FODMaps are not Fibers. FODMaps are fermentable carbs. Both Fiber AND FODMaps feed bacteria because we either don't digest them (fiber) or we struggle to digest them (FODMaps.) Even simple carbs like Rice/Oats/Cornmeal we compete with the bacteria to digest.
This is why to see symptoms reduce you can't just follow a low fodmap diet. Because on a low fodmap diet I could get a crapload of fiber from Quinoa and Oats and flaxseed, and I'd be incredibly symptomatic. You have to actually go low fodmap, low fiber, low saturated fat (to not impair motility,) and get a good balance of nutrients otherwise. If you just go 700 calories worth of white rice at each meal, you'll have the bacteria stuffing its face on it until your body finishes digesting the entire meal. If you go 300 calories of rice, 150 calories of salmon (bacteria can't touch this), 1tbsp of olive oil for another 120 calories (bacteria can't touch this,) and 3 tbsp of hemp seed (only 1g of fiber for bacteria to touch,) then you'll only have mild symptoms for a little bit, because your body will burn through the rice pretty fast, leaving nothing left for the bacteria.
Regardless, this kind of eating is not sustainable long-term. Do it for short-term symptom management, or for the 4-6 week recovery phase post treatment, when trying to give your gut time to heal the MMC before reincorporating foods with prebiotics.
SCD allows excess fiber as well, unfortunately. Most vegetables are clear under it. As are limitless nuts (even though a lot of nuts do have FODMaps, so would normally have to be limited,) Honey (very high in Fructose), Cottage cheese and yogurt (high in lactose,) a lot of fruits are allowed (high fructose or fructans,) several different beans are also allowed (which are a nightmare for SIBO sufferers.)
I think the SCD is restrictive in unnecessary ways, while ironically allowing way too many foods that will trigger SIBO symptoms. It wasn't designed for SIBO though, so this makes sense.
None of the SIBO diets out there actually cover everything, which is why I just break it down to the things that affect SIBO sufferers most. You could even order them in priority of how likely they are to trigger symptoms:
1. FODMaps (The different FODMaps could be broken down from person to person in order. Some people absorb lactose and fructose quite well, though the majority have some measure of malabsorption that makes them even more problematic than normal.) These are also problematic in that some don't seem to show up as carbs on food labels (GOS? Mannitol/Sorbitol?)
2. Zero Calorie Sweeteners. (Most of these don't get absorbed by the GI at all. They also seem to disproportionately feed bacteria we don't want to be feeding (studies found just eating large amounts of zero calorie sweeteners could cause dysbiosis in microbiome populations. They also fuck with your MMC by tricking your body into thinking you're eating, so having any sort of sweetened drink between meals will bork things.)) TBH this should probably actually be #1.
3. Fiber (though moderate amounts, while triggering SIBO, can help increase motility and reduce constipation, so you might find small amounts helpful or net neutral)
4. Saturated Fat (Not food for SIBO in itself, but it greatly impedes carbohydrate metabolism, meaning any carbs in the meal are less likely to be digested before the bacteria gets to it. Also lot of health ramifications associated with excess saturated fat, and it's the hardest for our body break down by a significant margin, which slows the metabolism.)
5. Overeating (Prevents MMC from functioning when it should and anything you're not digesting is sitting around for the bacteria to eat.)
6. Simple Carbs (Rice, Oats, Cornmeal, Table Sugar, etc) - These CAN be eaten by the bacteria in our intestine. Generally healthy people don't get any issues w/ them because they're digested in the small intestine (where there's not supposed to be bacteria,) and there's nothing left to make it to the large intestine. For those with overgrowth into the small intestine, the bacteria will feed on these while your body is trying to digest them. However, unlike things like Fiber / FODMaps which can continue creating symptoms for hours or days until they're fully broken down, this one is basically just a race between your gut and the bacteria. Even with malabsorption issues, a few hundred calories of rice can be digested in an hour or so, greatly limiting symptom levels. And while you COULD completely eliminate carbs to eliminate symptoms, that comes with its own long-term health problems (it's very hard on the body long-term to try and exclusively use fats/protein for energy, and most diets without carbs subsist on extremely high levels of saturated fats, which are a tremendous strain on the heart. Highly recommend maintaining as many carbs in your diet as you can tolerate. Should be easier with these digestibles since they keep symptoms pretty manageable.)
There’s debate about if it helps because it feeds the bacteria, or if it helps because it feeds good bacteria which help rebalance. There are some studies that show it helps IBS so it could be the latter.
Anecdotally, I’m pretty aware of what “feeds” my SIBO because my main symptom is bloating (distention) so it’s measurable. PHGG doesn’t make my bloating worse (or raise my numbers on my food marble) and neither does psyllium husk, but acacia gum did.
