SIBO and Candida overgrowth are two gut health conditions that often present with similar symptoms like bloating, cramping and food sensitivities, making it hard to know what’s really going on. This article explains the difference between the two, whether you can have both at once, and how tackling symptoms differs depending on the root cause. We also explore the role of functional testing, personalised protocols, and how IBS Clinics can support you with targeted care.
Gut symptoms like bloating, cramping, fatigue, and food sensitivities are common, but figuring out what’s causing them can be anything but straightforward. Two possible underlying causes that often come up are SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) and Candida overgrowth. They share some symptoms, can sometimes occur together, and are frequently misunderstood or mislabelled.
It’s not always easy to tell the difference between the two, especially when symptoms overlap. Many people feel unsure about whether they have one, the other, or both — or whether either condition is relevant at all. With so much information available online, it’s easy to feel stuck, unsure of how to move forward, or what to prioritise.
This article is here to help you understand the key differences between SIBO and Candida, when they might occur together, and what current evidence says about gut health tests in the UK, resolving symptoms, and support. We’ll also walk you through what a personalised approach might look like, and how IBS Clinics can help you make sense of your symptoms and take the next step, one that’s based on your body and your needs.
If you have, or suspect you have, SIBO, you may also be interested in taking a look at our article on the Causes of SIBO.
What Is SIBO?
SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. It happens when bacteria that are normally found in the large intestine start to build up in the small intestine, where they shouldn’t be in high numbers. This overgrowth can disrupt digestion, lead to inflammation, and interfere with how nutrients are absorbed.
In a healthy digestive system, the small intestine contains relatively low numbers of bacteria. The body has several mechanisms to keep it this way, including proper stomach acid levels, digestive enzymes, good motility (movement of food through the gut), and a strong ileocecal valve that keeps bacteria from moving backwards from the colon. When any of these processes are disrupted, bacteria can accumulate in the small intestine and begin fermenting carbohydrates too early, producing gas and triggering symptoms like bloating, pain, diarrhoea, constipation, and nutritional deficiencies [1].
Several factors can increase the risk of developing SIBO. These include:
- Long-term use of certain medications (such as proton pump inhibitors)
- Previous abdominal surgery or gastrointestinal infections
- Chronic conditions that slow gut motility (like IBS or diabetes)
- Low stomach acid or reduced digestive function
- Structural abnormalities in the digestive tract
SIBO is often found alongside other gut imbalances and may contribute to, or worsen, symptoms of IBS. In fact, some research suggests a significant overlap between the two, which is why it’s so important to get an accurate picture of what’s happening in your gut before choosing a suitable plan of action [1,2].
What Is Candida Overgrowth?
Candida albicans is a species of yeast that naturally exists in the human digestive tract, as well as in the mouth, skin, and vaginal area. In most people, it remains in balance as part of the wider gut microbiome. However, when that balance is disrupted (due to medication use, dietary factors, or immune changes), Candida can multiply and dominate, leading to what’s often referred to as “Candida overgrowth.”
This overgrowth may contribute to symptoms such as bloating, gas, altered bowel movements, sugar cravings, fatigue, or recurring fungal infections like oral thrush or vaginal yeast infections. However, symptoms can vary significantly, and diagnosis isn’t always straightforward.
Candida albicans is a common member of the gut mycobiome (the fungal part of the microbiome), and while its presence is normal, its overgrowth may disrupt gut function, immune signalling, and epithelial integrity. Research suggests that Candida appears more often in individuals with certain predisposing factors, such as antibiotic use, high-sugar diets, or inflammatory conditions, though its precise role in chronic digestive symptoms remains under investigation [3].
In functional medicine, Candida overgrowth is often viewed as part of a broader pattern of gut dysbiosis: one that requires looking at the whole picture: microbial balance, diet, immune health, and lifestyle. Addressing Candida in isolation without supporting the surrounding environment rarely leads to lasting improvement.
SIBO vs Candida: What’s the Difference?
SIBO and Candida overgrowth can cause similar digestive symptoms, which is why they’re often confused. Bloating, gas, abdominal discomfort, and changes in bowel movements can occur in both conditions. But despite the overlap, they are very different issues and understanding the difference is key to getting the right support.
SIBO is caused by an excess of bacteria in the small intestine. These bacteria ferment carbohydrates too early in the digestive process, producing gas and triggering symptoms. It’s often associated with problems in motility (how the gut moves), a weakened ileocecal valve, low stomach acid, or a history of digestive infections or antibiotic use. A SIBO test typically involves a breath test, which measures hydrogen and methane gas produced by the bacteria in your gut.
