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Integrative Medicine : Lubiprostone for SIBO and Chronic Constipation.

A recent 2016 study for 29 female patients with chronic constipation and Small Intestinal Bacteria Growth (SIBO) used 24 mcg twice per day of Lubiprostone (a prescriptive intestinal secretagogue). 41% of those people who tested positive for SIBO were SIBO negative after 2 weeks. This well designed (but albeit small) study also measured gastric emptying time, small bowel transit time, colon transit time (CTT), combined small and large bowel transit time (SLBTT) and whole gut transit time were measured using wireless motility capsule and showed improvement in those parameters. Stooling increased from 2x per week to 4x per week. As someone who treats a lot of SIBO and Chronic Constipation this is a promising new integrative treatment that may even have better results combined with natural therapies and even other conventional therapies. I am investigating more about the reported low side effects of Lubiprostone. The most exciting thing is that it helps us understand more of the mechanism of chronic constipation and the importance of intestinal fluid interchange in regulating motility. More on Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Here.
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