“Why am I so bloated?”

It’s a question I hear a lot when new patients come to me trying to make sense of their digestion. Bloating is one of the most aggravating symptoms because of how uncomfortable and embarrassing it can be!

When the usual attempts to avoid beans, broccoli, salt, and greasy foods fail, it’s time to get to the root cause. I use functional medicine testing to look under the hood, and here are some of the top root causes I look for:

Food Reactions

It’s not only beans that can cause the bloat! Some people are reactive to gluten, dairy, or other foods they eat every day without even thinking about it. 

Gut Dysbiosis

That’s a fancy word to say the gut microbiome is out of balance. There could be an overgrowth of yeast or unwanted bacteria to blame. 

Hormones

Hormonal changes can cause fluid retention and bloating—sometimes leading people to believe they have a digestive problem when it’s actually hormones!

SIBO or IBS

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and irritable bowel syndrome are two common diagnoses that cause bloating. Keep reading to learn how to know the difference!

How can you know what the cause is for you?

The only way to know for sure is to test . In our practice, we use functional medicine testing to eliminate the guesswork. 

There are a lot of false beliefs about bloating and digestion, so let’s put the record straight. Here are 3 misconceptions and what you need to know instead. 

Misconception #1: It’s not important to know if I have SIBO or IBS

On the surface, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) are hard to tell apart. Both can cause bloating, gas, pain, and either diarrhea or constipation. 

But they are NOT the same.

IBS and SIBO have different causes and different solutions—making it critical to know which is to blame if you ever want to heal. 

Solving digestive mysteries is one of our specialties. We always recommend testing to know for sure what we are working with! 

Here are some differences between IBS and SIBO that anyone struggling with gas and bloating needs to know:

• SIBO affects the small intestine, whereas IBS affects the large intestine

• SIBO is caused by overgrowth of good bacteria, whereas IBS often involves yeast, parasites, or pathogenic bacteria

• Antibiotics may give temporary relief from SIBO but not IBS 

• Probiotics and prebiotics are more likely to make SIBO worse and IBS better

The bottom line?

If you are at all confused about the cause of digestive distress, it’s time to stop guessing and actually test. 

Misconception #2: If I have SIBO or IBS, I need to stay on a restrictive diet forever.

Most people believe that if they have SIBO or IBS or other digestive problems that they need to follow a highly restrictive diet forever. But it’s not true!!!! Here’s why:

• Bacteria in the gut feed on carbohydrates to produce gas.

• Diets like the Low-FODMAP Diet and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet limit the fuel source for gas-producing bacteria

• These diets can be extremely helpful at temporarily reducing symptoms like gas and bloating 

• In the long run, the gut microbiome needs variety AND carbohydrate fuel sources to stay healthy

• So a better approach is to work on healing the gut and gradually reintroduce foods over time

Don’t go it alone!!!! We help our patients make sense of their digestive symptoms and find personalized long-term solutions. 

Misconception #3: Probiotics are good for everyone with gas or bloating

The microbiome and probiotics are all the rage. These healthy bacteria support gut health, immunity, brain function, and more. But probiotics are not for everyone! In some people, probiotics make gut problems even worse. 

The most common explanation for this is that there is already an overgrowth of bacteria— like in the case of SIBO. Those large numbers of bacteria busily convert carbohydrates into gas, which is what causes bloating, cramping, and other digestive distress. 

Adding more bacteria to the mix? It’s like adding fuel to a fire.  

Prebiotics can be equally problematic, so look closely at supplement labels for things like inulin, chicory, arabinogalactan, FOS, or GOS. 

Next Steps

Digestive issues can be challenging to make sense of without the right testing and targeted protocols. We work with patients to get to the root of the problem through our 1:1 program, Thrive Tribe. Apply here!