Candida, on the other hand, is a yeast, not a bacterium. It naturally lives in small amounts in the digestive tract, but can become problematic when it grows out of balance. Candida overgrowth may also cause digestive symptoms, but it’s commonly linked with additional symptoms, such as sugar cravings, fatigue, brain fog, and recurrent fungal infections like oral thrush or vaginal yeast infections. A Candida test may involve stool analysis or organic acids testing, although diagnosis can also be based on symptom patterns.
While both conditions affect the gut, the root cause, type of microorganism involved, and plans to resolve symptoms are very different. That’s why it’s important not to assume one or the other based on symptoms alone. Getting a clear understanding of what’s driving your symptoms helps ensure that any plan is targeted and effective.
Can You Have SIBO and Candida Overgrowth at the Same Time?
Some people with gut symptoms don’t fit neatly into one diagnosis. Bloating, discomfort, fatigue, or food sensitivities may point to SIBO, Candida overgrowth, or possibly both. So is it possible to have both conditions at the same time?
There isn’t much research directly exploring the simultaneous presence of SIBO and Candida overgrowth in healthy individuals. However, what we do know is that an imbalanced gut environment can open the door to more than one type of microbial overgrowth. In other words, it’s not necessarily one or the other.
Emerging research into fungal infections in the gut, including Candida albicans, shows that when the gut microbiome becomes disrupted through antibiotics, poor diet, or low fibre intake, the body’s natural defences against fungal overgrowth are weakened. This can create a more hospitable environment for organisms like Candida to flourish [4].
While this particular study focuses on fungal imbalance, the same environmental factors are known contributors to bacterial overgrowth, such as SIBO. A sluggish digestive system, poor motility, compromised gut immunity or reduced microbial diversity can make it easier for bacteria and fungi alike to overgrow in the wrong place.
In functional medicine, this broader disruption is often referred to as gut dysbiosis — a loss of healthy balance in the gut ecosystem. Rather than viewing SIBO or Candida in isolation, practitioners may look at the bigger picture: what allowed these organisms to overgrow in the first place, and how can we help the gut return to balance?
Suitable Approaches: SIBO Only
SIBO is a condition that responds best to a structured and phased support plan, not just a single intervention. While symptoms like bloating or discomfort may be the most noticeable part, effective plans aim to correct the underlying cause of the bacterial overgrowth, restore motility, and reduce the chance of recurrence.
One approach involves targeted antimicrobials or antibiotics, used to reduce excess bacteria in the small intestine and may include specific prescription medications or carefully selected herbal antimicrobials [1,2]. Choices for resolving symptoms usually depend on the type of gas being produced (hydrogen or methane), which can be identified through SIBO breath tests. However, SIBO-specific antibiotic treatments are rarely prescribed on the NHS, and do not address any root causes, leaving people vulnerable to recurrence.
Dietary support is another important aspect. Some people follow a temporary low FODMAP diet to reduce fermentable carbohydrates and relieve symptoms. Others may be advised to use an elemental diet, which is a liquid-based nutritional formula, in cases where symptoms are severe or difficult to manage with food alone. These strategies are not long-term solutions but can help stabilise symptoms while deeper work is being done to restore balance.
Supportive measures often include addressing gut motility. If the small intestine isn’t clearing bacteria efficiently between meals, it can increase the risk of SIBO returning. In some cases, practitioners may introduce prokinetic agents or motility support. There’s also emerging discussion around biofilm disruptors (agents that help break down protective layers some bacteria use to shield themselves), though this area remains under investigation and should be guided by a practitioner.
Most importantly, plans for tackling SIBO are rarely one-size-fits-all. The right approach will depend on your symptoms, breath test results, medical history and how your gut responds over time.
Suitable Approaches: Candida Overgrowth Only
When managing Candida overgrowth, the goal isn’t just to suppress the yeast itself but to change the internal environment that allowed it to thrive in the first place. Tackling Candida typically involves a combination of antifungal support, dietary changes, and strategies to restore gut and immune balance.
Antifungal plans may include prescription medications in more severe cases, but herbal support is also commonly used. The paper by Jawhara discusses how natural dietary compounds, including polyphenols and plant-based bioactives, can help inhibit fungal growth and promote the recovery of a healthy gut microbiota [4]. These compounds appear to play a role in disrupting fungal virulence and supporting the host’s defences.
