Does SIBO Cause Bloating? Could a FODMAP Diet Help?

QuinTron
Man sitting at table in front of plate and glass, holding his stomach as if he has bloating, heart burn or indigestion.

If you suspect you are suffering from SIBO, you may wonder about the digestive symptoms related to this condition. Could SIBO cause bloating? Diarrhea? Nausea?

Moreover, you may be looking for a solution to help you ease the feelings of discomfort related to SIBO, like bloating. You may have read or heard information about the FODMAP diet. Could the FODMAP diet help with bloating and SIBO? Here’s what you should know before you try FODMAP for bloating.

Bloating and SIBO

Does SIBO cause bloating? SIBO can definitely be one cause of that uncomfortable, even painful bloated feeling. Many people with SIBO experience bloating and gas, especially after eating. So what is going on? If you address the bloating, could it help cure SIBO?

First of all, bloating is a symptom of SIBO, along with:

  • Nausea
  • Indigestion
  • Diarrhea and gas
  • Constipation
  • Weight loss and exhaustion

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms for a prolonged period of time, it’s essential to visit your doctor to find relief. Unfortunately, while SIBO may cause bloating, it’s not the only possibility. The symptoms of SIBO are very similar to many other digestive issues, including IBS, Crone’s, and colitis. So it can be difficult to diagnose based on symptoms alone.

To get to the cause of your discomfort, practitioners often talk to you about lifestyle, diet, and symptoms. In addition, they may look at some of the causes of SIBO, including illness, medications, and surgeries that can lead to low motility in the intestines.

It’s this low motility (or slow movement) in the small intestine that can lead to SIBO. As the intestine stalls, bacteria can overtake the intestinal tract and cause damage. Of course, we all have bacteria in our intestines, but for sufferers of SIBO, the bacteria are out of balance. As a result, food and digestion can’t happen properly, and it may become quite uncomfortable and even painful.

If your doctor suspects SIBO, they can run a simple QuinTron breath test. This easy, non-invasive diagnostic helps you get the answers you need to move forward. It takes just seconds to complete the test, and your doctor may be able to process the test in-office or send it to one of our partner labs, which can get results in a matter of a few days. A breath test is a fast way to rule out SIBO and get to the root cause of your symptoms.

So if you suspect that SIBO might be causing your digestive concerns, the first step is to visit your doctor. Ask them about your diet and how you can adjust to ease your symptoms and support your body as you heal and get your microbiome back in balance.

Does the FODMAP Diet Work for SIBO?

If your doctor recommends trying a FODMAP diet to help you during your SIBO treatment, you may wonder what exactly a FODMAP diet is. How can a FODMAP diet help with the symptoms of SIBO? Will FODMAP stop the SIBO that’s causing bloating? Is it hard to follow?

FODMAP is short for “fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.” To those who are unfamiliar with those terms, they are short-chain carbohydrates (in other words, sugars and starches) that the body often has a difficult time processing in the small intestine. These aren’t food allergies, per se—more like intolerances.

When people who have a sensitivity to these foods eat them, they may experience troublesome symptoms like bloating and gas (along with diarrhea, pain, and cramps). By following a “FODMAP diet,” you’re actually eliminating high-FODMAP foods. This type of eating is also known as an elimination diet. Most people follow the diet for several weeks (up to six) and slowly reintroduce the foods.

For those who suffer from SIBO, dietitians theorize a FODMAP diet “starves” the bacteria that is overgrowing within your gut. As a result, it can lower the number of bacteria and help restore balance to your digestive tract. That said, you should typically follow a FODMAP diet under the direction of a practitioner who can help you determine the reactions you might experience and navigate a path forward.

What is a Low FODMAP Diet?

So what does the low FODMAP diet entail? During the first part of the diet, you eliminate all the potential high-FODMAP foods from your meals. It can be pretty challenging, as you eliminate many common foods from your meals (but remember that most of the elimination is just for a few weeks). After the elimination phase, you will reintroduce the foods into your meals, monitoring your body for suspected symptoms.

