Feeling Gassy? Here’s What Could Be Going On

Let’s back up a second and talk about what gas actually is—besides sometimes loud and odorless, sometimes quiet and smelly, and always unwelcome. Simply put, it’s air trapped in your digestive tract . Some of it comes from air that you swallow; the rest of it is produced when bacteria in your large intestine break down undigested food. Chemically, it’s mostly made up of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. Sometimes other gases , like hydrogen sulfide, can get added to the mix depending on what foods you’ve eaten. It’s these gases that can cause an unpleasant odor.

Why Do I Keep Farting?

Whether you call it farting, passing wind, having gas or flatulence (the official medical term), the release of excess air through the intestinal tract is both normal and natural.

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Why, then, are farts the butt of so many jokes? Perhaps because of those awkward moments when the body’s internal horn section suddenly plays a little too loudly.

Some people pass gas more than others. If you’re worried you may be farting too much, gastroenterologist Christine Lee, MD, says there are routes to figuring out what’s going on with your gut.

Preventable medical errors kill about 22,000 patients a year, according to research from the Yale School of Medicine. That’s much less than a previously reported number of 250,000 deaths a year where medical error is to blame.

“If the amount of gas makes you uncomfortable, consult your local GI [gastrointestinal] physician for evaluation and recommendations,” says Dr. Lee. “If it is impacting your life in a negative way, you should have it checked out.”

If you’re so gassy that it is causing you pain or embarrassment, you should seek medical attention, she says.

What causes flatulence?

Swallowing air (aerophagia) can cause abdominal bloating and gas. This can occur while sleeping, eating, talking, drinking or in times of stress. You can even swallow air while laughing.

In addition to swallowing air, foods rich in prebiotics and fiber are known to produce excess gas.

If your intestines are moving food through your gut too slowly (slow motility), excess gas can accumulate. The longer food and waste sit in your GI system, the more gas-producing bacteria build up, causing abdominal discomfort.

You also produce more gas as you age because your metabolism slows down, along with the movement of food through your colon. Yes, even your intestinal tract naturally slows down over time.

How much gas is too much?

Truth be told, passing gas happens a lot more than you think. On average, it’s normal to fart between 14 and 23 times throughout your day, often without attracting much notice. For most people, it’s not a major problem. But if you find yourself consistently farting in an excessive manner — or if it comes with any sensation of pain — you should consult a doctor.

What can cause more-than-normal flatulence?

1. Hard-to-digest foods. Many a playground has been graced with the children’s anthem “Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart/the more you eat the more you fart.” Whoever the gifted songwriter was, they had a point: certain foods are a guaranteed ticket to Funkytown. In addition to beans, you may want to moderate your consumption of the following:
   • Dairy products like cow’s milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream and coffee creamers.
   • Starchy foods like wheat, corn and potatoes.
   • Cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage.
   • High-sulfur foods like onions, garlic and leeks.
   • Foods containing sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol and erythritol.
2. Food intolerances. Food sensitivities, which occur when your digestive system cannot break down a particular type of food, can cause a wide range of unpleasant GI symptoms. Specific conditions like lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance and celiac disease are known to cause excessive gas.
3. Digestive disorders. While packed very tightly, the gastrointestinal tract takes up a lot of real estate in your body: laid end to end, the average adult’s is about 30 feet long. Problems anywhere on that winding road — from your esophagus to your colon — could result in excess gas. Dr. Lee says that certain medical conditions like diabetes, scleroderma, hypothyroidism, small bowel bacterial overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis are known to cause excess gas.
4. Dietary changes. Did you just go vegan? Are you suddenly eating a lot of sugar-free foods? Are you cleansing, juicing or detoxing? Changing the way you eat changes your body’s processing speed and quality. If you’re on a doctor-prescribed diet, let your healthcare provider know that you’re experiencing troublesome side effects.
5. Medications. Certain medications count bloating and excess gas as common side effects, If you suspect a medication is messing with your gut, speak to the prescribing doctor. Among the medicines known to cause tummy trouble are:
   • Opioid pain medications
   • Decongestants
   • Anticholinergics
   • Antibiotics
   • Anti-retrovirals
   • Anti-depressants and ADHD medications
   • Blood pressure lowering medications
   • Multivitamins
6. Childbirth. Giving birth does a number on your body. From bleeding and incontinence to poop problems, you can expect your body to take a while to bounce back. If you find you’re gassier than usual postpartum, it’s nothing to worry about, and should resolve over the next several months. If it’s causing concern, though, speak to your OB/GYN about it.
7. Sleep apnea. In some cases, the way you sleep can contribute to excessive gas buildup in your system. “People with sleep apnea are often times mouth-breathers, and they swallow air when they’re snoring,” Dr. Lee notes. “So, they wake up with gas pain because they’ve been swallowing air all night long.” You should talk to your doctor if you suspect you have sleep apnea.
8. Colon cancer. While rare, excessive flatulence — paired with other symptoms like unexplained weight loss, anemia and rectal bleeding — can indicate the presence of a tumor in the colon.

