#29: Gut Health Series, Part 4 – Tackling SIBO Without Wrecking Your Gut

In this 4th episode of our gut-health series, we’re tackling SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)—what it is, why it’s so common, how to know if you have it, and most importantly, how to get rid of it without wrecking your gut in the process. We’re also diving into how SIBO connects to blood sugar metabolism, gut health, and a low-carb lifestyle, plus how to test for it at home with a breath test (because guessing won’t cut it!).

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

✔ What SIBO actually is and why it’s so common

✔ The sneaky symptoms that might mean you have SIBO

✔ How SIBO affects blood sugar, cravings, and gut health

✔ Why low-carb eaters can still struggle with SIBO (and what to do about it!)

✔ The best ways to treat SIBO naturally—without making gut health worse

✔ How to test for SIBO at home using the FoodMarble AIRE breath test

Resources & Links Mentioned:

•FoodMarble AIRE Breath Test – Check it out!

•Grab our FREE Get Started Balancing Blood Sugar Guide if you haven't yet!

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Medical Disclaimer:
The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or medication. The content shared here reflects my personal experiences and research but should not replace individualized medical care.

Transcript

Welcome back to The Balanced Blood Sugar Podcast!

If you’ve ever:

✔ Felt bloated all the time—even when eating healthy

✔ Had chronic constipation, diarrhea, or unpredictable digestion or even IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

✔ Struggled with stubborn weight gain or blood sugar swings

✔ Eaten a meal and felt like you were six months pregnant afterward

Then SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) might be the sneaky culprit.

Today, we’re breaking down:

✔ What SIBO actually is and why it’s way more common than people think

✔ The shocking connection between SIBO, blood sugar issues, and metabolism

✔ How to know if you have it (because most people with gut problems don’t realize it’s SIBO)

✔ How to clear out bacterial overgrowth—without wrecking your gut in the process

So if you’ve been feeling bloated, sluggish, or like your digestion is out of control, let’s get to the root of it!

1. What Is SIBO (And Why Is It So Common?)

SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, and it’s exactly what it sounds like—too much bacteria growing in the wrong place.

✔ Normally, bacteria live in your large intestine, where they help break down fiber, produce vitamins, and keep digestion running smoothly.

✔ But with SIBO, bacteria overgrow in the small intestine, where they ferment your food too early—causing bloating, gas, and nutrient malabsorption.

How Does This Happen?

There are a few reasons SIBO develops, but some of the biggest triggers include:

❌ Slow gut motility (things don’t move fast enough). If food sits too long in the small intestine, bacteria have more time to overgrow.

❌ Low stomach acid. If stomach acid is too low (from stress, medications, or poor diet), it doesn’t kill off bacteria before they reach the small intestine.

❌ Blood sugar imbalances. Insulin resistance and high blood sugar can disrupt gut motility and fuel bacterial overgrowth.

❌ Previous antibiotic use. While antibiotics wipe out infections, they also kill beneficial bacteria that keep SIBO in check.

2. The SIBO & Blood Sugar Connection

What does bacterial overgrowth have to do with blood sugar? A lot.

✔ SIBO can cause insulin resistance. Chronic gut inflammation from bacterial overgrowth can interfere with insulin signaling, leading to blood sugar swings.

✔ It can lead to carbohydrate malabsorption. People with SIBO often have trouble digesting carbs properly, leading to blood sugar crashes or spikes.

✔ SIBO triggers cravings for sugar and processed foods. Certain gut bacteria love sugar, and if they overgrow, they can literally hijack your cravings.

✔ Bloating and gut distress can make low-carb eating feel miserable. Many people try cutting carbs for better blood sugar control but struggle with digestive issues because of hidden SIBO.

If your blood sugar has been unstable despite eating well, your gut bacteria might be part of the problem.

3. Signs You Might Have SIBO

Wondering if SIBO is messing with your gut? Look for these symptoms:

❌ Bloating within 30-60 minutes of eating (especially after fiber, carbs, or sugar alcohols)

❌ Chronic gas or burping (even when eating “clean”)

❌ Alternating constipation and diarrhea (or just one extreme)

❌ Food intolerances that seem to be getting worse over time

❌ Fatigue and brain fog after meals

❌ Unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight

❌ Skin issues like acne, rosacea, or eczema

If you check off multiple symptoms, it might be time to dig deeper.

4. How to Test for SIBO (Without Guessing)

If you suspect SIBO, the best way to confirm it is with a breath test. This test measures hydrogen and methane gas levels in your breath after drinking a sugar solution. Why? Because the bacteria in your small intestine ferment that sugar and release gases—gases that shouldn’t be there in high amounts.

There are two ways to test for SIBO:

1. Clinical Lab Test (Ordered by a Doctor, usually a Gastroenterologist; most primary care doctors won’t do this)

✔ Usually a lactulose or glucose breath test

✔ Requires fasting beforehand and drinking a sugar solution

✔ Takes 2-3 hours, with breath samples collected every 15-20 minutes

✔ Results show whether you are negative or have hydrogen-dominant, methane-dominant, or mixed-type SIBO; which can have different treatments/or healing diets depending on your type

2. At-Home Breath Test (Like FoodMarble)

✔ FoodMarble’s AIRE device is a portable, real-time breath test that lets you check fermentation levels at home; it’s can also be covered by HSA/FSA funds

✔ Uses a similar process—drink a test sugar and breathe into the device at intervals

✔ Great for tracking progress over time (especially if you’re treating SIBO naturally!)

