By naturopath Margaret Jasinska

Recent research has revealed that people with chronic urticaria (hives) almost always have irritable bowel syndrome or SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth). This is further proof that the health of your skin is strongly linked to the health of your gut.

Having an overgrowth of the wrong gut bugs can cause inflammation to the gut lining, and this opens the doorway to chronic immune system problems. Your gut lining is literally the skin on your inside. If that is inflamed, the skin on your outside probably will be too. Most people with irritable bowel syndrome have SIBO and dysbiosis.

The recent findings come from a retrospective analysis presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.  Having looked at nearly 4 million patient records, the scientists found significantly elevated risk for a patient having both chronic hives and gastrointestinal problems.

Researchers at the University of Iowa performed the study due to growing clinical evidence linking chronic urticaria with IBS and SIBO.

Interestingly, the study showed that patients with both skin and gut issues were more often female and more likely to also have hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, or both.

The research team emphasized the need for more research to investigate the mechanisms linking chronic urticaria to IBS and SIBO.

Ways to resolve IBS and SIBO

Irritable bowel syndrome and small intestinal microbial overgrowth are not conditions that just stay in the gut. They can cause a lot of unpleasant gut symptoms, but they can also contribute to the development of new health conditions. When gut health suffers, overall health can suffer too.

The conventional treatment of SIBO and dysbiosis involves the use of antibiotics. The most commonly used antibiotics include rifaximin, vancomycin and neomycin. The problem with antibiotics is their benefits are usually short lived, and SIBO returns soon afterwards. Some people also experience very unpleasant side effects, and the antibiotics are expensive.

Herbal remedies can be used. The essential oils of oregano, clove and thyme help to relieve symptoms of medically diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome. BactoClear capsules contain these herbs, as well as berberine. Glutamine is an amino acid well known for helping to soothe an irritated gut lining. It is in Ultimate Gut Health powder, along with other beneficial ingredients.

A gut detox is an effective way of helping to get SIBO and IBS under control. This involves reducing bad gut bugs, increasing good gut bugs and healing the lining of the intestines. You can achieve this by doing the Dr Cabot 15 Day Cleanse. The eating guide that comes with the cleanse will set you on the right path to heal leaky gut and balance your gut bugs.

You can also deprive the bad gut bugs of their food source by reducing your intake of carbohydrate and staying away from sugar and starch. FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates found in various plant foods and dairy products. They act like party food for bacteria in the small intestine and can greatly aggravate SIBO and IBS symptoms. A low FODMAP diet can provide immense relief.