How to stop farting

Dr. Lee suggests these tips to help lessen the impact of excess gas in your system:

1. Exercise. The more active you are, the more frequently and discreetly you’ll eliminate gas from your intestinal tract. Focus on abdominal-strengthening exercises to help keep your digestive tract moving. Aim to work out for at least 30 minutes three or four days each week and avoid prolonged sitting.
2. Limit cruciferous vegetables. Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and asparagus produce more gas than other vegetables. (But they’re also nutritious, so don’t avoid them altogether!)
3. Avoid dairy products if you’re lactose intolerant. If you do eat milk, cheese or yogurt, Dr. Lee advises taking Lactaid® beforehand to help ease your digestion — or cutting out dairy from your diet altogether.
4. Avoid constipation. Having a bowel movement anywhere from three times daily to once every other day is normal. This helps limit a buildup of gas-producing bacteria. Hydration and exercise can help keep things moving in this department, too.
5. Review your medications. Talk to your doctor if you think you need to make a change.
6. Limit carbonated beverages and fermented foods. These products add more gas and feed the bacteria in your digestive tract. Drinks containing high fructose corn syrup can do the same thing, so cut back when you can.

Ultimately, Dr. Lee’s tips should help relieve your gas problem — and perhaps make you less anxious in social situations.

When to see a doctor

It’s important to talk to your doctor about any changes in your health. “Consult your physician if you’ve had a change in bowel movements — especially if they’re sudden, or if you feel that something isn’t right,” Dr. Lee says.

If you are experiencing other gastrointestinal symptoms in addition to excessive gas, you need to share that information with your doctor as well. Some symptoms to note include:

• Persistent abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Frequent bouts of diarrhea or constipation
• A constant feeling of pressure in the abdomen
• Sudden, unexplained weight loss
• Rectal bleeding
• Feeling like you still need to poop after going
• Anemia

In summary, a one-cheek squeak is good for a laugh, bad for a job interview, and — usually — completely normal. That said, if you find yourself breaking wind more than 23 times a day, or you’re experiencing other gastrointestinal symptoms, there may be something amiss. When in doubt, talk to your doctor.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Feeling Gassy? Here’s What Could Be Going On

If you find yourself asking “Why am I so gassy?” there are a few things to consider. Gas is normal, but excessive gas might be a sign that something deeper is going on.

You’re probably familiar with what intestinal gas feels like. Everyone burps and farts. It’s just a part of being human. In fact, most people pass gas (either by farting or burping) 13 to 21 times a day, according to the National Institutes of Health . But excessive gas that’s different from what you normally experience or turns into an uncomfortable nuisance may be a signal that you should tune in to your gut.

How much gas is normal?

When it comes to passing gas, it’s hard to define what, exactly, “normal” means, Julie Taw, MD , board-certified internal medicine physician at Parsley Health New York , says. Because it varies so much from person to person, it makes more sense to think about what’s not normal.

“When you start to feel discomfort in your abdomen. When you feel bloated—many people describe looking like they’re pregnant. That’s abnormal,” Taw explains. “Occasional flatulence is normal to have, but if you feel uncomfortable in your belly or have very stinky farts, that shows that there’s something going on with your digestion.” A change in your bowel habits can also signal that something is amiss. “If you’re having constipation or frequent loose stools, those are abnormal signs,” says Taw. If you’re particularly gassy after meals, that’s also a good indication that something’s off with your digestion.

What is gas and where does it come from?