Diet also plays a central role. A diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can feed Candida albicans, so reducing or eliminating these foods is often recommended. While the specifics may vary between individuals, most approaches focus on reducing fermentable sugars and processed foods while supporting the growth of beneficial microbes through fibre-rich, anti-inflammatory whole foods.
Supporting gut barrier integrity and immune function is another important piece. The same paper highlights how lifestyle and dietary changes can enhance mucosal immunity, reduce inflammation, and improve resistance to fungal overgrowth [4]. This is particularly relevant if Candida has disrupted the intestinal lining or contributed to broader symptoms such as fatigue, food sensitivities or brain fog.
As with SIBO, the most effective recovery plans for Candida are personalised. Working with a practitioner can help identify which factors have contributed to overgrowth, and which interventions are most likely to support long-term recovery.
What If You Have SIBO AND Candida Overgrowth?
If testing or symptom patterns suggest you may have both SIBO and Candida overgrowth, the next question is often: should they be targeted at the same time, or in a particular order?
There’s no universal answer, but in functional medicine, the approach is typically guided by symptom severity, gut environment, and what the body is most ready to tolerate. Trying to resolve both aggressively at once can be overwhelming, not just for the digestive system, but for energy, detox pathways and overall wellbeing.
In many cases, the first step is to reduce the microbial load in a way that feels manageable. This may involve gently addressing the dominant overgrowth first (often SIBO), while stabilising diet and supporting gut function. Once symptoms have settled and resilience has improved, it may be easier to target Candida with dietary adjustments and antifungal support.
The emphasis throughout is on strengthening the terrain. Diet and lifestyle play a key role in restoring microbial balance and protecting against fungal overgrowth. Supporting the gut barrier, reducing inflammation and nourishing beneficial bacteria all contribute to a healthier internal environment, whether you’re dealing with bacteria, yeast, or both [4].
A carefully sequenced, personalised plan can make all the difference in tolerability and long-term success. Rather than rushing to eliminate everything at once, this approach helps you recover in stages, supporting your body’s capacity to heal and rebalance as you go.
Testing and Diagnosis: Getting Clarity
If you’re dealing with ongoing digestive issues, accurate testing can help bring clarity, especially when symptoms might point to more than one underlying cause.
For SIBO, the most common testing method is a SIBO breath test. This non-invasive test measures the levels of hydrogen and methane gases you exhale after drinking a sugar solution. Abnormally high levels of these gases can indicate that bacteria are fermenting carbohydrates in the small intestine (a sign of bacterial overgrowth) [1,2].
For Candida overgrowth, testing needs a different approach. Candida naturally exists in the gut in small amounts, so identifying a true overgrowth requires more than just a symptom checklist. At IBS Clinics, we use a targeted Candida test as part of our microbiome testing range. This test is designed to detect the presence and volume of Candida Albicans, the most common strain linked to digestive problems.
If you’ve had recurrent food intolerances, taken antibiotics or steroids, or live with an immune condition like diabetes, there’s a higher chance that Candida may be playing a role. In our experience, many IBS patients with persistent symptoms also show signs of fungal imbalance. By testing the microbiome properly, we can avoid guesswork and ensure any support strategy is based on real, actionable data.
If you’ve been struggling for some time or suspect a combination of causes, the right gut health test can be the turning point in your recovery journey.
Creating a Personalised Support Plan
If you’ve ever tried to follow a generic gut health plan only to feel worse, or no different at all, you’re not alone in that experience. SIBO and Candida overgrowth may share certain symptoms, but how they affect each person can be completely different. That’s why one-size-fits-all protocols often fall short.
A personalised plan starts with understanding your unique mix of symptoms, health history, and lifestyle priorities. This could include past antibiotic use, hormonal influences, immune health, diet patterns, or even emotional stressors. For some people, SIBO might be driving symptoms like bloating or reflux. For others, a long-standing fungal imbalance could be linked to fatigue, food sensitivities or brain fog.
At IBS Clinics, we use advanced testing where appropriate, but we also spend time mapping out the full picture, including how symptoms have developed, what’s helped (or made things worse), and what matters most to you. This helps us create a gut protocol that’s realistic, well-sequenced and tailored to your needs.
For example, a plan might begin with calming inflammation and improving digestion before addressing overgrowth directly. It might involve nutritional therapy, targeted supplements, herbal or prescription antimicrobials, and gut repair strategies. We also help you build in support for sleep, stress and blood sugar, all key players in restoring long-term gut balance [4,5].
