fatigue – megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 malabsorption.soft, foul-smelling stools that stick to the bowl.chronic loose stools or diarrhea – studies have found 48% to 67% of people with chronic diarrhea had bacterial overgrowth.Other causes include immune deficiency, stress, certain medications such as steroids, antibiotics, and birth control pills, inadequate dietary fiber, and pancreatic enzyme deficiency. Structural abnormalities in the small intestine – gastric bypass surgery, small intestinal diverticula, blind loop, intestinal obstruction, and Crohn’s disease fistula are some of the structural causes of bacterial overgrowth. Another very common cause of hypochlorhydria is due to excessive use of antacids. Because stomach acid is acidic and helps to kill bacteria in the small intestine, if there is less stomach acid, bacteria are more likely to proliferate. Hypochlorhydria – as people get older, the amount of stomach acid they secrete decline. In the United States, up to 40% of chronic diarrhea in people with diabetes is associated with bacterial overgrowth. Toxic metabolic substances produced by the bacteria injures intestinal cells and impairs absorption, resulting in nutrient deficiencies, food allergies and intolerances, and poorly functioning digestive enzymes.ĭecreased motility in the small intestine – caused by excess dietary sugar, chronic stress, and conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, and scleroderma. Sweets and starchy foods cause the worst symptoms. Intead, they’re left to ferment in the intestines, resulting in gas, bloating, pain, mucus in stools, foul-smelling gas and stools, and diarrhea. It also blocks carbohydrates from being absorbed. Through a process called bile acid deconjugation, the unwanted bacteria causes fat malabsorption.
However, certain factors can cause the growth of excess bacteria. The small intestine normally contains relatively small numbers of bacteria. If anything interferes with the absorption here, nutrient deficiencies can result. Nutrients we eat - carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals - are absorbed in the small intestine. It’s not an overstatement to say that the small intestine is the most important segment of the entire digestive tract, which starts at the mouth and ends at the rectum. It’s believed to be involved in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, allergies, arthritis, lupus, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and many other chronic conditions. Bacterial overgrowth can also present with non-digestive symptoms such as fatigue. It’s not just people with IBS-like symptoms that have bacterial overgrowth. When the unwanted intestinal bacteria were eradicated, symptoms of IBS improved in 48% of the subjects, particularly diarrhea and abdominal pain. Researchers found that 157 of the 202 people (78%) had bacterial overgrowth. Given that IBS is the number one gastrointestinal diagnosis, bacterial overgrowth could be greatly under-diagnosed.įor instance, a study by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California examined 202 people who met the diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome and gave them a test for bacterial overgrowth called the lactulose hydrogen test. Instead, people with chronic digestive problems such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, and/or constipation are often told they have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) when the underlying problem is actually small intestine bacterial overgrowth. That’s because despite overuse of antibiotics, antacids, and other medications that wipe out friendly intestinal bacteria, many physicians don’t test their patients for it. Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine is a relatively common condition that can be present for years before it is detected.
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