Let’s back up a second and talk about what gas actually is—besides sometimes loud and odorless, sometimes quiet and smelly, and always unwelcome. Simply put, it’s air trapped in your digestive tract . Some of it comes from air that you swallow; the rest of it is produced when bacteria in your large intestine break down undigested food. Chemically, it’s mostly made up of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. Sometimes other gases , like hydrogen sulfide, can get added to the mix depending on what foods you’ve eaten. It’s these gases that can cause an unpleasant odor.

“There’s a whole long list of things that cause gas,” Taw says. “All the phases of digestion need to be in balance to not develop excessive gas.” The first step is easy: Make sure to thoroughly chew your food. “That’s so basic but important,” says Taw. “So many of us eat on-the-go and at our desk, and we don’t pay attention to chewing properly. And that’s the first phase of digestion.” Once you chew and swallow your food, your stomach acid and digestive enzymes produced in your stomach, small intestine, gallbladder, and pancreas need to do their jobs of breaking down the food further. “This is important because if food goes into your small intestines not well digested, then bacteria in the intestines will ferment these foods and produce gases,” explains Taw.

Common causes of excessive gas

“There are some things that could be abnormal in the digestive system that can cause excessive gas,” Taw says. The below conditions could all be to blame for ramping up the gas production in your body.

1. Dysbiosis

Dysbiosis is a persistent imbalance of the microbes that live in the gut. Taw explains it as an imbalance of the “good microbes” compared to the “less healthy microbes” that strike the proper balance in a healthy situation. Things like medications, antibiotics, alcohol, and changes in your diet can all change the balance of your gut microbiota.

2. SIBO

SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. When there are excess bacteria in the small intestine, it gets busy fermenting the food we eat and produces higher amounts of those hydrogen and methane gases that make up gas. “One way to diagnose SIBO is to do a breath test and measure methane and hydrogen,” Taw says. The condition can cause the belly to become distended because the intestines literally become full with gas, she says.

3. Yeast overgrowth

Yeast overgrowth can also cause gas and bloating , says Taw. Yeast is an important part of the microbe mix in a healthy gut, but when the gut bacteria is out of balance, it can allow yeast to grow unchecked. A diet high in carbohydrates and sugar, excess alcohol consumption, and antibiotics can increase your risk of yeast overgrowth.

4 . Infections

Certain infections can also cause extra gas, Taw says. “This would include parasitic infections like giardia or blastocystis,” she says, and “would be considered worst-case scenarios.” Parasites like this can commonly be picked up in contaminated food or water.

5 .Food sensitivities

Sensitivities to certain foods—most commonly, gluten and dairy —can result in poor digestion and lead to excess gas, Taw says.

6 .Lactose intolerance

“Lactose intolerance is different than dairy sensitivity,” explains Taw. “People with lactose intolerance are deficient in a digestive enzyme called lactase. This enzyme is responsible for breaking down the lactose so that we can process it properly,” she explains. If your body doesn’t produce enough of this enzyme, lactose can’t be broken down and bacteria ferments it in the gut, producing—you guessed it!—a significant amount of gas.

7 . Excess fiber

Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet, but for some people, increasing fiber intake can translate to more gas. “It can happen from eating things like legumes and certain vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables,” Taw says. While that’s certainly not the case for everyone, Taw says it’s something many people do experience.

What to do about excessive gas

First things first: Go back to that first phase of digestion, says Taw. Make sure you’re chewing your food well. She also suggests trying a supplemental digestive enzyme, which can help break down certain foods. If you’ve recently increased your fiber intake, try reducing it and see if that helps.

Managing stress and exercising regularly can be helpful, too. “Stress is a major inhibitor of proper digestion,” says Taw. “When we’re in a state of stress, it’s not a priority for our bodies to spend energy digesting, so that can lead to digestive symptoms like gas and bloating and changes in bowel movements.” Exercising is a great antidote for stress, and also just helps promote regular digestion, says Taw. And make sure you’re staying hydrated . “Drinking plenty of water is important for digestion. It does help to flush things through,” says Taw.

An elimination diet can help rule out food sensitivities and lactose intolerance. “We do it by removing many different foods, and then we reintroduce them one at a time,” she explains. When eliminating dairy, the effect can be pretty immediate. “Within a few days [of cutting out dairy] you’ll notice a decrease in gas if you have lactose intolerance.”

