The health of your gut affects literally everything in your body. It’s the main “portal” for taking in and processing nutrients, and it also serves as the communication center and disease fighter for your whole body. From your immune and nervous systems to your mental health and digestive function, maintaining a healthy gut is vital to your overall well-being.
So what happens when something is out of whack? When you start to experience gut-related issues that just won’t seem to go away? What happens is your entire digestive system and body as a whole can start to suffer, and there are many causes, one of which is SIBO, or small intestine bacterial overgrowth.
If you’ve been diagnosed with or suspect that you might have SIBO, you might be in the market for a probiotic to help balance out and heal your gut and digestive tract-related symptoms. In this article, we’re presenting you with some of the best probiotics for SIBO so that you can find an option that aligns with your needs.
Quick Summary of Our Top Probiotics for SIBO
Ritual Synbiotic+
A dynamic prebiotic and probiotic gut health supplement, Synbiotic+ has everything you need for SIBO.
Primal Gut Restore
Features probiotics, prebiotics and groundbreaking postbiotics. Also includes CoreBiome Tributyrin to strengthen the gut barrier.
Gundry MD Gut Bio Complete 3
A 3-pronged blend of probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics that helps your gut get a major boost for better digestion, regular bowel movements and higher energy levels.
What is SIBO?
Before we dig into some potentially beneficial probiotics to help treat SIBO, let’s first chat a bit about what exactly it is and how symptoms may present.
SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and it means that the bacteria that live in your small intestine have overgrown, leading to an imbalance in your gut flora. While having bacteria living in your small intestine is very normal and healthy, too many can cause issues with digestion, particularly if it’s the wrong kind.
If you have too much of the wrong kind of bacteria in your small intestine, it can start to overwhelm the good bacteria, disrupting your whole digestive system. SIBO occurs when one or more of the complex networks of chemical and mechanical functions in your body fails.
What Are the Symptoms?
SIBO symptoms vary from person to person, but often include the following:
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Gas
- Indigestion
- Fatigue
- Bloating
- Uncomfortable fullness after eating
- Diarrhea
- Malnutrition
- Unintentional weight loss
Can A Probiotic Help With SIBO?
Yes, studies have shown that probiotics can be an effective treatment for SIBO when used alone or in combination with other research-backed treatments. Beyond treating SIBO symptoms, using a probiotic can help resolve digestive symptoms, non-digestive symptoms, and chronic inflammatory conditions, helping to improve your overall health.
As with any supplement you’re considering, you should always speak with your doctor about whether or not it’s a good choice for you and your treatment plan. However, research indicates that probiotics can be a helpful treatment for SIBO and many other digestive and immune system-related issues.
Buying Guide: Here’s What to Look For
As you navigate the buying process, here are a few things to consider and look out for:
SBO (Soil Based Probiotics)
There’s some research and evidence that shows that SBO probiotics might be more beneficial for those who have been diagnosed with SIBO. Soil-based probiotics are those that only contain bacteria naturally found in the soil, giving us the same bacteria that we consumed from our food before sterilizing farming techniques were introduced.
Synbiotic
A synbiotic is a probiotic that also contains a prebiotic and maybe even a postbiotic. When all three components are combined together, you get the most functionality from your bacteria, providing them with well-rounded support so that they can then support your gut and intestines properly.
Clinically-Studied Strains
Read the nutrition label carefully when selecting a probiotic to ensure that there are clinically studied strains that are shown to improve your specific symptoms.
Brand Reputation and Quality
While it can be tempting to grab any old probiotic off the store shelf, it’s important to do your due diligence first to ensure that the brand you’re purchasing is legit. Do they use third-party testing? Where are their ingredients sourced from? What are their customers saying about their experience and results?
The Best Probiotic for SIBO
Below are some of the best probiotics for SIBO and for overall gut health. Many people who suspect that they might have SIBO start by taking a probiotic to see how their body responds before going to the doctor to get tested. Whether you’ve confirmed SIBO or are just suspecting it, the following probiotics might provide you with some balance and symptom relief.
1. Synbiotic+ by Ritual
Ritual’s Synbiotic + is a 3-in-1 clinically studied prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic blend to support and balance your entire gut microbiome. This formula contains 11B CFUs of the world’s most clinically studied strains.
Synbiotic+ from Ritual helps you to reshape your relationship with your gut thanks to the cutting-edge approach to digest support used to create this blend. With Ritual, you can expect bloat support, healthy bacteria growth, gut barrier health, and immune support, all of which can be beneficial for those struggling with SIBO symptoms.
Pros
- 3-in-1 support (prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics)
- Ingredients are made traceable (you know where they come from)
- Vegan, non-GMO, and gluten free
- Third-party tested for efficacy
- No refrigeration required
- 11B CFUs for comprehensive digestive support
- One daily capsule
- Delayed-release capsule designed to reach the colon
- A very integral brand with rave reviews
Cons
- It’s not soil-based if that’s the route you wanted to take
- The monthly cost is slightly higher than some other options
Primal Gut Restore by Primal Harvest is a specially curated blend of probiotics that contains 31B CFUs from 12 shelf-stable probiotic strains to help support digestion, energy, and regularity. Plus, this blend contains special probiotics proven to provide additional immune support.
