Previous research has reported a high prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in people with Parkinson’s Disease. A new study has just been published that sort to confirm those findings using a large (103) cohort of patients. The patients were given the hydrogen breath test to assess whether they had SIBO. The result was that 25% of the patients tested positive. Furthermore the authors suggested that having SIBO might worsen motor function.
A growing number of clinicians are recognizing that liver disease may increase Small Intestinal bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) risk. The association has been noted in several medical journals:
This research studied 90 patients with confirmed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The goal was to determine if a low FODMAP diet would reduce IBS symptoms. Each of the 90 patient was given a hydrogen breath test for fructose malabsorption, lactose intolerance and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). 75.6% of these patients tested positive for fructose malabsorption which is a gastrointestinal problem that causes abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and diarrhea. After switching these patient to the FODMAP diet 72% of them reported fewer symptoms.
A study was conducted on 222 children who had unexplained abdominal pain alone or associated with constipation, bloating, gas and diarrhea. Each child took a hydrogen breath test for fructose malabsorption. In this cohort, 121 or 54.5% tested positive for fructose malabsorption. These children then placed on a low-fructose diet. Using a standard pain scale 76.9% of the children reported resolution of symptoms as a result of the new diet.