Living with Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) can often feel like you’re on a roller coaster of discomfort, and quite honestly, confusion.
I know it was difficult for me to even understand my condition and potential root causes, but also to know what to do to help myself heal.
I was a TV host for 20 years at Home Shopping Network (HSN) in Florida – the 10th largest television station in the United States. And I was starting to not feel well.
Maybe you can relate to the bloating, the alternating constipation and diarrhea, the fatigue, and the pain in the belly.
People were writing to me periodically — not all the time because I was really managing my condition with a lot of compression like Spanks—and asking me when the baby was due. It was mortifying! It was a byproduct of the extreme bloating and pain I was dealing with.
My heart goes out to anybody who’s ever had that experience because it’s not a feel-good moment. But I wanted to share with you because I know many of you can relate.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO), and Intestinal Sulfide Overproduction (ISO) can definitely change your life. These are conditions characterized by excessive bacterial or archaeal populations in the small intestine. Often, an episode of food poisoning, or acute gastroenteritis, can trigger these conditions.
When we ingest contaminated food, the resulting acute gastroenteritis can manifest as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. This illness disrupts the gut’s natural movement, impacting the migrating motor complex (MMC) – an important component that clears bacteria from the small intestine during fasting periods.
Some bacteria, like specific E. coli strains, produce cytolethal distending toxins (CDTs), which can damage the intestinal lining, particularly the interstitial cells of Cajal. These cells are essential for regular gut contractions. Damage to these cells can cause long-term MMC impairment.
An impaired MMC means less effective clearing of the small intestine, potentially leading to SIBO. When methane-producing archaea dominate, IMO can occur. Symptoms include bloating, discomfort, changed bowel habits, and trouble absorbing your food, and – you guessed it – pain.
Not everyone who suffers food poisoning will develop SIBO or IMO. Factors like gut microbiome diversity, immune system strength, and overall gut health play roles. However, understanding this link is crucial for prevention and treatment strategies.
For the pain, you might ask: why can’t we just pop a Tylenol or an Ibuprofen and call it a day? The answer lies in the nature of the pain itself. These over-the-counter solutions often miss the mark. The pain might come in the form of muscle cramps and contractions attempt to counteract the pressure of trapped gas.
Traditional anti-inflammatories might redirect some of the immediate issues (pain), but they don’t address the root cause: the bacterial overgrowth and its gas-producing aftermath.
So what are our options if over-the-counter solutions don’t help? We can turn to herbs in nature’s pharmacy.
Kava Kava and Black Cohosh
These herbs have been used for centuries, not just for their sedative effects but for their ability to ease muscle tension and spasms, so they can be helpful in bloating from SIBO.
Some of the reported benefits of drinking kava kava and black cohosh can help with more than just pain and bloating. Here are some more benefits:
- Anxiety Relief: Clinical studies have suggested that kava kava may be effective in treating symptoms associated with anxiety1
- Improved Sleep: Due to its anxiolytic effects, kava kava may help induce sleep and improve sleep quality, making it a potential alternative therapy for sleep disorders2
- Relaxation and Muscle Relaxation: In small doses, kava kava and black cohosh can induce feelings of relaxation, sleepiness, and muscle relaxation, contributing to a sense of well-being and calmness3
- Mood Enhancement: Kava kava is known to act on the brain to promote feelings of calmness, relaxation, and happiness, which can help improve mood and overall emotional well-being4
- Pain Relief: Some studies suggest that kava kava and black cohosh may have pain-relieving properties, making it a potential option for managing pain and discomfort. In fact, black cohosh is used frequently to also treat menopausal pain and symptoms!5
Here’s where science and tradition combine: kava kava and black cohosh contain compounds that act on the nervous system, calming the muscular contractions that are so common in SIBO. They work by soothing the smooth muscle tissue of the digestive tract, directly addressing the cramps and spasms.
While kava promotes relaxation without sedation, black cohosh acts on the nervous system to ease discomfort, making tinctures of these herbs a fast-acting solution for those seeking immediate relief.
Try Kava Kava on Fullscript here.
Buy Black Cohosh from Fullscript here.
Don’t have a Fullscript account yet? Register here and access our exclusive practitioner discount graciously offered by Dr. Allison Siebecker.
Peppermint
Peppermint, a hybrid mix between water mint and spearmint, is another herb that can be used to relieve pain relief. It can aid in digestion, help with symptoms of nausea, improve respiratory issues, relieve menstrual pain, reduce headaches, and even help with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Some common uses of peppermint oil include:
- Relieving Digestive Issues: Peppermint oil can help alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea, and other digestive conditions6
- Pain Relief: It is effective in relieving muscle and joint pain, tension headaches, and SIBO-related pain when applied topically7
- Seasonal Allergy Relief: Often those with gut conditions also struggle with allergies, and peppermint relaxes muscles in nasal passages, aiding in clearing mucus and pollen, making it beneficial for allergies8
- Stress Relief: Peppermint oil can help reduce stress, depression, mental exhaustion, anxiety, and restlessness due to its refreshing nature9
- Energy and Alertness: It improves mental clarity, raises energy levels, and enhances alertness, making it a good alternative to caffeine for boosting energy. If you struggle with energy perhaps in part due to your chronic gut conditions, then this could be a good option!
- Sore Muscles: Due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, peppermint oil can relieve pain, inflammation, and muscle cramps when applied topically, but if using on your stomach, use a carrier oil.10
Peppermint’s active ingredient, menthol, gives it its cooling properties, so for SIBO relief it’s a useful herb to include in teas, essential oils, and capsules. It has a quality called antispasmodic, meaning it helps prevent spasms – something I experienced often with my SIBO symptoms!
When using peppermint as a pain reliever, you need to be mindful of where the pain is.
The tea can be a soothing, gentle remedy for upper GI discomfort.
You may also use a capsule with the oil to target lower abdominal pain, making sure that peppermint’s benefits reach the intestines directly. Talk with your practitioner before trying a new supplement or oil and be sure it’s able to be consumed.
Next Steps and SIBO Coaching
These fast-acting natural remedies may seem to be inviting but incorporating them into a comprehensive SIBO management plan requires understanding of how the body absorbs them, optimal dosing, and potential interactions.
This is not just about choosing a remedy but choosing the right guide for your journey through the complexities of SIBO.
If you’re tired of letting SIBO dictate your life, we’re here to help!
SIBO Coaching with Dr. Allison Siebecker and Shivan Sarna is designed for individuals who are looking for an approach that is rooted in understanding your personal story and crafting a care plan tailored to your specific needs, ensuring optimal efficacy and safety.
This program has two parts:
- 4 Live Small Group Coaching Sessions: Get personalized advice and have your questions answered directly by Dr. Allison Siebecker and Shivan Sarna.
- SIBO Recovery Roadmap® Course: An invaluable resource with handouts, videos, and searchable transcripts for ongoing support.
Remember that the power of nature, combined with informed choices, offers a really great path to relief. It’s something I wish I had years ago, when I was dealing with SIBO symptoms myself!
Reach out for a consultation, and we can explore how these natural remedies could be part of a comprehensive strategy to reclaim your comfort and your life from SIBO.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33480339/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33189846/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35763396/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33475068/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34946512/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24100754/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16767798/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36578435/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25037671/ ↩︎
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37788098/ ↩︎