828-490-1545

Schedule a Free Call

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter

SIBO and SIFO Treatment Asheville NC

What Is SIBO?

SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, occurs when excessive bacteria accumulate in the small intestine—an area of the gut that is normally relatively low in bacterial content. These bacteria ferment carbohydrates from your food, producing gas and inflammation. This leads to uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and nutrient malabsorption.

SIBO is not just a gut issue—it can affect your entire system. Because the small intestine plays a key role in nutrient absorption, SIBO can also lead to fatigue, skin problems, hormonal imbalance, and mood changes.

What Is SIFO?

SIFO, or Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth, involves an overgrowth of yeast or fungi—most commonly Candida—in the small intestine. While a healthy digestive system contains some yeast organisms, overgrowth can cause similar symptoms to SIBO, including bloating, sugar cravings, foggy thinking, skin rashes, and GI distress.

SIFO often coexists with or mimics SIBO, and yet it is rarely screened for in conventional medicine. Without proper testing, many individuals are misdiagnosed or placed on treatment plans that only partially resolve their symptoms.

How SIBO and SIFO Disrupt Gut Function

Both bacterial and fungal overgrowth in the small intestine compromise the digestive process in significant ways:

  • Fermentation of undigested food causes gas, bloating, and pain
  • Inflammation of the gut lining impairs nutrient absorption and contributes to food sensitivities
  • Toxins and metabolites from bacteria and fungi may burden the liver and affect brain function
  • Disrupted motility makes the condition more likely to recur unless root causes are addressed

Over time, these imbalances can contribute to broader issues like leaky gut, autoimmune conditions, mood disorders, and systemic inflammation.

What Causes SIBO and SIFO?

Low Stomach Acid or Impaired Motility

Stomach acid plays a key role in sterilizing the upper digestive tract and preventing the migration of bacteria and fungi into the small intestine. When acid levels are too low—often due to aging, stress, or antacid use—it can pave the way for overgrowth.

Additionally, impaired gut motility (slow or uncoordinated movement of food through the GI tract) can cause stagnation, allowing microbes to accumulate where they don’t belong. This is especially relevant in cases of chronic constipation or after abdominal surgery.

Chronic Stress and Immune Dysfunction

Unmanaged chronic stress can weaken gut function on multiple levels. It affects motility, suppresses digestive secretions, and disrupts the immune system’s ability to maintain microbial balance. Stress also impairs the vagus nerve’s function—critical for coordinating digestion and keeping the gut-brain axis in balance.

Immune dysfunction, including low secretory IgA, reduces the gut’s ability to regulate microbial populations and respond to pathogens, allowing opportunistic overgrowth to flourish.

Overuse of Antibiotics or Antacids

Repeated or long-term use of antibiotics—even years ago—can disrupt the delicate balance of gut flora, wiping out beneficial species and leaving room for harmful bacteria or yeast to colonize the small intestine. Similarly, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and other antacids reduce acid production, undermining the body’s natural defenses and promoting microbial overgrowth.

Structural Issues in the Digestive Tract

Physical changes in the GI tract can predispose someone to SIBO or SIFO. These include:

  • Abdominal adhesions from surgery or injury
  • Ileocecal valve dysfunction, allowing backflow of bacteria from the colon
  • Diverticula or small intestinal scarring

Prior Infections or Food Poisoning

Acute gastrointestinal infections, especially food poisoning, can damage the enteric nervous system and alter the migrating motor complex (MMC)—the pattern of gut movement that clears bacteria between meals. This can lead to chronic dysmotility, which is a key risk factor for SIBO and SIFO.

Underlying Hypothyroidism, Diabetes, or Autoimmune Disease

Systemic health conditions also play a major role in small intestinal overgrowth:

  • Hypothyroidism slows digestion and impairs stomach acid production
  • Diabetes affects nerve function and gut motility
  • Autoimmune diseases may increase inflammation and compromise immune regulation of gut flora

Advanced Testing Options at Caring for the Body

Breath Testing for SIBO (Lactulose and Mannitol)

SIBO is most accurately detected through lactulose or glucose breath testing, which measures the levels of hydrogen and methane gases produced by bacteria in the small intestine. These gases are exhaled through the lungs, offering a non-invasive way to identify the presence and type of overgrowth.

Our team uses this data to determine whether your symptoms are associated with:

  • Hydrogen-dominant SIBO (linked to diarrhea)
  • Methane-dominant SIBO (often linked to constipation)
  • Hydrogen sulfide overgrowth (associated with bloating and pain)

Organic Acids Testing (OAT) for Fungal Metabolites

SIFO is harder to detect using conventional methods. That’s why we utilize Organic Acids Testing (OAT)—a urine-based test that identifies byproducts of yeast and fungal metabolism. Elevated markers like arabinose or tartaric acid can confirm the presence of fungal overgrowth, even when stool tests appear normal.