A personalised approach isn’t just more effective. It’s often easier to stick to, because it’s built around your current capacity and goals rather than a rigid or extreme plan copied from the internet.
How IBS Clinics Can Help
At IBS Clinics, we understand how overwhelming it can feel when you’re dealing with gut symptoms and aren’t sure where to start, especially when it’s unclear whether SIBO, Candida, both, or something else entirely might be the root cause.
Our team is led by experienced IFM-certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (IFMCP), Tracey Randell, who specialises in understanding complex gut issues like gut dysbiosis, SIBO and Candida overgrowth. Rather than relying on guesswork, we begin with a detailed consultation to understand your symptoms, history and priorities. Where helpful, we use functional testing such as breath tests for SIBO or microbiome panels to detect Candida Albicans and assess the overall state of your gut.
Once we have a clear picture, we create a personalised support plan built around your needs and lifestyle and not a generic one-size-fits-all approach. Your plan may include nutritional strategies, targeted supplementation, herbal or pharmaceutical support, and guidance on how to adjust your support plan over time as your symptoms shift.
We also recognise that symptoms can fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle for some patients. If relevant, we take a cycle-aware approach, adapting support across different phases to optimise results and improve your day-to-day well being.
Our aim is not only to help you feel better, but to equip you with the tools and insight to understand your gut and feel in control again.
Next Steps
If you’re dealing with persistent gut symptoms, whether it’s bloating, cramping, food reactions, fatigue, or something you just can’t quite explain, it might be time to take a closer look. Conditions like SIBO and Candida overgrowth can linger for months or years when left unaddressed, often becoming more difficult to untangle over time.
You don’t need a formal diagnosis before reaching out. But if you’ve already tried making changes to your diet or lifestyle with limited success, or if your symptoms are interfering with your daily life, it’s worth speaking to a practitioner.
Before your appointment, it can be helpful to track your symptoms, energy levels, bowel habits, and any patterns related to meals or your menstrual cycle. You don’t need a perfect diary: even a few notes can help us build a clearer picture of what’s going on.
At IBS Clinics, you can either book an initial consultation to discuss suitable options, or start with a specific gut health test, such as a SIBO breath test or microbiome panel that screens for Candida. From there, we’ll guide you through your results and help you decide the best next steps for your health and lifestyle.
Conclusion
SIBO and Candida overgrowth are two distinct but often overlapping conditions that can both contribute to gut symptoms like bloating, discomfort, irregular bowel habits, and food sensitivities. While they share some similarities, the causes, testing methods, and support strategies differ, which is why getting clarity is so important.
The good news is that both conditions can be resolved, especially when addressed through a personalised, functional medicine approach. By understanding your body, testing when needed, and tailoring a plan that suits your lifestyle, long-term improvements are absolutely possible.
If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of guesswork or symptoms that keep returning, know that you don’t have to figure it out alone. The team at IBS Clinics is here to help you take the next step towards clarity, comfort, and confidence in your gut health.
References
- Mayo Clinic. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) – Symptoms & causes. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth/symptoms-causes/syc-20370168
- Guts UK. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). Available at: https://gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/conditions/small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth-sibo/
- Musumeci S et al. The human gut mycobiome and the specific role of Candida albicans: Where do we stand, as clinicians? Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 2022;28(1):58–63. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1198743X21004298
- Jawhara S. Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Improve the Gut Microbiota and Help Combat Fungal Infection. Microorganisms. 2023 Jun 11;11(6):1556. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11061556. PMID: 37375058; PMCID: PMC10302699. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10302699/
- Institute for Functional Medicine. SIBO: Understanding microbial balance. Available at: https://www.ifm.org/articles/sibo-microbial-balance/
Author – Tracey Randell
At IBS Clinics, Tracey Randell, a renowned Nutritional Therapist and one of the few IFM Certified Practitioners in the UK, extends her specialised knowledge and unique approach to managing and treating IBS and other gut-related conditions effectively.
Tracey’s profound understanding of Functional Medicine allows her to connect the dots for complex health conditions, identifying and addressing the root causes to curate personalised and comprehensive health plans for her patients. Her holistic approach focuses on resolving underlying imbalances and optimising gut health, enabling the body to correct other issues and attain overall well-being.
At IBS Clinics, we are dedicated to being your partner in navigating your gut-related health concerns, offering expert care and individualised treatment plans to alleviate your IBS symptoms and enhance your quality of life.
You can read more about Tracey on our About page here.
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