This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Read more.
Dr Bridgette Wilson
Digestive Health UK
Can change in diet cause small bowel bacterial overgrowth?
Dr. Bridgette Wilson explains that there is no evidence to show that diet could cause small bowel bacterial overgrowth. However, there could be a possible mechanism for sudden changes in diet, such as an increase in fruit juice or keto diet, which could lead to more microbe growth.
Transcript
There is no evidence to suggest that what you eat could be the reason that you've got small bowel bacterial overgrowth or SIBO as it's called. However, if we think about the way that the gut works and the way that food is absorbed in the gut, then there could be a possible mechanism for sudden changes in diets, such as a drastic increase in fruit intake or fruit juice which would lead to an increase in sugar availability within your small intestine, which could lead to there being more food and therefore more growth and activity of microbes within the small bowel. Another thing that could potentially lead to more food availability in the small intestine would be going on a low-fibre diet, say something like a ketogenic diet where you removed fibre from the diet that could increase the risk of constipation, which can then also slow down gut transit through the small intestine, meaning food sits there for longer, so providing nutrients to the bacteria in the small intestine, which could then feasibly lead to an increase in their activity and growth.