Health

Psychonutritionist Sonia Lucena provides all the key information about SIBO: why does it seem like everyone has it now?

From bloating to brain fog, a gut health expert explains what SIBO is and why diagnoses are suddenly everywhere.

Update: Feb 1st, 2026 18:10 EST

Not that long ago, complaints like gas, bloating, or heavy digestion usually got brushed off with vague advice. Eat slower. It is stress. That is just part of getting older. Today, a new term keeps popping up in doctor’s offices and everyday conversations alike: SIBO.

It is a four letter acronym that sounds almost like a bank name, yet it has created a strange sensation. Suddenly, it feels like everyone has it.

Before assuming this is just another health buzzword, it is worth stopping and asking the real question. What exactly is SIBO, and why are we hearing so much about it now?

What is SIBO, exactly?

SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. In simple terms, it means bacteria are growing where they should not be.

According to Sonia Lucena, a psycho nutrition specialist and creator of the Five Method, the digestive system works in clearly defined zones.

“The large intestine, at the end of the digestive tract, is home to millions of bacteria, and that is completely normal. They are necessary,” Lucena explains in an interview with AS. “The small intestine, on the other hand, is designed to absorb nutrients and should contain very few bacteria.”

Problems start when bacteria from the large intestine migrate upward or multiply excessively in the small intestine.

“When that happens, food starts fermenting too early,” she says. “That is when the body pushes back.”

The most common symptoms

SIBO is not dangerous in the sense that it sends you to the ER, but it can seriously disrupt daily life. The most common symptoms include:

Abdominal bloating, even after small meals
Frequent gas
Slow, heavy digestion
A hard, distended belly by the end of the day
Diarrhea, constipation, or alternating between the two

“What really frustrates people is that everything seems to bother them,” Lucena says. “Foods they have eaten their whole lives suddenly cause discomfort. Someone can eat a normal breakfast and, without overeating, feel by night like they have eaten three times too much.”

Why are so many people being diagnosed now?

Lucena points to several reasons behind the surge in SIBO diagnoses, and not all of them are exaggerated.

First, doctors are finally looking for it.

“For years, these symptoms were lumped under irritable bowel syndrome without much investigation,” she says. “Now we have simple tests, like breath tests, that can detect abnormal fermentation in the small intestine. When you look more, you find more.”

Second, modern lifestyles are working against our digestive systems.

“We eat fast, chew poorly, rely heavily on processed foods, eat late at night, and live under constant stress,” Lucena explains. “All of that interferes with the natural movement of the intestines, which is what prevents bacteria from building up where they should not.”

The reason your SIBO keeps coming back: you're nuking the bacteria without fixing motility or repairing the gut lining.

Here's my three-phase protocol that actually addresses why the overgrowth happened in the first place: pic.twitter.com/Bszyite1Tr
— Daniella (@Skinfolder) January 21, 2026

Medications and long term effects

Another key factor is prolonged use of certain medications.

“Acid suppressors like omeprazole, which many people have taken for years, reduce stomach acid,” Lucena says. “That acid is not only for digestion. It is also a defense mechanism against bacteria. Less acid means bacteria can survive longer and travel further.”

Antibiotics also play a role over time.

“You do not have to abuse them,” she adds. “Treating infections, dental issues, bronchitis, all of that slowly alters the digestive balance.”

Is SIBO dangerous?

“No, SIBO is not dangerous, but it is not trivial either,” Lucena says. “It will not kill you, but it can turn eating from a pleasure into a daily problem.”

She also stresses an important point. Not everyone with gas has SIBO, and not everyone who feels bloated needs a modern diagnosis.

“The real issue is that once the term becomes popular, people start self diagnosing and cutting foods on their own,” she says. “That often makes things worse.”

The most common mistake people make

The biggest mistake, according to Lucena, is believing SIBO can be fixed simply by eliminating foods.

“Removing certain foods may ease symptoms temporarily, but it does not address the root cause,” she explains. “The real issue is not just excess bacteria. It is why the intestine stopped functioning properly in the first place. If you do not fix that, the problem usually comes back.”

In the end, Lucena says the message is nothing new.

“Beyond the modern acronyms and new diagnoses, the idea is old fashioned,” she says. “The digestive system eventually demands attention when it has been struggling for years. The difference now is that we finally have a name for it.”