Battling SIBO: Supplements, GI-Map and Good Practices
Battling SIBO: Supplements, GI-Map and Good Practices
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
TLDR:
Sucralose is poisonous.
There are some awesome natural supplements you can leverage in place of antibiotics for SIBO.
Prioritizing good gut health will have a huge impact on overall well-being.
The GI-Map is a great test to examine the microbiome.
Battling SIBO
Recently, I've been dealing with a challenging SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) infection. About a month after discovering it, I started feeling much better, but due to some poor dietary choices, it came back strong. I have been super behind on putting this out there because the landscape keeps changing. It has been a roller coaster, but I am finally starting to get this under control.
It's incredible how crucial the microbiome is for overall health. I've noticed a direct correlation between my gut health and neurological issues, something I've been trying to understand for the past year and a half. During the peak of the infection, my nerve pain was excruciating, almost as bad as ever. Thankfully, it is back to what I would consider normal, but unfortunately, I am not back to my post water-fast results.
SIBO Supplement Stack
Initially, I tried a combination of supplements that yielded strong results:
- IS-BAB - A potent herbal "antibiotic" containing Japanese Knotweed Root, Wormwood, Black Walnut Hulls, and Milk Thistle.
- IS-BORR - A similar herbal tincture targeting Borella bacteria, stronger and with more ingredients than IS-BAB.
- IS-BART - Targeting Bartonella with a few additional ingredients.
I took them for about two weeks alongside activated charcoal as a binder. This worked well for stopping it in its tracks, but I ran out and added the following:
- P73 Oregano Oil
- Ozonated Oil
- Psyllium Husk
- L-Glutamine
- Bentonite Clay
- Activated Charcoal
- Black Seed oil
- LL-37 Peptide
- Glutathione (suppository form)
- High-dose Melatonin (suppository form)
- Cat’s Claw
- Clove
- Tudca
- NAC
- Zinc Carnosine
Though I'm not a fan of the suppository delivery method for glutathione and melatonin, I recognize its effectiveness in delivering a high dose over an extended period. Dr. John Lueirance of Mitozen Scientific developed these supplements during his fight against Lyme, and they have shown great results. The high-dose melatonin does have some side effects, like making me feel lethargic and exhausted on certain days, but on others, it helps me sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed and sharp.
Glutathione is amazing; it leaves me feeling refreshed and somewhat "healed" after taking it. Its potent anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties make perfect sense.
My GI-Map Test Results
I just received my GI-Map Test results after a long wait and was surprised by the findings. I initially thought I had a Candida infection or a small intestinal fungal overgrowth, but it turns out I have SIBO. Interestingly, SIBO and SIFO produce similar symptoms. The GI-Map is an awesome test and gives you a fantastic overview of your biome.
Not shown above, but I also was extremely low on Akkermansia, which is healthy bacteria, so I have been making SIBO yogurt with that in there as well.
H. pylori is a type of bacteria that infects the stomach lining and is known to cause various gastrointestinal issues, including peptic ulcers and gastritis. There is evidence suggesting that H. pylori infection may contribute to the development of leaky gut, which I believe is causing many of my symptoms.
Leaky gut is a condition where the lining of the intestines becomes more porous, allowing larger particles like toxins, bacteria, and undigested food molecules to enter the bloodstream. This can trigger immune responses and inflammation, leading to various health problems.
Studies have indicated that H. pylori infection might disrupt the gut lining's integrity, weakening the tight junctions between cells and increasing permeability. This can result in harmful substances entering the bloodstream and causing inflammation and other health issues.
My focus now is to address the overgrowth of bad bacteria in my gut, and fortunately, the supplements I am taking are effective against a broad spectrum of harmful gut bacteria.
Next Steps
I am eagerly awaiting my order of Cymbiotika's ParaX, renowned as the ultimate anti-microbial gut formula. It's been in high demand, so I was persistent in checking for its availability. I believe this supplement, along with Tributyrin-X, which aids in gut lining repair and prevents bacteria leakage, will be the final touch in eliminating the bacteria.
After about halfway through the ParaX cycle, I plan to attempt another 3-5 day fast and incorporate oral BPC-157 and other repair agents to kickstart the healing process.
I am relieved to finally have a better idea of what the hell is going on and where I need to go from here. I can't stress enough the importance of prioritizing gut health; this has been one of the most challenging illnesses I've dealt with. Although I'm managing well at work and in the gym, ongoing brain fog and fatigue have slightly affected my performance. Thankfully, with a new round of Microcurrent Neurofeedback treatments, my cognitive performance has improved, and the brain fog is starting to subside.
Important Takeaways from this Experience
Intermittent fasting or time-restricted feeding is an excellent tool to keep your gut biome healthy and your body detoxed. I have always been a late night snacker and I have learned how much your gut does not like that. Going to sleep with food in your stomach causes inflammation, disrupts your sleep and circadian rhythm and as a result your body is not going to detoxify and repair itself as effectively.
Sunlight is also a potent anti-inflammatory and assists in maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm.
Lastly the most important thing I learned: STAY AWAY FROM SUCROLOSE! Also known as Splenda, this artificial sweetener is what I believe exasperated my symptoms substantially. Not only does it feed bad bacteria, but a recent study by North Carolina State University found that Sucralose may literally damage your DNA.
They also found that it causes leaky gut. Which makes perfect sense in my case because, looking back, I was drinking sucralose-loaded Celsius energy drinks for a while, and it made the SIBO substantially worse. Lesson learned.