All 885 tips from all chapters, sorted by topic and confidence score. See what is well supported and what is still experimental.
| Topic | Established | Well supported | Promising | Plausible | Experimental |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gut barrier | 3 | 14 | 5 | ||
| Opportunistic pathogens | 1 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 10 |
| Bacteriophages | 2 | 2 | |||
| Microbial diversity | 2 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 5 |
| Gut-brain axis | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 | |
| Digestive function | 1 | 8 | 14 | 10 | 9 |
| Small intestine colonisation | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Immune system and inflammation | 1 | 5 | 14 | 7 | |
| Total | 5 | 20 | 50 | 72 | 43 |
Tap a number to see the tips below. Darker cells contain more tips.
Small intestine colonisation · Clear selection
Trust score 5 of 5:Established Natural supplements
Psyllium is barely fermented, binds water and regulates stools. Guidelines recommend it for IBS. As food for the gut microbiota it is weaker, but it causes hardly any bloating.
Prebiotics that build up gently 1 sources
Trust score 4 of 5:Well supported Natural supplements
Help people with confirmed lactose intolerance to tolerate dairy products better.
Doing low-FODMAP right no source of its own, score based on judgement
Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Natural supplements
In a randomised trial in IBS, 6 g a day for twelve weeks improved bloating and wind. It is considered well tolerated and is also used during a low-FODMAP diet.
Prebiotics that build up gently 1 sources
Trust score 3 of 5:Promising Natural supplements
After removal of more than about 20 cm of ileum or with extensive Crohn's disease in the ileum, vitamin B12 should be checked regularly and replaced if deficient. It is often injected, because absorption via the gut is impaired. An alternative is high-dose oral vitamin B12 (1000 to 2000 µg per day): about one percent of it is absorbed without intrinsic factor and without the ileum. Whether that is enough varies from person to person; recommendations differ, and the level must be monitored.
Where the small intestine meets the colon: ileum, valve and caecum 1 sources
Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Natural supplements
In the study, bifidobacteria fell on the diet and a probiotic restored them but did not improve symptoms further. A benefit for symptoms is therefore not proven; it is an approach to support the gut microbiota during the restriction.
Doing low-FODMAP right 1 sources
Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Natural supplements
Herbal mixtures performed similarly to rifaximin in a retrospective study; added to standard treatment in a randomised trial, they did not lower the gases more, but may have improved symptoms somewhat. If you want to try them: with medical supervision, a fixed end date and no protocols from forums.
SIBO treatments compared: rifaximin, herbs, elemental diet and faecal transplant 2 sources
Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Natural supplements
In a randomised trial of 77 people, the breath test normalised in 85 percent with rifaximin plus this soluble fibre and in 62 percent with rifaximin alone. It is a single study, but the fibre is well tolerated.
SIBO treatments compared: rifaximin, herbs, elemental diet and faecal transplant 1 sources
Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Natural supplements
In a meta-analysis of small studies, probiotics lowered breath-test gases and eased abdominal pain somewhat. The studies differ widely, and which strain helps is unclear. If bloating increases, stop again.
SIBO treatments compared: rifaximin, herbs, elemental diet and faecal transplant 1 sources
Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Natural supplements
In a retrospective analysis, herbal products performed similarly to rifaximin in the breath test. A randomised trial with berberine is under way. Herbs are not harmless either: berberine interacts with many medicines, oregano oil can irritate the stomach and gut, and the composition and dose of products are often unverified.
Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Natural supplements
In a study of 24 healthy people, ginger sped up gastric emptying and stimulated movement at the stomach outlet. Whether it strengthens the cleaning wave in the small intestine or prevents relapses has not been studied. As a spice or tea there is little against it; if you take blood thinners, ask your doctor before using capsules.
Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics 1 sources
Trust score 2 of 5:Plausible Natural supplements
This herbal combination relieved abdominal pain better than placebo in 208 people with IBS, and it is well studied for a sensitive stomach. There is no study on SIBO or on the cleaning wave. The classic formula contains greater celandine, which in rare cases damages the liver; do not use it with liver disease without talking to your doctor. A celandine-free version also exists (STW 5-II); the same applies to it for SIBO.
Why SIBO comes back: the cleaning wave, underlying causes and prokinetics 3 sources
Trust score 1 of 5:Experimental Natural supplements
For molybdenum, activated charcoal or similar products against hydrogen sulfide in the gut, we found no study in people with symptoms. If you take them, treat it as a trial with a fixed end and do not take high doses long term.
Hydrogen sulfide and methane: the other gases in the gut no source of its own, score based on judgement
Trust score 1 of 5:Experimental Natural supplements
In the lab, long inulin chains are fermented more slowly than short ones. Whether they are better tolerated in everyday life has barely been studied in humans.
Prebiotics that build up gently 1 sources
Trust score 1 of 5:Experimental Natural supplements
There is no study showing that massages, manual techniques or herbs improve the ileocaecal valve. With persistent symptoms in the lower right abdomen, it is better to have the cause clarified.
Where the small intestine meets the colon: ileum, valve and caecum no source of its own, score based on judgement