What causes excessive or smelly flatulence? Can certain foods and medical conditions lead to excessive gas? Learn about the possible causes and effective treatments for managing flatulence.

Understanding Flatulence

Flatulence, also known as passing wind or having gas, is a normal bodily function that occurs when gas collects in the digestive system and is released through the anus. It is a common experience, with the average person passing gas between 13 and 21 times per day, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Causes of Excessive Flatulence

There are several reasons why some people may experience more frequent or excessive flatulence than others. The two primary causes are swallowing air (aerophagia) and the body’s natural breakdown of certain foods.

Swallowing Air

It’s normal to swallow air throughout the day, particularly when eating and drinking. This swallowed air can accumulate in the digestive tract and lead to flatulence. Certain behaviors, such as chewing gum, smoking, or sucking on hard candies, can also contribute to increased air swallowing.

Digesting Certain Foods

As the body breaks down food, gases like hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide can collect in the digestive tract. Certain foods, such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, pulses (beans or lentils), dried fruit, onions, and foods containing the sweetener sorbitol, are more difficult to digest and can lead to increased gas production.

Health Conditions Associated with Excessive Flatulence

While flatulence is a normal bodily function, excessive or persistent flatulence can sometimes be a sign of an underlying health condition. Some conditions that may contribute to excessive flatulence include:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is a chronic condition characterized by symptoms such as bloating, stomach pain, and alternating between constipation and diarrhea, which can lead to increased gas production.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system responds negatively to gluten, leading to symptoms like indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, and excessive gas.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is the inability to properly digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products. This can result in symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and excessive flatulence.

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a condition in which the stomach’s ability to empty its contents is delayed, leading to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and increased gas production.

Managing Excessive Flatulence

If you’re experiencing excessive or persistent flatulence, there are several steps you can take to help manage the issue:

Dietary Changes

Adjusting your diet can be an effective way to reduce excessive flatulence. Try eating smaller, more frequent meals, chewing your food slowly with your mouth closed, and avoiding foods that are known to cause gas, such as those mentioned earlier.

Medications and Supplements

Over-the-counter remedies like charcoal tablets or special underwear and pads that absorb odors can help manage excessive flatulence. In some cases, a healthcare provider may also recommend medications or supplements to help reduce gas production or improve digestion.

Exercise

Regular physical activity can help improve digestion and reduce the buildup of gas in the digestive tract, potentially leading to fewer instances of flatulence.

When to Seek Medical Advice

If self-help measures and over-the-counter treatments do not provide relief, it is recommended to consult a healthcare provider. Excessive or persistent flatulence that affects your daily life or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, or unintentional weight loss, may require medical attention to rule out any underlying health conditions.

The Bottom Line

Flatulence is a normal bodily function, but excessive or persistent gas can sometimes be a sign of an underlying health condition. By understanding the common causes and making lifestyle adjustments, many people can effectively manage their flatulence. If the problem persists or worsens, it’s important to seek medical advice to ensure there are no underlying health issues that need to be addressed.

Farting (flatulence) – NHS

Farting, also known as flatulence or wind, is normal. There are things you can do if you fart a lot or it’s smelly. Sometimes it can be a sign of a health condition.

Check if your farting is normal

Farting is usually nothing to worry about. Everyone farts, some people more than others.

What’s normal is different for everyone. If you notice a change or it’s affecting your life, there are things you can do.

Things you can do to cut down excessive or smelly farts

Do

• eat smaller meals, more often

• drink or chew food slowly, with your mouth closed

• exercise regularly to improve how your body digests food

• drink peppermint tea

Don’t

• do not chew gum, smoke, or suck pen tops or hard sweets (to avoid swallowing air)

• do not wear loose-fitting dentures

• do not eat too many foods that are difficult to digest and make you fart

• do not drink too much beer, wine or fruit juice

Food and drinks that can make you fart

• cabbage
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• brussels sprouts
• pulses, like beans or lentils
• dried fruit, like raisins or apricots
• onions
• food or drinks containing the sweetener sorbitol
• fizzy drinks and beer

A pharmacist can help with excessive or smelly farts

Speak to a pharmacist about excessive or smelly farts.

