it sused Saponin/flavonoid in order to reduce methane production by eliminating the methane producing bacteria. It is important to know that it may take up to 20 days of using the product before seeing the effects.
Dosage: Take two capsules a day up to three times a day with food. Continue until you feel relief, then consider taking a maintenance dose (see website for additional dosing)
Iberogast: Ibergoast is a combination of 9 medicinal herbs that work together in order to improve overall digestive health. They normalize stomach uscle activity, calm the nerved, reduce bloating, reduce inflammation and regulate stomach movement which all help reduce stomach pain, bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea, and nausea.
Dosage: Adults & children over 12 years: 20 drops (1 mL), 3 times a day
Children 6–12 years: 15 drops (0.75 mL), 3 times a day
Children 3–6 years: 10 drops (0.5 mL), 3 times a day
Children 3 months–3 years: 8 drops (0.4 mL), 3 times a day
Infants under 3 months: 6 drops (0.3 mL), 3 times a day
*Drops can be put in a liquid of your choice
Optional: Check out this book, it lists numerous alternative diet/herbal treatment options that can get your SIBO under control.
Book: The SIBO solution, Sylvie Mccraken
Author Kelsey Zuckerman Patient Care Coordinator