HbA1c is a three-month average blood sugar diagnostic for diabetes. Thyroid PanelĪ comprehensive thyroid panel screens for hypothyroidism and thyroid autoimmunity, which can impair digestive enzyme secretions and intestinal motility. In addition to a positive SIBO breath test, positive vinculin and CdtB antibodies confirm a diagnosis of post-infectious IBS and food poisoning as the cause of IMO. Your doctor may also recommend additional testing to provide further insight into the root cause of IMO, including: Vinculin & CdtB Antibodies According to the North American Consensus guidelines, a methane peak of at least 10 ppm at any time point during the test is diagnostic of IMO. This is the most common test utilized in clinical practice to diagnose IMO due to cost and convenience. ( 1- 3) Functional Medicine Labs to Test for Root Cause of Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO)Ī SIBO/IMO lactulose breath test is an at-home test that measures gaseous byproducts of bacterial and methanogenic fermentation that are exhaled through the lungs. Proton pump inhibitors and other acid-reducing medications reduce hydrochloric acid, a natural antimicrobial digestive secretion. Opiates and smooth muscle relaxants contribute to dysmotility. Chronic, frequent use of antibiotics can disrupt the normal balance of beneficial bacteria, allowing the opportunity for methanogens to overgrow. The use of certain medications can also increase IMO risk. These may include diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases, colon cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease ( IBD). Medical conditions that reduce mucosal immunity, slow intestinal motility, and create intestinal adhesions can contribute to methanogenic overgrowth. ( 4)Īdvanced age, abdominal surgery, intestinal anatomic variations, and chronic stress can interfere with normal gastrointestinal function and increase the risk of IMO ( 1). An impaired MMC increases the risk for methanogens to overgrow in the intestines. This disrupts the migrating motor complex (MMC), a vital housekeeping function that essentially acts to sweep out the bowels. When you get food poisoning, the body produces antibodies that attack the interstitial cells of Cajal, cells that help with intestinal motility. ( 1)įood poisoning increases the risk of IBS by four times, and it is estimated that 80% of patients with IBS have some form of SIBO. Interruptions in normal digestive enzyme production, intestinal motility, and secretory IgA can cause IMO. What Causes Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO)?Ī breakdown in the innate protective mechanisms against bacterial and archaeal overgrowth predisposes an individual to IMO. ( 1)Įxtraintestinal symptoms are also common in the context of IMO, such as headaches, joint pain, brain fog, skin lesions, and changes in mood ( 1). Deficiencies in iron and vitamins B12 and D are also commonly measured on labs. Malabsorption can result from IMO, causing unintentional weight loss, fatigue, and fatty stools. This differs from the other subtypes of SIBO (hydrogen- and hydrogen sulfide-predominant SIBO), which are more often associated with diarrheal presentations. smithii, methane gas has been shown to slow intestinal transit directly, causing constipation and strongly linking it to IBS-C. IBS, SIBO, and IMO share many of the same symptoms, including:ĭistinct gut microtypes are linked to breath-gas patterns in patients with IBS-C. Symptoms of Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO) Previously called methane-predominant SIBO, its name has been changed to reflect that the causative microorganisms are archaea, not bacteria, and can be located throughout the digestive tract, not just isolated to the small intestine. IMO is a subtype of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth ( SIBO). What Is Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO)? It will then discuss allopathic and alternative options for an IMO eradication protocol. This article will discuss what IMO is, what causes it, and functional medicine labs to help diagnose and treat it. Overgrowth of these bacteria-like microorganisms, predominantly Methanobrevibacter smithii, can cause digestive symptoms that often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome ( IBS-C). Intestinal methanogen overgrowth, or IMO, occurs when methane-producing archaea are found in excess numbers at any point along the length of the digestive tract.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |