If digestive issues are dominating your life, there are ways to help manage or alleviate bloating and cramping. You may even want to get tested for SIBO, and this lab test can be accessed in our IV therapy Lounge in Toronto. 

SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and it’s a condition in which the small intestine holds excessive amounts of pathogens. But scientists have noticed that SIBO diagnoses have been rising – thankfully, personalized therapies aim to tackle this to support optimal functioning in those affected. 

In this post, the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre’s IV Lounge highlights:

• • Brief facts about SIBO;
  • Diagnosing this condition with lab work;
  • And how our personalized therapies work. 

What is SIBO?

SIBO doesn’t only affect people with gastrointestinal health conditions, and it can appear mild in one patient or cause malabsorption in another. Here are some things to note about it:

• • The condition is comprised of the growth of bacteria in the small intestine. These pathogens gather in this organ and cause fermentation to the food you’ve consumed; this hinders the digestive process and the way nutrients are secreted into the bloodstream. 
  • It may occur from undergoing certain surgical procedures or due to the presence of a disease, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or chronic pancreatitis. This overgrowth can cause several digestive issues, slowing down the movement of food and other particles throughout the digestive tract. 
  • SIBO symptoms include: unexplained weight loss, lack of energy, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, malnutrition, and an awkward full feeling after consuming food. It may also affect your stool, turning it paler in color and fouler in smell. 
  • It appears to mainly affect females and the elderly. Scientists have noticed that SIBO diagnoses tend to correlate with age and/or when the body has low amounts of stomach acid and dysmotility. 
  • If left untreated, SIBO could weaken your absorption of nutrients and cause nutritional deficiencies and chronic diarrhea. SIBO has been linked to certain deficiencies, such as calcium, and may possibly cause the formation of kidney stones and osteoporosis. 

If you experience regular indigestion, we urge you to seek help as soon as you can! Especially as we age, it’s important to understand the root cause of chief health concerns to improve our quality of life – and functional medicine testing can have a valuable role in this.  

How SIBO Testing Works 

Health providers who adhere to functional medicine, such as the naturopathic doctors from our clinic, have a goal: to identify the reasons why your chronic symptoms are manifesting. Functional medicine not only helps subside symptoms, it can also prevent chronic health conditions from forming or worsening. This health model treats the patient as a unique individual, which means lab testing must be implemented to scrutinize your biology and gut.  

Getting tested for SIBO at a functional clinic may involve a breath test. This non-invasive test involves ingesting a solution for the purpose of submitting breath samples. These samples are measured to quantify bacterial overgrowth, as well as hydrogen and methane levels; if these gases are measured at high levels, this may indicate SIBO.   

In our IV Lounge, we offer this lab test and provide extra time to understand how to prepare for it and read the final report. These results – along with any other lab findings for hormonal imbalances, nutrient levels, oxidative stress levels, etc. – are used to personalize a SIBO treatment plan, which may potentially include: 

• • Oral supplementation and/or intravenous therapy to help treat nutrient deficiencies.
  • Prebiotics and probiotics to help replenish ‘good’ bacteria. 
  • Herbal remedies for their antifungal properties.
  • Undergoing the elimination diet to target food sensitivities and reduce your intake of sugars and alcohol.

Should you get this test for digestive issues? If you’ve already undergone conventional testing and the results were adequate – yet you still feel unwell – our SIBO test could disclose additional insight into your gut issues. This is because some Western medicine tests (i.e. stool and blood tests) may not suffice, as details about the small intestine cannot be identified. And if you’re suffering from digestive symptoms yet you’ve never been tested, you can still get this lab test prescribed to you! Please inquire about testing for SIBO with a functional medicine doctor, such as one from our IV Lounge. 

Suggested reading: Does Magnesium Help with Sleep? An IV Therapy Toronto Guide

About Drip Therapy Treatments from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre

Along with addressing digestive concerns, we adapt functional medicine programs and therapies for various health needs, including autoimmune conditions, declines in physical exertion and muscle function, substance withdrawal symptoms, infertility, and more. 

Our clinical practice adheres to the principles of integrative functional medicine, which assists our health providers with tailoring modalities for biological needs. This paradigm is applied to all of our therapies, including Western, naturopathic, and herbal medicines, holistic nutrition, intramuscular injections, acupuncture, intravenous drips, psychotherapy, and more. When these personalized therapies are integrated into a treatment plan, they can aid in the alleviation of symptoms and possibly prevent/delay a chronic condition. 

Our IV Lounge is accessed inside our clinic, the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre. We freshly blend drip therapy treatments on-site, and doses of vitamins are carefully calculated for biological needs (i.e. nutrient deficiencies). This means your IV drip treatment will never be the same as another patient’s! Our IV Lounge menu boasts a wide range of key ingredients, such as trace minerals (i.e. selenium), vitamin C, a medley of amino acids, and a famous vitamin infusion called the Myer’s Cocktail. Nutritional injection treatments can also be prescribed by us, and these are available in glutathione, vitamin B6, and vitamin D. Our intravenous service options are not meant to replace daily oral supplementation and exercise; when nutrient injections and IV drips are merged with a healthy lifestyle and functional medicine therapies, they may support an improved quality of life. 

We’re now booking new patients for functional medicine-based IV therapy in Toronto – let’s introduce you to our patient-centred approach to wellness! It’s hassle-free, just click here to send us a message and we’ll respond shortly. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

 

References

Dukowicz AC, Lacy BE, Levine GM. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: a comprehensive review. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2007 Feb;3(2):112-22. PMID: 21960820; PMCID: PMC3099351.

Lim, J., & Rezaie, A. (2023). Pros and Cons of Breath Testing for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 19(3), 140. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10496284/

Rao, Satish S. C. MD, PhD1; Bhagatwala, Jigar MBBS, MPH1. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: Clinical Features and Therapeutic Management. Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology 10(10):p e00078, October 2019. | DOI: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000000078

“Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)” from the Mayo Clinic, viewed on January 16, 2025. 

“Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO): Do I Have It?” from WebMD, posted on December 11, 2023, viewed on January 16, 2025. 

Sorathia SJ, Chippa V, Rivas JM. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. [Updated 2023 Apr 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546634/

Tansel, A., & Levinthal, D. J. (2023). Understanding Our Tests: Hydrogen-Methane Breath Testing to Diagnose Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology, 14(4), e00567. https://doi.org/10.14309/ctg.0000000000000567

“The Mysteries and Underdiagnosis of SIBO” from TIME magazine, posted on March 7, 2022, viewed on January 16, 2025.