They might be able to tell you:

• if you can buy something to help – for example, charcoal tablets or special underwear and pads that absorb smells
• if you should see a GP

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

• farting is affecting your life and self help and pharmacy treatments have not worked
• you have a stomach ache or bloating that will not go away or comes back
• you keep getting constipation or diarrhoea
• you have lost weight without trying
• you’ve had blood in your poo for 3 weeks

What causes excessive or smelly farts

Excessive or smelly farts can be caused when you swallow air or eat foods that are difficult to digest. It can also sometimes be a sign of a health condition.

Do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you’re worried about your farting.

Excessive or smelly wind can also be a side effect of some medicines, including:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), like ibuprofen
• some laxatives
• antifungal medicines
• statins

Do not stop or change your medicine without speaking to a GP first.

Page last reviewed: 07 June 2022
Next review due: 07 June 2025

Causes, Remedies, Complications, and More

While most people experience flatulence, swallowing air or eating certain foods like broccoli may cause it to occur more frequently. Some health conditions like celiac disease may cause excessive gas.

Also known as farting, passing wind, or having gas, flatulence is a medical term for releasing gas from the digestive system through the anus. It happens when gas collects inside the digestive system and is a normal process.

Gas collects in the digestive tract when your body breaks down food. It can also happen when you swallow air while eating or drinking. Gas is usually made up of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and occasionally methane.

On average, people experience flatulence between 13 and 21 times a day, according to the National Institutes of Health. Some conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, and gastroparesis can cause excessive flatulence. You may also pass wind more frequently if you eat certain foods.

In some cases, gas can cause pain and bloating and affect your daily activities. Adjusting your diet, taking medications, and exercising may help reduce gas discomfort.

Gas collects in two main ways. Swallowing air (aerophagia) while you eat or drink can cause oxygen and nitrogen to collect in the digestive tract. Second, as your body breaks down food, gases like hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide collect in the digestive tract. Either method can cause flatulence.

Swallowing air

It’s natural to swallow air throughout the day, normally during eating and drinking. Typically, you’ll only swallow a small amount of air.

If you frequently swallow more air, you may find that you experience excessive flatulence. It may also cause burping.

Reasons that you may swallow more air than normal include:

• chewing gum
• smoking
• wearing loose dentures
• sucking on objects like pen tops
• drinking carbonated beverages
• eating or drinking too quickly

Dietary choices

The foods you eat could lead to excessive flatulence. Carbohydrates, for example, are known to cause gas.

Proteins and fats tend to cause less gas than carbohydrates. Some proteins can cause gas to have a stronger odor, though.

Some foods that increase gas include:

• beans
• cabbage
• broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• whole grains
• asparagus
• milk
• dairy products
• onions
• pears
• artichokes
• wheat
• oat bran
• peas
• potatoes
• corn
• raisins
• lentils
• prunes
• apples
• foods high in fructose or sorbitol, like fruit juices and sugar-free candies
• processed foods

These foods can take a long time to digest, leading to the unpleasant smell associated with flatulence. Also, there are some foods the body can’t fully absorb. This means that they pass from the intestines to the colon without being completely digested first.

The colon contains a large amount of bacteria that then break down the food, releasing gases as they do so. The buildup of this gas causes flatulence.

Not all foods will cause gas in all people. Keeping track of the foods you eat and flatulence symptoms you experience can help narrow down which ones cause gas in your body.

Underlying conditions

If your diet doesn’t contain a large amount of carbohydrates or sugars, and you don’t swallow excessive air, your excessive flatulence may be caused by a medical condition.