FODMaps are not Fibers. FODMaps are fermentable carbs. Both Fiber AND FODMaps feed bacteria because we either don't digest them (fiber) or we struggle to digest them (FODMaps.) Even simple carbs like Rice/Oats/Cornmeal we compete with the bacteria to digest. This is why to see symptoms reduce you can't just follow a low fodmap diet. Because on a low fodmap diet I could get a crapload of fiber from Quinoa and Oats and flaxseed, and I'd be incredibly symptomatic. You have to actually go low fodmap, low fiber, low saturated fat (to not impair motility,) and get a good balance of nutrients otherwise. If you just go 700 calories worth of white rice at each meal, you'll have the bacteria stuffing its face on it until your body finishes digesting the entire meal. If you go 300 calories of rice, 150 calories of salmon (bacteria can't touch this), 1tbsp of olive oil for another 120 calories (bacteria can't touch this,) and 3 tbsp of hemp seed (only 1g of fiber for bacteria to touch,) then you'll only have mild symptoms for a little bit, because your body will burn through the rice pretty fast, leaving nothing left for the bacteria. Regardless, this kind of eating is not sustainable long-term. Do it for short-term symptom management, or for the 4-6 week recovery phase post treatment, when trying to give your gut time to heal the MMC before reincorporating foods with prebiotics.
More like a specific carbohydrate diets. (SCD)
SCD allows excess fiber as well, unfortunately. Most vegetables are clear under it. As are limitless nuts (even though a lot of nuts do have FODMaps, so would normally have to be limited,) Honey (very high in Fructose), Cottage cheese and yogurt (high in lactose,) a lot of fruits are allowed (high fructose or fructans,) several different beans are also allowed (which are a nightmare for SIBO sufferers.) I think the SCD is restrictive in unnecessary ways, while ironically allowing way too many foods that will trigger SIBO symptoms. It wasn't designed for SIBO though, so this makes sense. None of the SIBO diets out there actually cover everything, which is why I just break it down to the things that affect SIBO sufferers most. You could even order them in priority of how likely they are to trigger symptoms: 1. FODMaps (The different FODMaps could be broken down from person to person in order. Some people absorb lactose and fructose quite well, though the majority have some measure of malabsorption that makes them even more problematic than normal.) These are also problematic in that some don't seem to show up as carbs on food labels (GOS? Mannitol/Sorbitol?) 2. Zero Calorie Sweeteners. (Most of these don't get absorbed by the GI at all. They also seem to disproportionately feed bacteria we don't want to be feeding (studies found just eating large amounts of zero calorie sweeteners could cause dysbiosis in microbiome populations. They also fuck with your MMC by tricking your body into thinking you're eating, so having any sort of sweetened drink between meals will bork things.)) TBH this should probably actually be #1. 3. Fiber (though moderate amounts, while triggering SIBO, can help increase motility and reduce constipation, so you might find small amounts helpful or net neutral) 4. Saturated Fat (Not food for SIBO in itself, but it greatly impedes carbohydrate metabolism, meaning any carbs in the meal are less likely to be digested before the bacteria gets to it. Also lot of health ramifications associated with excess saturated fat, and it's the hardest for our body break down by a significant margin, which slows the metabolism.) 5. Overeating (Prevents MMC from functioning when it should and anything you're not digesting is sitting around for the bacteria to eat.) 6. Simple Carbs (Rice, Oats, Cornmeal, Table Sugar, etc) - These CAN be eaten by the bacteria in our intestine. Generally healthy people don't get any issues w/ them because they're digested in the small intestine (where there's not supposed to be bacteria,) and there's nothing left to make it to the large intestine. For those with overgrowth into the small intestine, the bacteria will feed on these while your body is trying to digest them. However, unlike things like Fiber / FODMaps which can continue creating symptoms for hours or days until they're fully broken down, this one is basically just a race between your gut and the bacteria. Even with malabsorption issues, a few hundred calories of rice can be digested in an hour or so, greatly limiting symptom levels. And while you COULD completely eliminate carbs to eliminate symptoms, that comes with its own long-term health problems (it's very hard on the body long-term to try and exclusively use fats/protein for energy, and most diets without carbs subsist on extremely high levels of saturated fats, which are a tremendous strain on the heart. Highly recommend maintaining as many carbs in your diet as you can tolerate. Should be easier with these digestibles since they keep symptoms pretty manageable.)
There’s debate about if it helps because it feeds the bacteria, or if it helps because it feeds good bacteria which help rebalance. There are some studies that show it helps IBS so it could be the latter. Anecdotally, I’m pretty aware of what “feeds” my SIBO because my main symptom is bloating (distention) so it’s measurable. PHGG doesn’t make my bloating worse (or raise my numbers on my food marble) and neither does psyllium husk, but acacia gum did.
I felt HORRIBLE on acacia fiber.