Lincoln Alumnus’ Treating Condition in Humans After Reducing Methane in Cows

Estimated to affect up to 1.2 billion people globally, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) causes multiple issues for sufferers, including bloating, nausea, and severe abdominal pain – at present no treatment exists to directly combat its root cause, however, that could be about to change, all thanks to a University of Lincoln, UK alumnus.

Luke Smith, a Law graduate from the University and founder of Bloe Health, is working to develop a lasting solution to the cause of SIBO, which is estimated to affect 10.8 million people in the UK alone.

Luke has partnered with a private clinic to develop a novel, natural supplement that takes aim at the root cause of SIBO and it all came about after Luke developed a way to reduce methane production in cows.

Luke’s previous business – Seaweed Culture – created a new way of cultivating a variety of seaweed which, when introduced into the diet of cattle, cut their methane production by up to 95%. His work was supported by the University’s Student Enterprise Services and drew attention from across the UK and internationally, being recognised with a number of accolades across the globe.

After he was profiled by the University and media across the world, Luke was approached by a clinic to see if a similar approach could be used to develop a supplement that would offer relief to those with SIBO.

This led Luke to establish Bloe Health and initial clinical trials have shown promising results, offering hope to all those living with the condition.

As well as causing a number of unpleasant and often painful symptoms itself, SIBO has also been linked to other conditions including obesity, Parkinson’s disease, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, with around 80% of IBS sufferers believed to also have SIBO.

Speaking about his ambitions for the business, Luke said: “SIBO is a condition which affects a significant amount of people globally and is often undiagnosed. With the amount of people that are affected by SIBO you would think there is a solution that can provide relief to millions, yet there isn’t. That’s what we are aiming to achieve. To bring back normality to people’s day-to-day lives and tackle the root cause of SIBO.”