The conditions that can cause flatulence range from temporary health issues to chronic digestive problems. Some of these conditions include:

• constipation
• gastroenteritis
• food intolerances, like lactose intolerance
• IBS
• Crohn’s disease
• celiac disease
• diabetes
• eating disorders
• ulcerative colitis
• dumping syndrome
• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• autoimmune pancreatitis
• peptic ulcers

You may be able to relieve excess gas and reduce flatulence through a mix of lifestyle changes and diet adjustments. Home remedies for flatulence include:

• Keeping a food diary. This will help you figure out which foods increase gas in your body. After you identify some foods that cause you excessive flatulence, you can try to eat less of them or avoid them altogether.
• Adjusting your diet. If your diet includes a large amount of carbohydrates that are difficult to digest, try to replace them. Carbohydrates that are easier to digest, such rice and bananas, are substitutes that may reduce flatulence.
• Eating smaller meals more frequently. Eating around five to six small meals a day instead of three larger ones may be easier on your digestive system.
• Trying to swallow less air. Avoid doing anything that may increase the amount of air that you swallow. This includes making sure that you’re chewing your food properly, and avoiding chewing gum, smoking, and straws.
• Drinking lots of water. Staying hydrated can help you avoid constipation, which causes gas.
• Exercising regularly. Some people find that exercising helps to promote digestion and can prevent flatulence.
• Taking probiotics. Probiotics, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, may promote regular digestion, which can help reduce gas. These can be found in over-the-counter (OTC) supplements and fermented foods, like sauerkraut and yogurt.
• Using charcoal pads. Lining your underwear with a “fart pad” made of charcoal could help reduce odor in some cases of excessive flatulence.
• Changing your posture. Sitting in an upright position can help your body release excess gas.
• Using a heating pad. Placing a heating pad or hot water bottle on your belly can help reduce pain and cramping from excess gas.
• Consuming ginger. Ginger is known to promote digestion. Improving your digestion may help relieve flatulence and bloating.

Medications can also be used to treat flatulence, depending on the cause of the problem. Treatment options include:

• OTC medications: Drugstores offer a variety of medications, like bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) and simethicone (Gas-X, Phazyme), that can help relieve flatulence.
• Prescription drugs: Certain prescription medications can target underlying conditions, like IBS or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, that cause gas. Treating the condition may, in turn, reduce flatulence.
• Supplements: If you’re lactose intolerant, taking lactase (available OTC) may help relieve gas when you consume dairy products. Another supplement, alpha-galactosidase (Beano), can help the body break down legumes and vegetables in order to reduce gas.

Before adding any medications or supplements to your diet, consider checking in with a healthcare professional to make sure they’re safe for you.

If you’re concerned about flatulence, connect with a healthcare professional. They’ll ask about:

• your symptoms
• your diet
• your eating and drinking habits (like meal sizes and how quickly you eat)
• medications and supplements you take
• your medical history

They may also conduct a physical exam to check for swelling, tenderness, or sounds in your abdomen. This may include a physical exam of your rectum.

A healthcare professional may order additional medical tests, including X-rays, blood tests, and stool tests, to see if a potential health problem is behind your flatulence.

You may need to keep a food diary and adjust your eating habits as you work to find the cause of your excess gas.

Severe and persistent flatulence can make an impact on your physical well-being. It may cause pain, cramping, bloating, and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Excess gas can also create complications for your mental health. You may find it stressful or embarrassing to deal with frequent flatulence, especially in social situations.

Relieving gas with home remedies, medications, or both can help reduce the likelihood of complications, though. Try different strategies to see which ones work best for you, and consider talking with a healthcare professional if flatulence is causing complications in your life.

If you have unexplained flatulence, or if you experience the following symptoms along with flatulence, you should see your doctor:

• swollen abdomen
• abdominal pain
• gas that’s persistent and severe
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• constipation
• unintentional weight loss
• heartburn
• blood in stool

These symptoms may be a sign of a serious underlying condition.

