Carnivore Diet vs Elemental Diet: Which is More Effective for SIBO? My Experience

If you’re suffering from from SIBO (like me), you’ve probably come across both the carnivore diet and the elemental diet. Both of which have been touted as helping to get rid of SIBO. But it can be hard to figure out which one is best for you.

The elemental diet has been shown to be extremely effective for treating SIBO and some other health conditions, and it was specifically designed to treat SIBO. However, the carnivore diet is also an effective treatment that can help if your SIBO is mild.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• The differences between the carnivore diet and elemental diet
• Which is more effective for SIBO
• Why you may choose one diet over the other
• My experience with treating SIBO

Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided for general informational & educational purposes only, & is not a substitute for professional advice. I am simply someone passing on information that I have found useful to myself. For full disclaimer, click here.

Firstly, what is the elemental diet and why is it effective for the treatment of SIBO?

What is the Elemental Diet & Why Is It Effective for SIBO?

SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) is a condition where there is an excessive number of bacteria present in the small intestine, which is normally relatively sterile compared to the large intestine. Symptoms can include bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. The excess bacteria can also interfere with the absorption of nutrients, causing malnutrition.

The Elemental Diet is a diet that consists solely of a therapeutic liquid to be taken for a period of 2 to 3 weeks. It’s prescribed specifically to treat gastrointestinal issues like SIBO and it consists of “predigested” nutrients, which are easily absorbed into the upper digestive tract, allowing the lower digestive tract to rest and heal [R].

The liquid contains all essential components of nutrition including:

• proteins
• carbohydrates
• fats
• essential nutrients and minerals

It doesn’t contain any fiber, and the nutrients are all in their simplest forms, ready for the body to absorb rapidly. This makes it easy for the body to assimilate, while avoiding triggering any gut sensitivities [R].

The advantages of the elemental diet are:

• your body can take in much needed nutrients quickly without taxing the digestive system
• easily and rapidly absorbed
• gives the digestive system and gut lining time to heal
• has been shown to be highly effective at treating SIBO

Some of the disadvantages of the elemental diet are:

• It is not an easy thing to do! You eat nothing but this liquid shake for 2 to 3 weeks straight.
• Many say the taste is not very nice, making it even harder to do!
• It is only suitable to do short term
• Must only be done under the care of a healthcare professional
• Potential low energy levels during treatment

The Elemental Diet can be an effective short-term solution for addressing gut-related issues like SIBO. However, it is not designed to be a long-term solution and should only be used under supervision of a healthcare professional.

NOTE: SIBO is usually a symptom of something else. Although the elemental diet is effective at treating SIBO, getting to the root of what caused the SIBO in the first place is key to ensuring the SIBO doesn’t come back.

So, it sounds like the elemental diet can be pretty effective, but what about the carnivore diet? I have SIBO and I have done the carnivore diet myself. Did it work for my SIBO…?

What Is The Carnivore Diet & Is It Effective for SIBO?

The Carnivore Diet is a low to no carbohydrate, high-fat diet that primarily focuses on consuming animal products only, such as meat, poultry, and fish. It’s based on the belief that our ancestors predominantly ate meat, and therefore, our bodies have evolved to efficiently digest animal products.

Many of us with SIBO also suffer from food sensitivities, and so the carnivore diet can come in handy for cutting out anything that may be causing irritation.

The carnivore diet consists of no plants, no vegetables, and no processed foods. You simply eat fatty meats, eggs, fish and some dairy if you can tolerate it.

How Does the Carnivore Diet Help SIBO?

From the perspective of helping with SIBO, the Carnivore Diet could be beneficial in that it eliminates certain food components such as fermentable carbohydrates, which can be a source of discomfort to some individuals.

There are many people in the carnivore community who have healed their SIBO through the carnivore diet. However, for others, including myself, it simply wasn’t enough to get rid of SIBO.

Some of the advantages of the carnivore diet for SIBO:

• Removes any potential irritants to the gut
• allows the digestive system and gut lining to heal
• can bring about other health benefits such as improved blood glucose levels, better energy, etc.
• can be effective for mild SIBO

Some disadvantages of the carnivore diet for SIBO:

• May not be effective for moderate to severe SIBO
• May be difficult to do (I personally found it ALOT easier than the elemental diet though!)
• Can be done long term if you are seeing benefits

Which Diet is Best for SIBO: Elemental Diet or Carnivore Diet?

Here’s a quick comparison between the two diets aside from the pros and cons of both diets discussed above:

	Carnivore Diet	Elemental Diet
Main Features	Animal-based products only; consisting of proteins & fats	Amino acids, fats, simple sugars, electrolytes in liquid form
Adapting Process	Gradually replace carbohydrate intake with high fat, meat-based sources	Transition carefully from solid foods to liquid nutritional intake
Purpose	Long-term lifestyle change	Short-term therapeutic intervention, especially for SIBO

Although the carnivore diet is beneficial for people with SIBO, it may not completely get rid of it if you have it more on the severe end. On the other hand, the Elemental Diet provides all the macronutrients, as well as essential micronutrients like vitamins and minerals in an easily and rapidly absorbable form. Since it’s based on easily digestible and absorbable components, it’s ideal for people dealing with gastrointestinal issues like SIBO.

In addition to this, it can work effectively in a short time period, whereas the carnivore diet may take months before it relieves SIBO symptoms.

All things considered, as much as I am a fan of the carnivore diet and a big proponent for all the benefits it can bring, it is not as effective a treatment for SIBO as the elemental diet, due to its targeted approach toward gastrointestinal issues.

My personal experience with the carnivore diet has been great, but it didn’t fix my SIBO. I then attempted to do the Elemental Diet, but found it too difficult (couldn’t stand the flavor and my energy levels were far too low; didn’t feel good while on it), and ended up taking a 3 week round of Rifaximin to help treat the SIBO instead, (more on that later).

I started the carnivore diet for many, many health conditions, and although it has been effective for many things, it wasn’t enough to heal from my SIBO. However, it’s worth noting that there are others who have been carnivore and never had to worry about SIBO again. Different things work for different people!

If you’re still undecided, here are some things so to consider…

How To Choose Between Carnivore Diet & Elemental Diet for SIBO Treatment

It’s important to ask yourself some questions before deciding which option is right for you…

#1: How Bad is your SIBO?

If you’re SIBO is severe, it might be worth considering the Elemental Diet as a faster and more effective route to relief. Although the carnivore diet can bring relief, it is not as effective if you have severe SIBO, and it is certainly not a fast route to relief.

#2: How Quickly do you Need Relief?

This is related to the question we mentioned above; if you need relief relatively quickly, then the Elemental Diet may be a more appropriate route. However, the carnivore diet will give you a more sustained balanced outcome in the long term.

Consider Both Approaches Together to Treat SIBO

A highly effective approach for me, was to combine carnivore with other methods of SIBO treatment. In my case, the Elemental Diet didn’t work out too well, but I chose to take a course of SIBO appropriate antibiotic treatment alongside the carnivore diet, which I found to be a very effective mode of treatment.

I found much benefit to having a diet where I was only eating easy to digest, non-reactive foods during my SIBO treatment, as it took away all the other noise of potential food reactions and varied symptoms. It meant I could really focus in on how good of a job Rifaximin was doing (or not doing).

And for me, remaining carnivore, and additionally, focusing in on my gut health after treatment, means I’m in a much better position to ensure that SIBO is less likely to return.

TOP TIP: Make it a priority to try figure out when/how you developed SIBO in the first place. This will help ensure you can put things in place to avoid developing it again.