Probiotics have been a controversial when it comes to treating SIBO. Seems a bit contradictory to take an over abundance of bacteria when you already a problem of too much bacteria right?

Well, sort of. Depends on the kind of bacteria we’re talking about. And as per usual, I have tested a variety of studies, research, and various probiotic strains to see how they helped or made me worse.

***You should know that there are NO affiliate links, relationships, or sponsorships with anything I’m talking about in this post!***

I’ve written two other blog posts regarding SIBO here:

My SIBO Story

I was diagnosed with SIBO in 2014, when it was barely even recognized by GI doctors as a “condition” and Naturopathic doctors (who were at least testing) didn’t have a clue what to do with you. I fought for a Lactulose Breath Test, and I had a bad BAD case — my methane levels on the lactulose breath test were like 120 (abnormal is anything over 20).

My symptoms were off the charts: bloated belly— I looked 6 months pregnant most the time— intolerance to any kind of sugar, fiber, or carbs, slow digestion, discomfort, crippling fatigue.

Lots of holistic practitioners tried to treat me with: carb starvation diets, herbal killing agents, and mounds of probiotics.

But, I was just getting worse. So, as usual, I had to do my own digging and made alot of changes after learning the things I laid out in How To Treat SIBO Naturally.

Then, I tackled the issue of probiotics… and per usual, it wasn’t easy to sift through the mess of conflicting ideas.

PROBIOTICS AND SIBO: the controversy

Although probiotics are “good bacteria” it sounds counter productive to add more bacteria when you have bacterial overgrowth. Because both good + bad BACTERIA FERMENT and produce gas. So it’s no wonder that SIBO patients often get worse (or remain the same) on probiotics.

I experimented with so. many. probiotics, and as someone in the blogging space, I was always being sent the latest and greatest. Everything from the ones you can get at Walmart (Align, Culturelle) to the ones that come in a freezer pack and have to be shoved in the fridge immediately like Gutpro and Therulac. I tried Biohm, Prescript Assist (soil based), New Chapter, Silver Fern, Genestra, and the list goes on.

They just weren’t making any difference. Or, they made me worse.

But, there was one that didn’t.

Best Probiotics For Treating Sibo

Again, this IS NOT SPONSORED in any way. In my research, I had come across so many Naturopaths online saying they had the greatest success with SIBO patients using MegaSporeBiotic by Microbiome Labs. I couldn’t find a way to buy it in 2016, so I talked my Chiropractor into getting it for me.

Why is it different? First of all, this company has so many brilliant researchers involved, you need to just check out their website. MegaSporeBiotic is a spore based probiotic with five bacillus spores, including bacillus clausii, shown in studies to be beneficial for SIBO. It can survive up to 450 degrees with a 5 year shelf life, requiring no refrigeration and even survives when taking antibiotics.

From the website: “the bi-phasic life cycle of the Bacillus spores allows them to remain dormant in harsh environments until they reach more favorable environments like the human gastrointestinal tract. Once inside the large intestine, these dormant spores can change into their active, vegetative forms and begin colonizing in the gut. This unique probiotic blend aims to RECONDITION the gut instead of reseeding with probiotic strains that cannot survive digestion or colonize the gut. It helps “recondition the gut by promoting microbial diversity and maintaining key health-promoting, commensal gut bacteria.”

My advice: start very slowly… like 1/4 capsule in some water WITH FOOD (this is how they activate). Then after a week keep working your way up to 1 capsule and eventually 2. Doesn’t need to be spaced out with antibiotics as they will remain dormant until safe.

I took this for a few years, and although I didn’t notice anything get worse… I didn’t quite notice any major improvements either.

The Probiotic Trio that Finally Relieved my SIBO Symptoms

This happened by accident. I got this never ending bacterial bronchitis/sinus infection and had to go on my first antibiotic in 10 years.

I have avoided them for obvious reasons that they destroy gut bacteria, but there was no choice in this situation. I opted for a 10-day course of Amoxycillin over a Z-pack hoping it would be more kind to me.

I was looking for the best way to counteract the effects, and a friend who works in the probiotic world reached out and gave me the following protocol:

2 MegaSporeBiotic, 2 RestorFlora, and 2 HU58 daily during antibiotics and 6 weeks post. All from the same company, Microbiome Labs.

RestorFlora, which contains Saccharomyces Boulardii (major for keeping yeast overgrowth under control), Bacillus Subtilis HU58, and Bacillus Clausii, is a “combination of probiotic yeast and bacteria that offers comprehensive digestive flora support with an advanced, dual-action approach to maintain a healthy intestinal environment.”

And HU58 is a “high potency dose of Bacillus subtilis HU58 formulated to enhance the efficacy of MegaSporeBiotic™. HU58™ can produce over 12 targeted antibiotics in the intestines, which makes it particularly effective in balancing intestinal microflora.”

Well, it was worth a try.

Results

I religiously took the 6 probiotics (2 with each meal) during antibiotics and had zero stomach issues or bad side effects.… then continued on for 6 weeks.

One day, I was eating an orange and I thought…. why didn’t my stomach get upset? Then I realized I had been eating a lot of things normally on my “no list” like cheese, and gluten, alcohol, and desserts. (I was totally OFF THE RAILS over the holidays) Things I had barely eaten in 6 years were giving me zero issues. Normally, a piece of cheese, broccoli, or an orange would send me into a major stomach spiral and I’d be bloated for a whole day.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

And then it occurred to me: the probiotics. I’d only thought of them in terms of protecting from antibiotics…. never in terms of fixing my other issues.

Fast forward a few months, and I literally cannot believe all the things I can eat now without issues. I barely have any bloating, gas, or pain. Granted, I still try to maintain a healthy diet and never want to return to my old ways, but just having the freedom to go out and eat like a normal person has changed my life.

My Current Probiotic Regiment

But I know enough to know that once you have SIBO, you will always struggle with it. Alot of the things that caused it (besides diet) are hard to fix — and so I now maintain with 2 MegaSporeBiotic, 1 HU58, 1 RestorFlora and have added 2 MegalgG2000, for added leaky gut and food intolerance support.

It’s not the cheapest, but I’m telling you it works. And not living with the constant misery and depression of knowing I can only eat a handful of foods without discomfort is WORTH IT.

If you share these struggles, or have other issues besides SIBO….this experiment is worth a try. And you KNOW I wouldn’t suggest it if I truly didn’t think it was worth the price.

HOW Do You Buy These Probiotics?

Right now, they are only available through practitioners. You can find them on most holistic practitioners websites where they have shop pages or dispensaries. Or places like Digestive Warrior. (DO NOT GET ON AMAZON!)

Have you found anything to help your SIBO symptoms? Leave it below so we can all learn!