A Functional Medicine Approach to SIBO and Methane Overgrowth Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and its methane-dominant form—now termed Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO)—are key contributors to chronic digestive complaints such as bloating, constipation, and abdominal discomfort. While conventional treatment often relies on symptom suppression or singular pharmaceutical approaches, the functional medicine model aims to uncover the root causes behind these overgrowths and restore balance to the gut ecosystem. By integrating advanced testing, targeted nutrition, herbal antimicrobials, and motility support, this approach provides both relief and resilience. Understanding SIBO and Methane Overgrowth SIBO is characterized by an abnormal increase in the population of bacteria in the small intestine, typically resulting from impaired motility, post-infectious changes, or structural anomalies. In contrast, IMO is caused by an overgrowth of archaea, such as Methan...