What Is the Treatment for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)?

Clinical Overview

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth occurs when excess bacteria colonise the small bowel, producing gastrointestinal symptoms and, in some patients, significant maldigestion and malabsorption leading to nutritional deficiencies. Effective management requires identifying and addressing the condition's root cause alongside targeted treatment.

Treatment Approach (partial overview)

Management centres on identifying and, where possible, correcting underlying causes, addressing nutritional deficiencies, and administering a short course of antibiotic therapy. Multiple antibiotic regimens have been studied; the appropriate selection and complete protocol details are outlined in the full evidence-based regimen.

Treatment Goals

Improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms and a negative breath test.

Instant Access to Structured Evidence-Based Regimens

References

DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.06.090

Management of SIBO should focus on the identification and correction (where possible) of underlying causes, correction of nutritional deficiencies, and the administration of antibiotics.
This is especially important for patients with significant maldigestion and malabsorption.
In general, a single 7- to 10-day course improves symptoms for up to several months in 46%–90% of patients with SIBO and renders breath tests negative in 20%–75%.

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