If you have a particularly bad breath, it could be as a consequence of IBS but it is more likely that you have SIBO, small intestinal bacteria overgrowth. To find out why this is and what you can do about it, watch my video.
The Transcript
Today, I want to talk to you about bad breath and irritable bowel syndrome. Many of my clients talk about having bad breath, and wonder if it is connected to irritable bowel syndrome. It could do, but it’s possible that, in fact, you have SIBO, if you have a very bad breath. There are lots of causes for bad breath, but SIBO is one of them – that’s small intestinal bacteria overgrowth. That happens when you have too many bacteria in your small intestine. In fact, you have bacteria that are very similar to those in the colon, and that will cause you symptoms of bloating and diarrhoea, just like irritable bowel syndrome, and one can be mistaken for the other.
The bacteria cause all the fermentation, and some of the gases that are released are actually hydrogen sulphide, which is a very terrible smelling gas, and that eventually makes its way out through the breath. It’s absorbed into the blood, and into the lungs, and comes out through the breath. That causes the bad breath.
To get rid of the bad breath, you’ve got to get rid of the SIBO. The only way to get rid of that quickly and efficiently, unfortunately, is antibiotics. And you do want to do this, not just so that you get rid of your bad breath, and your bloating, and your diarrhoea, but because SIBO, if it’s left untreated, can cause other health problems; the bacteria migrate to other parts of the body. So do take care of that.
The way to find out if you have SIBO is the hydrogen breath test. Go to your doctor. Then she’ll be able to put you on to a gastroenterologist for the test. It’s not 100% accurate, but if you’ve got the bad breath that smells like hydrogen sulphide, plus the test is positive, then I would say you probably have SIBO and need antibiotics. To make sure that it doesn’t come back again, you need to stay on the low FODMAP diet. That does help keep SIBO away; otherwise, it can continually return, and you’ll have it over and over again.
If you have bad breath, perhaps that’s one thing to look into.
Another issue! The worst thing about bad breath is you often don’t know you have it and it takes a very brave soul to quietly let you know xx
You are quite right – it can be hard to know.
I don’t think I have ever told anyone that their breath was bad. I am a coward. LOL.
Not really. If you have severe bad breath, you will recognize a pattern in ppl’s reaction and expression. Like me which is depressing because I can tell. I have gerd and have bad breath but was manageable until half a year ago. Had h pylori but cleared and still having frequent bloating and bad breath. Because my bad breath is so severe that people will react like when I speak or open my mouth, people will popping mints or drink water themselves or just cover their nose when it is so so bad,
I too am suffering from the same dilemma. I only wish there were a solution to this nightmare. I feel depressed over what I’m going through and at times wish I were dead myself. It is hard to wake up every day knowing you have to live with this. I’ve visited with a GI MD and have had a colonoscopy and an upper which they found absolutely no signs of h.pylori with a biopsy. I do the best I can in researching what I could do about this issue, but only dead ends. I hope the best for all of you who are going through this nightmare.
I’m suffering and struggling since 2000. 17 years later and not one Doctor has been able to help me. I’ve lost jobs, friends and stopped dating completely over my bad breath. It’s horrible and I’m so embarrassed that I’ve started to isolate myself. There has got to be some cure or underlying issue that hasn’t been diagnosed. I’ve had GI constipation issues since I was 5 years old. Now 45 years and this has ruined my chances of getting married and having children because I was unable to date. If anyone has any suggestions or help, please let me know. From Dee in NYC
Dee, I am sorry to hear this. My article makes a link between IBS and bad breath. If you don’t have IBS, then you will need to talk to a specialist about this.
Dee, it’s never too late! I know how you feel and how much this struggle can hurt. Although my recent SIBO test came back negative, my dietician said it’s often rather inaccurate and that might still be what’s causing my symptoms. She pointed me to Dysbiocide and FC-Cidal (both by Biotics Research, available on Amazon); they’re natural alternatives to antibiotics, which can cause many other problems and may not ultimately fix SIBO. I haven’t used these yet, so I’d definitely do some research first! I’ve also found that TheraBreath Oral Rinse is one of the best mouth washes, FAR better than any of the stinging blue and green alcohol ones. Maybe this could provide some temporary relief too. I wish you the best of luck!! 🙂
Don’t lose hope. I have the same problem for years. Try peppermint oil pills. My GI doctor recommended them for my IBS but I have found that they help my breath as well.
