This is the truth: SIBO is not contagious.
You can’t catch it from using the same spoon, kissing someone, or sitting on the same couch.
This is not something you can catch with the cold or a stomach virus, which is passed around. It is something that is already present inside you, already living in your body, and it is bacteria in the gut which is already present in you, not bacteria which you get from someone else.
The path back to good health can feel overwhelming at times. It is why many people hire SIBO experts to help them navigate the complicated path back to good health.
What Actually Happens With SIBO
Picture your small intestine like a highway that is meant to be fairly clear. In a normal gut, food and bacteria should be moving through quickly. However, when the issues go awry in your digestive system, when your stomach acid drops, for instance, the bacteria that should be in the large intestine start moving backward up into the small intestine.
When you are stressing out, things slow down inside the body, including digestion, to go into survival mode. This means you have the cleanup process halted inside the body. Food gets retained, and bacterial growth happens, leading to the consequences of SIBO, which is bacterial overgrowth.
The Real Reason People Get SIBO
Last year, I had a client named Marie who was a teacher. Every year, she had experienced episodes of severe bloating. Nothing apparently had worked, and she could swear that her husband had “given” her whatever she had. Her body had simply picked up on the stress she had at work, and that had shut down her motility. No contagion; just stress.
Factors Most Likely Responsible for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth:
Poor movement of the gut – When the normal sweeping action of the gut is not working well, this gives the bacteria opportunities to accumulate in the small intestine. It may occur as a result of food poisoning or certain medications.
Chronic stress – Your nervous system regulates the speed at which your body eliminates substances moving through the intestines. When you are constantly stressed, you disrupt this process, and your small intestine fills up.
Low stomach acid – Some people don,t produce enough acid in their stomachs to kill bacteria from the food they’ve eaten. Taking antacids will also do the same.
Past illnesses – After getting sick with food poisoning, your immune system may react abnormally to attack the nerve cells responsible for controlling the contractions of the gut. This predisposes you to bacterial overgrowth.
Why Your Body’s Resistance Matters
Here are the things most people don’t realize: It is their overall health that determines whether they get SIBO or not. The body has its own protective mechanisms, such as the production of stomach acid, digestive enzymes, gut motility, and the immune system, that suppress the growth of bacteria.
They’re way more susceptible, especially if a client is run down, super stressed, or has some other health issue. It’s not necessarily about getting something, it’s about your immune system just not being what it should.
What About H. Pylori?
Now, however, H. pylori IS indeed contagious and CAN be transmitted through the sharing of utensils or physical contact. But even then, not everyone who is exposed becomes infected. Those with strong immune systems and optimal health conditions can easily overcome it without them even realizing they came into contact with it.
The same can be said when it comes to SIBO. If you have strong digestion, then your gut bacteria will be in the right places.
Building Your Resistance Back Up
When clients ask me how to prevent SIBO, I tell them it comes down to three main things:
Manage your stress – I know, easier said then done. But even small things like taking five minute breathing breaks or going for walks can help activate your rest-and-digest nervous system.
Support gut movement – Eating regular meals (not snacking all day), getting enough fiber from veggies, and staying hydrated all help keep things moving.
Take care of your immune system – Sleep, nutrition, not overusing antibiotics when you dont need them. Basic stuff that keeps your defenses up.
The Bottom Line
SIBO is an inside-out process, not something you can catch from someone else.
It’s all about what’s going on in YOUR gut – the bacteria you have, how quickly things are moving through, how much stomach acid you’re producing, and how stressed you are.
Are you someone who has experienced issues with bloating, passing gas, unusual complaints involving the loo, or mysterious changes in body weight? Don’t think it is side effects related to IBS or that you are going to “catch it” from someone else.
So, at Sarah Lynn Nutrition, we look deeper into the why: we examine stress patterns, how the digestive system is functioning, and what your body actually needs. And once you understand the truth about how contagious SIBO isnt and how it actually is fixable, you no longer need to worry about avoiding people.
Interested in getting to the bottom of whats really happening with your digestion? Lets discuss how to get things balanced within your body so that your body functions as it should.
