Common SIBO Symptoms | Are You Methane or Hydrogen Dominant SIBO?

Published 2024-01-21
TREAT DIGESTION NATURALLY! To find out more see our bookings page here: www.byronherbalist.com.au/appointments/

My name is Todd Mansfield and I’m a clinical herbalist dedicated to digestive health. Every week I treat Australian and New Zealand patients with IBS, IBD, SIBO, reflux, indigestion, bloating, loose bowel movements and constipation.

Follow my work here: www.instagram.com/byron.herbalist/

For everyone else, I’m passionate about supporting you so follow along with this free content to support your digestion without drugs!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When we're talking about small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (aka SIBO), understanding the symptoms is important for effective intervention. The two primary subtypes, methane and hydrogen dominance, present in very obvious and different ways.

Bowel movements serve as a key differentiator. Hydrogen dominance manifests as loose, urgent, or reactive bowel movements, resembling diarrhoea. In contrast, methane dominance paints a picture of constipation, with a sluggish gut as its hallmark. Understanding these differences provides a valuable window into the digestive tract.

Bloating and distention, another important symptom, shows less obvious variations between the two subtypes. Hydrogen-dominant SIBO patients experience rapid bloating quickly after meals. Most methane-dominant individuals, on the other hand, exhibit a more persistent, visible distention that gradually worsens throughout the day.

Transit time, the duration from mouth to toilet bowl, serves as the third crucial difference. Hydrogen dominance tends to accelerate transit, with bowel movements occurring relatively quickly. Methane dominance, conversely, results in slow transit, with severely impacted patients experiencing constipation lasting up to weeks.

Recognising these differences in symptoms aids in navigating the complexities of SIBO treatment. While individual experiences may vary, these fundamental insights provide a starting point for intervention strategies. Seeking professional guidance and considering SIBO breath testing can offer a clearer understanding of one's specific subtype and inform targeted treatment approaches.

All Comments (21)
  • @TheLiline21
    Thank you so much for talking so well about SIBO. In most countries people, including doctors, don't even know what it is. I've been struggling with Methane SIBO for a while and your videos really help!!
  • @Merururuu
    I've been struggling with Methane SIBO for 3 years now, tried anti-biotics twice, and SIBO spesific (low carb fodmap-ish) diet but it always relapsed. I feel like we're only sliencing it and not actually removing it. I wish you had services for international patients too! It's really hard to find doctors who know what they are doing when it comes to SIBO. My doctors never asked about how it started, never looked into why i have it... Losing hope slowly, but also not giving up.
  • Thankyou for your informational video, i would like to know if I have sibo and how to fix it
  • Hi. And how do you feel about the treatment of methane sibo with colloidal silver?
  • @junegagnon6506
    Hello Byron! I don't live in Australia. I live in Canada. The cost to see s Sibo specialist or Naturopath here is not affordable for me. I believe i have methane sibo as i only seem to have a bowel movement every 3 or 4 days. I had an event after taking prescription antibiotics a few.months after taking them where i got diahreah for about a month and was basically in bed . Was taking a gowt milk probiotic but ut didn't help. Finally got the correct refrigerated probiotic and all the symptoms improved in 3 days. This was quite a long time ago(many years). And ever since that event my bowels functioning have continually gotten worse and to this point. I have tons of sensitivies with foods, skin care products etc. I want to get better. I just don't know where to start when having to do it all on my own. The EOnutrition fellow said in his vlogs that taking B1 mught just fix the problem. But i am sure there has to be more to it. Can you offer any suggestions ir help. I so would appreciate any advice as i feel like i am at such low feelings and its almost unbearable... thank-you...June 😢
  • @gmartinez5295
    Hi Byron, my 8 yr old daughter is suffering with IMO and SIBO relapse after 14 months of wellness. She is in daily pain, excruciating at times, and psychologically suffering. At that age, I worry about the additional unseen damage/trauma. Do you see pts via video visit? We’re in the U.S. I’ve done so much research and am getting her onto your fundamentals protocol for methane slowly.. I can’t put her on high dose ginger or PHGG but I do have her on Motility Activator by Integrative Therapeutics BID and very low dose PHGG along with her many other supplements including carefully selected probiotics. I am desperate to help my child. It’s breaking me.
  • Hello ! Tk you so much for this very interesting video ! Now I know now that I m methane dominant Sibo plus bloating and sluggish movements 3/5 days ! I m taking pro biotics but this time it seems like my system is blocked ! I have mcas / histamine/ sals intolerances and many other intolerances which makes it difficult to get a treatment! I also have a leaky gut ( taking L glutamine..) but this time I feel my belly s bloated all the time and do not have real bowel movements! I m thinking of eating tomatoes / high in histamine, to have a bowel movement ! Unfortunately this is going to bring a flare of inflammation 🙄 ! I live in France ! Could you help me ?
  • @riku2700
    Any idea how to treat tinea versicolour? Some oil applied topically?
  • @aziizghgh8381
    Doctor what about the point in which the small and large intestine are contracted and spasms in the methan SIBO?
  • @user-ko6lt3lv5z
    Hello Bryon, I've used allicin, oregano and neem for my first round (35 days) to treat methane sibo and 50% of my symptoms gone. Which herbs should i use for a second round?
  • @mezamir327
    thnak you bro i have definetly methan production factory in my guts.
  • @tracydipalma300
    I have both! Currently taking rifaximin and neomycin so I hope this kicks it in the butt 🙏
  • What about SIBO breathtest negative because of no rising of methane and hydrogene, but a preexisting high methane (also in fructose test), heavy bloating after eating and tiny bits of hard stool with every urinating several times a day? IMO? What to do?
  • @Goldies86
    Great info!! Saving for later! QUESTION: Aside from the bloating, constipation, low motility, etc., have you found that chronic nausea is often a symptom that many Methane SIBO patients experience? That is probably my worst symptom out of all of them, on top of food sitting in my stomach longer than usual.
  • @jeanfolchi3042
    Hi Byron! My daughter is struggling with this now. Seeing an alternative practitioner. Has methane and hydrogen SIBO. her disbyosis registered a 10 on a 1-10 scale. Has gone through 2 rounds of antibiotics and now doing low fodmap. Taken herbal support as well and she’s sooo bloated and has stomach pain. Care rarely eat a full meal! Suggestions!? Thanks so much!
  • @melriini8280
    I have constipation n bad bloating a lot if the time. I feel like I may as well starve at this point 😫
  • @suchimodi4739
    All over the Internet... best of the best ppl are also talking about only and only either constipation with less bowel movements or diarrhea with urgent or multiple bowel movements in a day. Not a single one is talking about having diarrhea type stool whenever they have bowl movement but still not having urge to pass the stool and having incomplete evacuation as if there is no pressure and this is despite of having stool type 5 or 6 everyday 🤦‍♀️
  • @ABigStep2k24
    What if I have most of the symptoms but just tested negative on a breath test for hydrogen SIBO. Could it be candida?