As of today April 2024, I see that no one has replied to your post and I do hope that you have found some solutions to your issue. I do understand because I too have been suffering with halitosis since 2000 which makes it 24 years of endless fails. I will never give up and I will forever continue to fight. Yeah I have had a lot of negative reactions and I had to continue to push through in life. I got married in 2021 and me and husband are doing pretty well. With all this being said there is hope! I will continue to fight this issue and I will also keep on living. I do hope you have found some peace. Keep the faith and keep trying because I sure will.
It’s hard to miss what iv’e had occasionally. It’s like feces breath.
Very interesting post, thank you!
CAR- I have tried everything. My bad breath leaves me lonely and sad. I hate having bad breath, I can’t find a girlfriend and I don’t communicate as well as I should. I don’t know what to do I often say why me. People cover their nose when they see me coming. I pray for help so I can
be normal.
Bad breath can have many different causes and you have to find the cause of yours. If you have IBS or reflux, that could be the cause. Do you drink a lot of coffee? That will give you a terrible breath. And so on. You have to find the cause of yours.
I have IBS and my breath always smells. I have been trying to eat better but my breath still smells. Any tips to help manage bad breath?
I have struggled with a bad breath since 2011 accompanied with abdominal pains I completely don’t kno wat to do I feel isolated
I request for ur assistance
I have struggled with a bad breath since 2011 accompanied with abdominal pains I completely don’t kno wat to do I feel isolated
I request for ur assistance
I’ve been suffering with bad breath and ibs for three years now. I’ve always thought the bad breath was due to my braces but now I realise I was wrong. Any tips for reducing bad breath completely? Are there any tests I can take to determine the cause and find a solution?
if the ibs is managed and under control would the bad breath go away on its own?
Pay close attention to how many times u swallow per minutes..average humain swallow around twice or 3 per minute ..saliva contain alot of of benefits make more researches about saliva and u will see
Are you referring to ‘dry mouth’? I hear that is another cause of bad breath and mouth wash only covers it for a few hours.
I’ve had B.B. and a very bad case of acid reflux since about the age of 16 and I’m 30 and I have all the symptoms of ibs and I’ve taken a hplori test at the docs office which came back negative but I’m going to take the ibs test to see if that’s a problem and if I can get the xifaxan antibiotic wish me luck
Unfortunately, there is no specific test for IBS and Xifaxan is for SIBO not IBS.
Suzanne perazinni, hi there! Im a woman in my mid 30s, ive had bad breath and bloating, abdominal pains and constipation for as long as I can remember. I do remember a friend at school when I was 11 told me my breath stank. That was the start of the comments up until now. Id never heard of sibo until this year so i got tested and it came back positive for methane dominant sibo. Im on my 10th day of Neomycin and Rifaximin and my breath seems to have gotten a bit better however I still have severe bloating and constipation. I look overly due (pregnant) ive cut out all dairy, lactose, alcohol gluten, fructose syrups but to no avail! I also have bad fatigue. Sometimes I can hardly stand up out of bed. I cry then pray and cry some more. Ive isolated myself for fear of the antibiotics not working and dont want to get my hopes up of a normal life. Im thinking maybe I have low stomach acid and am taking abscorbic acid powder every day to empty my bowels but im still bloated. Ive also tried Betaine hydrochloride that doesn’t help. Can you help and where is your clinic? I live in London England. Help please!!
If the antibiotics are not working then you don’t have SIBO. The hydrogen breath test for SIBO is highly inaccurate. If all other possibilities like IBD and Celiac disease have all been eliminated, then you probably have IBS. That means the low Fodmap diet as well as lifestyle changes. I run online programs internationally and have many clients from the UK. Please see the options here: https://www.strandsofmylife.com/coachingprograms/
Xifaximin help me for few days, continues burping and bloating is syndrome of sibo?