Flatulence – Hadassah Medical Moscow

Enroll

Flatulence is a condition in which an excessive amount of gases accumulates in the gastrointestinal tract. It is associated with their increased education or impaired output. Most often, gases accumulate in the stomach, but can also be found in the folds of the colon. Symptoms of flatulence occur in all people – including healthy ones. They may appear due to overeating,

the use of gas-producing or indigestible foods. Also, flatulence is a sign of many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. If you often experience bloating and it makes you uncomfortable, see your doctor.

Show all

Symptoms of bloating

From time to time, the symptoms of bloating occur in absolutely all people. Gases accumulated in the gastrointestinal tract can be expelled through belching, rectum, exhalation, and blood. Flatulence is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Frequent belching of air;
• Fullness in abdomen;
• Frequent rumbling in the abdomen;
• Depressive mood, insomnia;
• Sensation of pressure under the stomach;

Fast food satiety.

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Causes of flatulence

Gas production in the gastrointestinal tract is not a disease, but a natural process. However, an increase in this symptom can occur with many diseases. Among the non-pathological causes of flatulence are nutritional features. Can cause gas by eating:

• Gas-forming products – cabbage, legumes, sweet apples, carbonated drinks;
• Foods that cause fermentation in the stomach – black bread, sinewy meat, beer, kvass;
• Dairy products;
• Mineral water.

Pathological causes of flatulence include:

• Parasitic infection;
• Infectious process in the intestines;
• Dysbacteriosis;
• Acute inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract – enteritis, pancreatitis, colitis;
• Intestinal obstruction.

Also, pregnant women suffer from flatulence in the later stages: the fetus and the enlarged uterus compress the intestinal loops. Bloating can also occur due to neurotic conditions in which the regulation in the gastrointestinal tract is disturbed.

Methods for diagnosing bloating

If flatulence begins to cause discomfort, you should consult a doctor. Diagnosis of bloating is done by a gastroenterologist. After collecting an anamnesis and palpation of the abdomen, he will send for the following studies:

Complete and biochemical analysis of blood

General analysis of feces

Complete analysis of urine

Analysis for tumor markers and markers of intestinal inflammation

Endoscopic examination of the stomach with biopsy

Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity

9000 2 CRT and MRI

Colonoscopy

Meteorism treatment methods

Approach to the treatment of flatulence is selected by a gastroenterologist based on the diagnostic results. Usually, therapy includes taking medications to break down gases and normalize the microflora of the colon. The patient is prescribed:

• Enzymes. Improve the digestive system, provide good absorption – Festal, Pancreatin;
• Sorbents. Reduce the formation of gases – Phosphalugel, Enterosgel;
• Carminatives. Promote the release of gases from the intestines – Espumizan;
• Prokinetics. Facilitate the movement of food through the intestines – Domperidone, Cerucal;
• Probiotics and prebiotics. Improve microflora – Bifiform, Lineks.

If the diagnosis showed that the patient has diseases in the gastrointestinal tract, the treatment tactics are selected based on it. In case of intolerance to synthetic drugs, remedies from natural ingredients are prescribed – based on dill or fennel. Treatment of flatulence also includes following a special diet with the exclusion of gas-forming products.

Prevention and treatment programs for flatulence at the Hadassah Clinic

Nutrition is the main thing in the prevention of bloating. If it is possible to exclude gas-producing foods from the diet, then the likelihood of flatulence will be minimal. Also remember the following tips:

• If you have lactose intolerance, avoid dairy products;
• Be active and exercise;
• Avoid chewing gums, sodas and hard candies;
• Increase the amount of plant foods in your diet.

Flatulence is a common problem. If it gives you discomfort, contact the Hadassah clinic in Moscow. Specialists will conduct a comprehensive diagnosis, determine the cause of such a phenomenon and prescribe an effective treatment.

#DrunkOP

Drunk
Olga Pavlovna

Endocrinologist, dietitian, Ph.D.

Work experience: 11 years

Published: 11.06.2023

The information provided on the site is for reference only and cannot serve as a basis for making a diagnosis or prescribing treatment. Internal consultation of the expert is necessary.

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