Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a digestive condition where excess bacteria colonise the small intestine, leading to fermentation, gas production, and impaired nutrient absorption. Effective long-term management may involve lactulose or glucose breath testing to identify hydrogen- or methane-dominant patterns, targeted antimicrobial…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Akkermansia muciniphila is a mucin-degrading gut bacterium that may support intestinal barrier integrity, help regulate systemic inflammation, and improve metabolic markers including insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis. Research published in journals such as Nature Medicine and Gut has associated higher Akkermansia abundance with…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating condition where persistent fatigue may be driven by gut dysfunction. Research by Giloteaux et al. (2016) and Nagy-Szakal et al. (2017) has identified reduced gut microbiome diversity, increased intestinal permeability, and elevated lipopolysaccharide-driven immune activation in…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Histamine intolerance may be driven by gut dysbiosis involving histamine-producing bacteria such as Morganella and Citrobacter, combined with reduced diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme activity. When dietary modification alone fails to resolve chronic hives, flushing, or autoimmune skin changes like vitiligo, functional medicine testing…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Psychobiotics are specific probiotic strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus (JB-1) and Bifidobacterium longum (NCC3001), that may confer mental health benefits by modulating gut-brain axis signalling. Unlike general digestive probiotics, psychobiotics have been studied for their potential effects on neurotransmitter activity, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Oxalates are naturally occurring organic compounds found in many plant-based foods and produced internally by the liver. In susceptible individuals, excess oxalates may bind with calcium to form calcium oxalate crystals, potentially contributing to kidney stone formation, musculoskeletal pain, bladder irritation, and digestive…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Hypochlorhydria, a clinical deficiency of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach, may impair protein digestion, mineral ionisation, vitamin B12 liberation, and innate antimicrobial defence within the gastrointestinal tract. When gastric pH rises above approximately 4.0, pepsin activation diminishes, nutrient bioavailability can decline, and…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network, mediated by the vagus nerve, immune signaling, and microbial metabolites, that links the gastrointestinal system with the central nervous system. Research associates gut dysbiosis, intestinal permeability, and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) with increased anxiety…