High FODMAP foods include:

  • Most dairy, except for some hard cheese and lactose-free products.
  • Wheat products, including bread, cereal, and pasta.
  • Sugars and sweeteners, including corn syrup, honey, and artificial sweeteners.
  • Beans, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans.
  • Processed meats.
  • Certain vegetables like cauliflower, peas, onions, garlic, and asparagus.
  • Certain fruits, including apples, cherries, watermelon, pears, peaches, and dried fruits.
  • Certain nuts like cashews.
  • Juices, soft drinks, and beer.

It’s important to understand that these foods aren’t necessarily all triggering your SIBO symptoms or exacerbating your discomfort. You may find, for example, that dairy or certain fruits are the most aggravating foods to your system, while others have no effect. But during the elimination period, it’s essential not to eat high-FODMAP foods so that you can pinpoint the trigger.

So what can you eat during the elimination phase of your low FODMAP diet? Fortunately, there are still many foods that you can enjoy when you’re going through a FODMAP eating plan.

Low FODMAP foods include:

  • Dairy alternatives like almond milk and milk from soy protein (not whole soybeans).
  • Lactose-free dairy products, hard cheese, and feta.
  • Firm tofu, eggs, and tempeh.
  • Meats, poultry, and seafood (as long as they aren’t processed, like cured meats and cold cuts).
  • Oats, rice cakes, cornflakes, quinoa, rice.
  • Maple syrup, fats, oils, herbs, and spices.
  • Dark chocolate.
  • Most vegetables, including green beans, bell peppers, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, and zucchini.
  • Some fruits including blueberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, oranges, strawberries, and grapes.
  • Some nuts, including peanuts, walnuts, and seeds.
  • Coffee, tea, and water.

What are the Drawbacks of a FODMAP Diet?

There are several pros and cons of following a FODMAP diet. It’s imperative to only follow the diet under the guidance of a nutritional expert. Your practitioner may want to eliminate additional foods based on your particular situation or tolerances; they may also help you pinpoint reactions that you may not recognize without expertise.

Because a FODMAP diet is a healthy diet based around a variety of whole foods, it’s likely not going to cause you harm. However, any time you eliminate certain foods, you risk losing out on the benefit of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it’s crucial that you work with an expert, especially because weight loss and malnutrition can often be concerning symptoms of SIBO.

Vegans and vegetarians may particularly need to monitor their adherence to a FODMAP diet to ensure they consume plenty of protein, minerals, and amino acids to support their bodies.

The biggest drawback of a FODMAP diet is that it can be challenging to omit certain foods from your meals. It is restrictive, and determining some low or high-FODMAP foods isn’t intuitive. For example, watermelon is high FODMAP, while cantaloupe is low FODMAP; blueberries are low FODMAP, but you should avoid blackberries which are high FODMAP. Ripe bananas are high FODMAP; under-ripe bananas are low FODMAP. Without expert guidance, the diet can be confusing to follow on your own.

If you are struggling with SIBO, weight loss shouldn’t be a priority until your gut health is back in order. Therefore, you should refrain from following the FODMAP diet to lose weight. Some people do experience weight loss when they follow an elimination diet, but it’s often due to the omission of processed, sugary, and starchy foods. The FODMAP diet isn’t a solution for long-term weight loss or management.

Can FODMAP Help My SIBO?

Can a low FODMAP diet help with SIBO? Can FODMAP help with bloating? Under the right supervision, in combination with other therapies, it may help you feel better.

In some studies, about 86% of people who followed a FODMAP diet as part of their SIBO treatment experienced a reduction in bloating and other symptoms. So yes, a FODMAP diet will likely be at least part of your treatment plan for SIBO.

Often, practitioners suggest a FODMAP diet for bloating and digestive concerns, along with other treatments for SIBO, like antibiotics. If your bloating isn’t caused by SIBO, they may still suggest a FODMAP diet to rule out other food intolerances and reactions while treating you for issues like stress that can exacerbate IBS and digestive woes.

Typically, an elimination or a FODMAP diet is an important step in getting your digestive system back on track. Diagnosis is the first step in your journey to wellness. If you’re struggling with bloating, discomfort, and digestive concerns, reach out to your doctor today. With the right approach, it’s possible to find relief from bloating and SIBO.

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