Primal Probiotics help to promote whole body wellness, a healthy gut microbiome, and a healthy immune system. This formal contains both prebiotics and probiotics for a holistic, well-rounded approach to overall gut health, which can directly improve the symptoms associated with SIBO.
Pros
- Promotes full body wellness
- Contains both prebiotics and probiotics
- Includes a probiotic booster
- Takes a holistic approach to gut health
- Complete ingredient transparency
- Two capsules per day serving
- Shown to help improve mood and energy levels
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free
- Made in the USA
- Reputable brand with great customer feedback
Cons
- Not soil-based if that was an important factor for you
- Not sure if this is third-party tested
Gundry MD's Gut Bio Complete 3 is a hot selling probiotic formula. One of the reasons it works so well is because it contains these main ingredients:
- Tributyrin
- Sunfiber
- Bacillus Coagulans
This ingredient formula helps you achieve smoother digestion, easier bathroom visits, more energy, and reduced bloating. All of the benefits from Gut Bio Complete 3 help if you are experiencing any SIBO symptoms, making this product a top choice.
Important to mention - I love how it's doctor-formulated by Dr. Steven Gundry, who is a legitimate licensed doctor.
Pros
- Could help regulate bowel movements
- Doctor-formulated
- Many customers see a significant difference in higher energy levels (and less fatigue)
- Helps smooth digestion
- 3-pronged blend of Probiotics, Postbiotics and Prebiotics
Cons
- You could end up losing unwanted weight while on Gut Bio Complete 3 (not everyone is trying to lose weight)
Primal Earth by Amy Myers MD is a soil-based probiotic that’s formulated to target symptoms of SIBO. This probiotic blend formulated by Dr. Myers helps to promote normal bowel pattern, replenishes healthy GI microflora, alleviates occasional indigestion and nausea, and assists in relieving occasional abdominal pain and bloating.
Amy Myers MD offers a SIBO-specific formulation, which might be appealing to many who are specifically seeking help for their digestive issues after being diagnosed with SIBO. This blend contains the three best-acting soil-based probiotics to help relieve your symptoms and provide overall health and wellness for your whole body.
Pros
- This is an SBO formula designed for SIBO treatment
- Soil-Based Probiotic
- Helps to support a healthy digestive system and regularity
- Relieves occasional abdominal pain and bloating
- Support ideal immune function
- No refrigeration is required
- Gluten, dairy, soy-free
- Doctor formulated
Cons
- Only 3B CFUs per capsule
- The monthly cost is higher than some other options
SBO Probiotics by Ancient Nutrition are soil-based and formulated with the highest possible CFUs (50 million shelf-stable CFUs per serving). Ancient Nutrition takes pride in providing clinically proven ingredients that have been proven effective by peer-reviewed studies and tested for efficacy, safety, and transparency.
SBO Probiotics help to support healthy digestive and immune system function while also supporting healthy bowel transit time. Plus, the soil-based nature of these probiotics has been shown to be helpful for those treating SIBO symptoms.
Pros
- 50 B CFUs per serving
- Soil Based Probiotics
- Supports healthy digestive and immune system function
- Helps to reduce gas and bloating
- Promotes healthy elimination
- Includes prebiotics and postbiotics (synbiotic supplement)
- No refrigeration required
Cons
- There aren’t a lot of customer reviews yet
- The monthly cost is on the higher end
This prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic blend from Mary Ruth’s was formulated to support your gastrointestinal health and maintain a healthy gut environment. Additionally, this formula has been shown to help support a balanced immune response.
As a synbiotic supplement that contains pre, pro, and postbiotics altogether, you get complete gut health support to encourage a healthy microbiome and a steady immune response. All Mary Ruth’s products are vegan, non-GMO, and made with 100% natural and organic ingredients.
Pros
- Formulated with clinically proven nutrients
- 12 live and active strains
- Synbiotic
- Non-GMO, vegan, gluten, soy, dairy, and sugar-free
- Provides support for a healthy gut and immune system
- Very affordable option
Cons
- Some users reported no difference after taking
- No evidence that this would be good for SIBO specifically
Final Thoughts: Should You Try a Probiotic for SIBO Symptom Relief?
Based on several studies regarding probiotics and SIBO, it appears that most research indicates that those who have SIBO can benefit from taking a daily probiotic. However, probiotics might not be the “cure-all” you’re hoping for, but will certainly be beneficial nonetheless. As always, consult with your doctor before starting any new supplement.
If you’ve decided that take a daily probiotic supplement to support minimizing and eliminating your SIBO symptoms, the options on this list are an excellent place to start. You might need to trial and error a product or two before finally landing on the option that’s best aligned with your body and needs. Keep in mind that it’s wise to take a supplement for at least 3 months before making a decision (unless you’re having an adverse reaction, then stop taking it immediately).
All of the probiotics for SIBO that made our list contain high-quality ingredients and are evidence-based, which should give you peace of mind that you’re selecting from a list of the best out there.