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By Billie Schwab Dunn
Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter
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Selena Gomez has hit back at internet trolls who have body-shamed her, resulting in her speaking about her struggles with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
On October 29, the Only Murders in the Building star attended the debut of her new movie Emilia Perez at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles. For the special occasion, Gomez wore a black dress with ruched fabric and in some photos shared online, she can be seen holding her hands in front of her stomach. This has led to scrutiny and speculation from some people online, with one TikTok user assuming the actor and singer was trying to hide her stomach after attending a different event the day before.
"The fact that she probably saw all those disgusting comments about her body yesterday and today she's covering her stomach," they wrote over a now-deleted video of Gomez on the red carpet. They appeared to be referring to her appearance at the premiere of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place on October 28, where Gomez wore a red sequin dress with a peplum waist.
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According to a screenshot shared by the British publication the Daily Mail, Gomez responded in the comment section of the since-deleted video, writing: "This makes me sick. I have SEBO in my small intestine. It flares up. I don't care that I don't look like a stick figure. I don't have that body. End of story. No I am NOT a victim. I'm just human."
Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for Gomez for comment on Monday.
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What Is SIBO in Medical Terms?
According to Mayo Clinic, SIBO occurs "when there is an abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine—particularly types of bacteria not commonly found in that part of the digestive tract."
The condition is often caused by surgery or disease, which can slow "the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract, creating a breeding ground for bacteria. The excess bacteria often cause diarrhea and may cause weight loss and malnutrition."
While sometimes surgery is needed to help with SIBO, the medical center states that antibiotics are the most common treatment.
"SIBO isn't just miserable, but it can have significant downstream health effects and increase the risk of other conditions like insulin resistance, diabetes, autoimmune conditions such as Hashimotos, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and other digestive conditions," Kaytee Hadley, a functional medicine dietitian, SIBO specialist, and founder of the insurance-based private practice Holistic Health and Wellness told Newsweek via email.
"SIBO is treatable, but it cannot be gotten rid of through a healthy diet alone and requires an individualized approach with a knowledgeable healthcare provider ... I cannot stress enough the importance of working with a SIBO specialist, as treatment is not straightforward and can take many months of targeted interventions."
What Are the Symptoms of SIBO?
Per the Mayo Clinic, the signs and symptoms of SIBO often include:
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Bloating
- An uncomfortable feeling of fullness after eating
- Diarrhea
- Unintentional weight loss
- Malnutrition
According to the clinic, you should see a doctor for a full evaluation— especially if you've had abdominal surgery—if you have persistent diarrhea, rapid, unintentional weight loss and abdominal pain lasting more than a few days.
Hadley said: "The #1 symptom of SIBO is chronic bloating, which I call 'SIBO belly.' My patients often say 'By the end of the day, I feel like I'm 9 months pregnant, no matter what I eat. This bloating is often painful and is usually accompanied by chronic constipation and/or diarrhea, gas, belching, and sometimes weight changes, nausea and reflux."
"People should be aware that SIBO can often be misdiagnosed as other gastrointestinal conditions like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), as they share overlapping symptoms. SIBO may be triggered by factors such as motility disorders, previous abdominal surgery, or certain medical conditions like diabetes, which can affect gut motility," Dr Babak Ashrafi from Superdrug Online Doctor told Newsweek.
"Diagnosis is usually made using a breath test measuring hydrogen or methane levels after ingesting a sugar solution or direct sampling of the small intestine."
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Selena Gomez's Health Struggles
Gomez has battled lupus, a chronic autoimmune illness that attacks healthy tissue within one's body. She received chemotherapy for the condition but when her kidneys began shutting down on her, Gomez had a kidney transplant.
Her good friend, Francia Raisa, donated one of her kidneys to Gomez in 2017 for the successful surgery. However, going through the chronic illness since at least 2013 led to many mental health struggles, which she spoke about in her Apple TV+ documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me.
Gomez was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. During a September interview with Vanity Fair, she spoke about what it was like opening up to the world about her mental health.
"I like to remind people that that is definitely nowhere close to where I am now. My mind was not right and chemically imbalanced, and it was really difficult," she told the publication.
"People were calling me a victim. That frustrates me, because being vulnerable is actually one of the strongest things you can do. That narrative is not going to take over my life. I'm grateful every day. And I have my days like everyone else, but I'm no victim. I just survived a lot. There isn't a part of me that wants anyone to feel sorry for me."
Elsewhere in the Vanity Fair article, Gomez revealed that she is unable to carry children due to various medical issues.
"I haven't ever said this," she said. "But I unfortunately can't carry my own children. I have a lot of medical issues that would put my life and the baby's in jeopardy. That was something I had to grieve for a while."
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