This test also gives insight into:

  • Neurotransmitter balance
  • Oxidative stress
  • Mitochondrial function
  • Detoxification capacity

Comprehensive Stool Analysis (Doctor’s Data, GI-MAP)

To assess the overall health of the gut microbiome, we use high-quality stool testing from leading labs such as Doctor’s Data and Diagnostic Solutions (GI-MAP). These panels evaluate:

  • Gut bacteria and yeast levels
  • Inflammatory markers (like calprotectin and secretory IgA)
  • Pancreatic enzyme output
  • Zonulin (a marker of leaky gut)
  • Parasites, pathogens, and dysbiosis

This deep dive into the microbiome allows us to understand the full picture and guide effective antimicrobial or antifungal protocols.

Food Sensitivity and Gut Permeability Panels

Inflammation and immune responses often go hand-in-hand with SIBO/SIFO. We may recommend:

  • Food sensitivity testing (IgG or IgA panels) to identify reactive foods
  • Gut permeability tests (zonulin, lactulose/mannitol) to assess intestinal barrier function

These insights help us reduce symptom triggers, calm immune reactivity, and support mucosal healing.

Inflammatory, Hormonal, and Nutrient Labs

SIBO and SIFO rarely exist in isolation. We often evaluate:

  • Cortisol and sex hormone levels (via DUTCH or salivary testing)
  • Thyroid function (including antibodies and reverse T3)
  • Inflammation markers (hs-CRP, homocysteine)
  • Nutrient status (iron, B12, folate, vitamin D, zinc, magnesium)

This comprehensive lab approach ensures we treat the whole person, not just the gut.

Functional Treatment Approach in Asheville

Identify and Reduce Overgrowth

The first step is to target the overgrowth itself. Based on your lab results and symptom profile, we may recommend:

  • Herbal antimicrobials or antifungals, such as berberine, oregano oil, allicin, caprylic acid, or undecylenic acid
  • Prescription medications, when appropriate (e.g., rifaximin for SIBO, nystatin or fluconazole for SIFO)
  • Biofilm disruptors to help improve efficacy and reduce microbial resistance
  • Nutritional strategies (e.g., low FODMAP or anti-candida diets) to starve the overgrowth

Each protocol is customized to your tolerance level, type of overgrowth (bacterial, fungal, or mixed), and overall health.

Repair Gut Lining & Support Microbiome Diversity

Once the overgrowth is reduced, we shift focus to healing and rebuilding:

  • Use of mucosal healing agents like L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), and aloe
  • Probiotics and prebiotics (when tolerated) to repopulate beneficial flora
  • Nutrient replenishment to correct common deficiencies (e.g., B12, magnesium, iron, fat-soluble vitamins)
  • Support for the intestinal barrier to reverse leaky gut and reduce food reactivity

This phase is vital for restoring immune tolerance and calming inflammation.

Address Root Causes

Without addressing why the overgrowth developed in the first place, recurrence is likely. In this phase, we focus on:

  • Improving motility using prokinetics and vagal nerve support (e.g., bitters, ginger, abdominal massage, stress reduction)
  • Optimizing stomach acid and enzyme production for better digestion
  • Supporting immune regulation, including secretory IgA and gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
  • Reviewing medications or lifestyle factors that may be undermining progress

Root-cause care is what sets functional medicine apart—and why our patients see lasting results.

Reintroduce Foods, Sustain Progress, Support Detox Pathways

After stabilization, we help patients reintroduce foods safely and focus on long-term maintenance:

  • Gradual reintroduction of previously avoided foods (with monitoring)
  • Support of liver detoxification pathways with targeted nutrients and botanicals
  • Continued use of foundational supplements for gut and immune health
  • Personalized lifestyle coaching to maintain gains and reduce future risk

This final phase is about empowerment—helping you feel confident in your body and your choices moving forward.

Targeted Support Throughout Every Phase

Your healing plan may include:

  • Pharmaceutical-grade supplements from trusted sources
  • Medical-grade botanicals for safe and effective gut therapy
  • Personalized meal planning and therapeutic nutrition guidance
  • Optional health coaching for ongoing support and accountability

We don’t just give you a protocol—we walk with you through every phase of healing.

Find Lasting Relief from SIBO and SIFO in Asheville

Living with the symptoms of SIBO or SIFO can be exhausting, isolating, and disruptive to nearly every aspect of daily life. From the physical discomfort of bloating and food intolerance to the emotional toll of fatigue, brain fog, and frustration, these conditions often go undiagnosed—or misdiagnosed—for years.

At Caring for the Body, PLLC, we specialize in helping individuals uncover and address the true root causes of chronic digestive dysfunction. Our functional medicine model offers a thoughtful, data-driven approach that looks at your entire health picture—not just isolated symptoms.

Through advanced testing, personalized nutrition, holistic treatment protocols, and compassionate support, we help you move from symptom management to whole-person healing. Whether you’re navigating a new diagnosis or have tried multiple treatments without success, we offer hope, clarity, and a clear path forward.

Start Your Healing Journey Today

If you're ready to stop guessing and start healing, we invite you to schedule a consultation. Our Asheville clinic offers both in-person and virtual care options, serving patients across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida.

Caring for the Body, PLLC – Center for Functional Medicine
 📍 1998 Hendersonville Rd, Suite #24, Asheville, NC 28803
📞 (828) 490-1545
📠 Fax: (828) 202-8752
🌐 caringforthebody.org
 📧 Secure Email: help@caringforthebody.org

‍