Frequently Asked Questions: Gut Health
Persistent bloating after SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) treatment frequently occurs due to unresolved root causes, such as impaired migrating motor complex (MMC) motility, an underlying fungal overgrowth (SIFO), or Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO). A successful recovery requires a structured prokinetic protocol and long-term gut microbiome restoration rather than relying solely on antimicrobials.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder affecting bowel motility and brain-gut signalling without visible tissue damage. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis, is an autoimmune condition causing structural, visible inflammation and ulceration in the digestive tract. While distinct, IBD patients can experience concurrent functional IBS symptoms during clinical remission.
Identifying food compound intolerances involves a systematic, clinically supervised elimination and reintroduction protocol. Unlike standard IgE allergy testing, compound sensitivities (such as histamines, oxalates, or salicylates) are cumulative and dose dependent. We track systemic symptoms alongside biochemical markers to determine your specific metabolic threshold and restore gut barrier function.
Yes, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a leading cause of chronic gastritis and functional dyspepsia. The bacteria weaken the stomach’s protective mucous lining, allowing gastric acid to cause persistent inflammation, upper abdominal pain, and early satiety. Clinical management requires targeted eradication therapy supported by mucosal-healing nutritional interventions.
Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth (SIFO) is an excessive accumulation of fungi, primarily Candida species, in the small bowel. Because both bacteria (SIBO) and fungi ferment dietary carbohydrates, they release gas that produces identical symptoms: chronic abdominal bloating, gas, and pain. SIFO is frequently the hidden culprit when standard bacterial antibiotic treatments fail.
Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM) occurs when the surplus bile acids required to digest dietary fats are not properly reabsorbed in the terminal ileum (the end of the small intestine). These excess bile acids spill directly into the large colon, where they act as local irritants, stimulating severe fluid secretion and driving chronic, watery, and often urgent diarrhoea.
Yes, Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO) can occur completely independently of SIBO. Unlike standard SIBO, which is strictly a bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, IMO is caused by an overpopulation of methane-producing organisms called archaea. These archaea can thrive throughout both the small and large intestines, characteristically stalling gut transit time to cause chronic, stubborn constipation.
A food compound intolerance (such as sensitivity to histamines, oxalates, or salicylates) is a chemical, dose-dependent metabolic threshold issue, whereas a food allergy is an immediate, immune-mediated IgE response. If your gut lining is compromised, your body lacks the necessary enzymes to break down these naturally occurring chemical compounds, causing systemic symptoms like skin flushing, headaches, and bloating when your structural “bucket” overflows.
Persistent symptoms on a gluten-free diet are frequently driven by underlying gut imbalances that a dietary change alone cannot fix. Common clinical reasons include active Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), cross-reactive food intolerances (such as dairy or oats), or a high intake of processed gluten-free foods rich in fermentable starches and gums. Furthermore, if you have Celiac Disease, structural intestinal healing takes time, and lingering inflammation or hidden gluten exposure may be stalling your recovery.