What are some of the main medical treatments for SIBO?

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    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is primarily treated with poorly absorbed antibiotics that target the intestines, which minimizes side effects and the risk of antimicrobial resistance. Although fecal microbiota transplants show promise in preliminary research, they are not yet an established treatment.

    SIBO is conventionally treated with certain classes of antibiotics that are poorly absorbed — unlike systemic antibiotics, which easily enter circulation — so they act primarily in the intestines. This leads to fewer side effects and lower chances of antimicrobial resistance, which leads to potentially deadly microbes becoming unaffected by antibiotics.[1] SIBO is generally considered to be cured (often referred to as being eradicated or decontaminated) based on normal breath test results.[2][3]

    Fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) aren’t an established treatment yet, but there is promising preliminary research. [4]