If those things don’t help, your doctor can test you for conditions like SIBO, yeast overgrowth, and underlying infections that could be causing your gassiness. By figuring out the root cause, you can receive the right treatment plan and finally get your gas under control.

Surprising Reasons Why You’re Gassy

Gas is normal. It’s part of your digestion, and everybody has it. Most people pass gas five to 15 times a day. But if you feel like you’ve got more gas than other people or more than you used to, you might want to find out what’s causing it. This is especially important if your gas is causing you pain or other discomfort.

Why You Get It

2/13

Any gas you pass has to get into your intestines somehow. This can happen when you swallow air. Some gas is made in your intestines by bacteria and other microbes that live there. Those microbes help to break down the food you eat.

Swallowing Air

3/13

If you have more gas than you think you should, one reason could be that you’re swallowing a lot of air. Some of that air might come out as burps. The rest will come out as farts.

Check Your Habits

4/13

Lots of things can make you swallow air. You might be swallowing air while you chew gum or suck on hard candy. Eating fast or drinking through straws also can lead to more swallowed air and more gas. If you have a habit of chewing on pens or other things, this might be another time that you are taking extra air into your belly that comes out as gas.

Skip the Fizz

5/13

The bubbles in carbonated drinks such as beer, soda, or sparkling water are a source of gas. If you like to drink those bubbly beverages, it could be a reason you’re gassy. You could switch to a flat drink now and then to test out whether that’s the cause of your gas.

While You Were Sleeping

6/13

Even if you aren’t taking in extra air during the day, you might be doing it while you are asleep. If you tend to breathe or snore with your mouth open while sleeping, you may swallow lots of air overnight.

Consider Your Diet

7/13

Another reason you may be gassy has to do with the food you eat. Foods or supplements that are high in fiber are good for you, but they also can make you more gassy. These include:

• Beans
• Peas
• Vegetables, such as broccoli or leafy greens
• Whole grains
• Fiber supplements containing psyllium

Some research suggests that soaking beans in water for 12 hours can cut the gas-producing material they make.

Food Intolerance

8/13

You could be gassy if you’re eating foods that your body doesn’t absorb well. Sometimes this is called a food intolerance. Common ones include dairy products or proteins like gluten in wheat or other grains. If you think your gas is related to high-fiber foods or a food intolerance, keep track of what you eat to help you figure it out.

Artificial Sweeteners

9/13

Some sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners could be making you gassy, too. These include:

If you use these, pay attention to whether you feel more gassy afterward.

Constipation or Slow Digestion

10/13

If you’re constipated and food is moving through your gut slowly, it gives more time for gas to build up. When food sits there longer, it gives microbes more time to work on it and make more gas. As you get older, your digestion might get slower, leading to more gas. Certain medicines can cause this, too.

Too Many Bacteria

11/13

If the bacteria or other microbes that live in your gut grow too much, you might get more gas. This doesn’t always mean that you have an infection you need to treat. The bacteria might be healthy ones that help you break down food. But in some cases, antibiotics might help if this is the reason you’re gassy.

Medical Conditions

12/13

Excess gas can be a symptom that comes with many disorders that affect the gut or intestines. These include:

• Diverticulitis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Diabetes
• Scleroderma
• Thyroid dysfunction

When to See a Doctor

13/13

Most of the time, gas can be embarrassing but nothing to worry about. But see a doctor if:

• Gas gets in the way of normal life.
• You’re in pain.
• You feel lots of discomfort or bloating.
• You have lots of diarrhea or constipation.
• You throw up a lot or feel nauseated.
• You lose weight and don’t know why.
• There’s blood in your poop.
• You think you might need treatment.

Get medical help right away if you have severe belly or chest pain.

Show Sources

IMAGES PROVIDED BY:

Mayo Clinic: “Gas and gas pains.”

National Health Service (U.K.): “Farting (Flatulence).”

American College of Gastroenterology: “Belching, Bloating, and Flatulence.”

Cleveland Clinic: “Are You Passing Too Much Gas? 6 Tips for Relieving Flatulence,” “What You Should Know About Beans and the (Embarrassing) Gas They Cause; Over time, flatulence should fade.”

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center: “Why am I so gassy, and what can I do about it?”

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