It is possible you didn’t have SIBO after all if your symptoms continued. You may need the low Fodmap diet.
Hi friends,
I was normal until 39 (2012) and fighting with bad breath issue for the last 12 years. Don’t be worried and depressed, there are many like us in this world. Unfortunately, there are major life threatening diseases which doesn’t show up outside but this one doesn’t cause internal health issues but put us under mental depression.
I was working in a C-level position and tried giving up my job to avoid social contact with others. I had a nasty smell which could be sensed 10 feet away. I remember doing a presentation to one the rating agencies and the reviewer closed his nose while sitting 4 or 5 charis away from me. I have been to every kind of doctor (top class specialists in the medical field such as Gastroenterologist, ENT, Urologist and all other specialisations including homeopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine) but none could help. There were temporary improvements but no permanent solution.
Later I decided, the God has given lot of good things to me but why would I stress myself for a weakness. The first step I took was to get out of the stress that what others feels about me. My life partner accepted me without any hesitation and family never complained about my smell although I keep telling that I am suffering from it.
There are some annoying people (especially with high BP) who close their nose for even minor smell to irritate us but that shouldn’t bother you.
The second step which is the most important is not to sleep or rest immediately after eating. You will have to walk atleast 300 steps after eating the food. This will help you in the digestion process and it should be done after breakfast/lunch/dinner. Small snacks doesn’t matter much unless you are loading the stomach. One way is to break the meal into smaller quantities, instead of 3 times, you can eat 5 times a day. Another important point to note is never do heavy exercises, it will cause more problems. Walking, cycling and some light weights for one hour thrice a week should keep you fit and healthy.
The third step is to take Fiber (Psyllium Husk Powder) 1 to 2 spoon by mixing in cold water and keep it for 15 minutes so that it solidifies and then take it before going to bed. This will reduce the gas, remove the bad smell in farting and empty your stomach everyday. Don’t use raw powder, preferably use a good company (Fybogel or Fabolite). Don’t send too much money on its purchase, its all the same except refinement
The last step is to identify the foods which is not suiting you particularly. Don’t believe in google doctor and comments from others. You eat and feel about it. Never stop any vegetable or fruit or meat permanently. Stop it for 3-6 months but try again, otherwise it will become a permanent intolerance. For me I use to get mouth ulcer everytime I eat chicken or egg, foods like meat, dairy products and nuts will swell my cheeks and I use to bite them while eating food. All these have gone now, only issue I have is bad breath especially when I eat garlic paste, soya sauce, nuts and some other foods, otherwise the smell is very low especially tolerable by others when I am talking face to face with them.
If you are ever trying for a permanent solution, you will fail. You need to manage the smell, situation and people around you. You need to move few steps away from others when you are eating onion, garlic, dairy products and nuts.
I don’t drink, smoke and have any bad habits but you need to understand that recovery process is going to be slow and you need to be patient with yourself for a year or more. Depends on the severity of your problem.
I realize that one of the few problems that caused me this issues was sedentary lifestyle, eating junk and stale foods, no exercise for long periods and too much TV sitting in one place have caused these problems. I had H pylori when I was 14 but not diagnosed, at 29 it was diagnosed, repeated at 39 but never appeared again. Tested in 2018 and 2023 with endoscopy and colonoscopy multiple times, I am healthy now.
Last advice who was weak due to avoiding healthy food, I tried with Unsulphured Molasses syrup for 6-8 months, taking one spoon a week. It helped me regain the muscles, weight and fitness. Don’t consume for longer periods, otherwise it can give troubles.
All the above was from my own experience, I pray God to give you patient, endurance and confidence to stay strong. This is not a disease, it is an unpleasant smell caused due to bad working conditions of the stomach. Stay strong and this will also pass soon. Never let your confidence my friends.
Thank you for sharing those positive thoughts. This is a very difficult and stressful issue. I have been struggling with solutions for 24 years and I will keep on looking. Peace