Run the List SIBO Part I: Clinical Presentation
Nov 3, 2025
In this discussion, Ally Scheve, a third-year medical student, teams up with Dr. Navin Kumar, a gastroenterologist, to unravel the complexities of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). They delve into the pathophysiology behind SIBO and how bacterial growth triggers uncomfortable GI symptoms like gas and bloating. Dr. Kumar highlights how nutritional deficiencies, particularly B12, arise from bacterial interference and identifies key risk factors, including altered GI motility and the impact of proton pump inhibitors on SIBO development.
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SIBO Is Bacteria Where They Shouldn’t Be
- SIBO is an abnormal proliferation of bacteria in the small intestine where few bacteria should exist.
- Contrast the small intestine with the colon, which normally contains abundant bacteria and different physiology.
Gas From Bacterial Fermentation Causes Bloating
- Bacteria in the small bowel break down nutrients and produce gas that causes bloating, cramping, and flatulence.
- Gas production from bacterial fermentation explains many of SIBO's classic symptoms.
Mucosal Colonization Causes Osmotic Diarrhea
- Bacteria lining the mucosa interfere with nutrient absorption and create an osmotic watery diarrhea.
- Severe cases disrupt fat absorption and can cause steatorrhea with greasy, hard-to-flush stools.