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Bowel Overgrowth Syndrome

Dealing with small bowel bacterial overgrowth can be a struggle if you don't realize you have it. Your bowel problems can quickly lead to weight loss and malnourishment. But identifying bowel bacterial overgrowth can be tricky, especially when coupled with other digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome.

  1. Causes

    • Small bowel bacterial overgrowth is the excessive buildup of bacteria in the small intestine. Because the small intestine usually has a low amount of bacteria in it compared to the large intestine, bacterial overgrowth results in nutrients being digested before they can be fully absorbed by the body, which can lead to malnutrition. Many times, small bowel bacterial overgrowth is coupled with other ailments, such as AIDS, Crohn's disease, diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome.

    Symptoms

    • If you suffer from small bowel bacterial overgrowth, you will likely feel cramps and pain in the abdominal region, along with bloating and runny diarrhea. You may also have floating stool, which is the result of excessive fat deposits, and over time you will experience weight loss from malnourishment. The development of a low red blood cell count and the development of anemia is also a potential symptom, since anemia is often the result of a nutritional deficiency.

    Complications

    • In addition to malnourishment, severe cases of small bowel bacterial overgrowth may also lead to dehydration, vitamin deficiencies, liver disease and osteoporosis. Bowel overgrowth also results in a change of the type of bacteria present in the small intestine, which come to more closely resemble the type found in the large intestine farther down the digestive tract.

    Treatment

    • Consult your doctor to determine the best method of treatment for small bowel bacterial overgrowth. He will likely prescribe either antibiotics or probiotics, or a combination of both to eliminate the unwanted bacteria and encourage the growth of the needed bacteria. If you have suffered from dehydration or malnutrition, you may also need intravenous fluids to return your body to a healthy state.

    Expert Insight

    • According to MedicineNet.com, patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may also have small bowel bacterial overgrowth, which can make IBS more difficult to deal with. If you think you might have small bowel bacterial overgrowth, ask your doctor for a hydrogen breath test. The results will tell you whether you also have small bowel bacterial overgrowth and help you better handle your medical situation.

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