Dr. Starpoli's Blog

There is still a lot of mystery about what are the causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). However, there is more evidence that there is a dietary link, at least in some cases. Celiac sufferers will find that connection believable because of the way their disease symptoms tend to lessen on low-gluten diets. But, why does diet have such a large impact for diseases like IBS that are chronic and embarrassing? The key may be in understanding the role small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) plays in a variety of related illnesses that can end up contributing to the appearance of IBS.

Celiac disease sufferers are often advised to go on a low-gluten diet. However, even after the dietary changes, sometimes the disease remains unresponsive. In fact, celiac disease that is unresponsive has been implicated in small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) leading to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). If you’re already taking steps to reduce gluten in the diet and it’s still not working, what other options do you have to treat symptoms like SIBO and IBS? Luckily, you can still take advantage of probiotics to help balance the intestinal flora by creating a supportive environment in the gut.