✔ Can help identify which foods trigger fermentation in your gut

How to Use the FoodMarble AIRE for SIBO Testing:

1️⃣ Fast for 8-12 hours (usually overnight) before testing.

2️⃣ Take a baseline breath sample before drinking the test sugar.

3️⃣ Drink the lactulose or glucose solution.

4️⃣ Take breath samples every 15 minutes for the next 2-3 hours.

5️⃣ Look for hydrogen or methane spikes—if levels rise too early, it’s a sign of SIBO.

Why This Matters:

If your test is positive, you know that gut bacteria are hanging out where they shouldn’t be. If it’s negative, other gut issues (like low stomach acid or IBS) could be causing your symptoms instead.

Testing before and after a gut-healing protocol can also help track progress—because you don’t just want to feel better, you want actual proof your gut is healing!

This at-home testing option makes it easier than ever to stop guessing and start addressing gut issues with confidence!

5. How to Get Rid of SIBO (Without Destroying Your Gut in the Process)

So now, if you find out you have SIBO, what do you do? The internet is full of “kill protocols” for SIBO—but aggressive antibiotics or extreme diets can sometimes cause more gut damage in the long run. Unless you’ve been tested by a doctor who scoped you and recommends aggressive treatment, natural rebalance is effective for most people, but severe SIBO can cause fatalities if it’s extremely aggressive. So make sure to get in and see a specialist if you’re having severe symptoms like cramping, colonic/intestinal seizures, or severe constipation or diarrhea. 

If you fall in the category of most without major symptoms, you can focus on gently rebalancing your gut with a sustainable approach:

✔ Support stomach acid production. Low stomach acid is a BIG root cause of SIBO (you can also read this as a side effect of long term use of acid reflux medication). Many times acid reflux is actually caused by too little stomach acid rather than too much. So you can try lemon water or apple cider vinegar before meals to help digestion.

✔ Improve gut motility. Eating on a schedule, walking after meals, and using gentle prokinetics (like ginger or magnesium) can help food move through the intestines properly. Magnesium lotion is a staple in our home for keep everybody regular. Irregular bowel movements can cause bacterial and toxin backup in the intestinal track, causing SIBO or making it worse. 

✔ Temporarily reduce fermentable carbs. Some people feel better cutting back on fiber and fermentable foods like yogurt and sauerkraut while healing—then slowly reintroducing them later.

✔ Use targeted herbal antimicrobials. Instead of hardcore antibiotics, herbs like oregano oil, berberine, and neem can help rebalance gut bacteria without wiping out the good guys. Now, you will want to avoid these if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, but garlic and onions can be good alternatives during that time, and ginger in moderation.

✔ Rebuild your gut microbiome. After reducing bacterial overgrowth, bring in prebiotic and probiotic foods to restore balance (fermented foods, resistant starches, and high-fiber veggies).

SIBO Healing Takes Time—But It’s Worth It.

The goal isn’t just to kill off bacteria—it’s to create a gut environment that naturally stays balanced long-term.

6. SIBO & The Low-Carb Lifestyle: What You Need to Know

Many people go low-carb to stabilize blood sugar, but if they have undiagnosed SIBO, they may experience:

✔ Feeling worse before feeling better (as bad bacteria die off)

✔ Temporary bloating from high-fat meals if gallbladder function is sluggish (or they’re missing a gallbladder; in this case, supplementing with digestive enzymes or papaya (a natural source of enzymes) can really help)

✔ Constipation or diarrhea due to gut bacteria shifts

What Helps?

✔ Ease into low-carb gradually. Sudden drastic changes can shock the gut—slow transitions give your microbiome time to adjust.

✔ Focus on gut-friendly fats. Healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and coconut oil are easier on digestion than processed seed oils.

✔ Include gut-healing carbs like resistant starches. Green bananas, cooked-and-cooled potatoes, and plantains can feed good bacteria without super spiking blood sugar.

✔ Support bile production. If you feel nauseous after fatty meals, adding digestive bitters or ox bile supplements can help your body break down fats properly.

Healing SIBO and balancing blood sugar can go hand in hand—it’s all about finding the right balance for your gut.

Closing Thoughts

If you’ve been struggling with bloating, digestive issues, or blood sugar swings, SIBO might be the missing piece of the puzzle that you’ll want to look into.

Key takeaways from today’s episode:

✔ SIBO is super common but often goes undiagnosed.

✔ It’s deeply connected to blood sugar, metabolism, gut health, and overall systemic inflammation.

✔ Healing takes time, but gentle gut support can help restore balance naturally.

So that’s it for SIBO.

Next week, we’re diving into our last episode of our Gut Health series, so you don’t want to miss it!

If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend! It helps more people get the info they need.

Until next time—take care of your gut, and your gut will take care of you!