Everyone farts. Loud or quiet, odourless or rotten – those ‘one-cheek squeaks’ are a normal bodily function. Whether you fart, toot, break wind, let one rip, or cut the cheese, the medical profession refers to this act as flatulence. Flatulence is nothing more than a combination of digestive gases and air swallowed during eating, which finds its way out via your anus.

While it can be embarrassing and uncomfortable at times (particularly when you are out in public), it is normal to release this digestive gas.

Research suggests on average we experience flatulence 5-15 times per day, with anywhere from 500-2000mls of gas released. However, the experience of flatulence is different for everyone.

Why Do We Pass Wind?

Releasing gas, otherwise known as flatus, is part of digestion that reflects the activity of your gut. It is unnatural for your body to hold onto gas, and therefore it rids the buildup of gas by burping or farting. This build up is contributed to by the air that is swallowed, every time you swallow food, water, and saliva, as well as the gas produced during the breakdown of food in your gut.

In most cases, you might not even notice that you have passed flatus, as most gases are odourless and released in such small amounts. However, you will notice your flatulence when it is smelly or occurring frequently.

What Causes Excessive or Smelly Flatus?

Several natural causes lead to excessive or stinky flatus, however, medications and health conditions can contribute.

Swallowing Air

While breathing and eating, it is normal to swallow air. However, you can swallow more air without realising, with this excess intake leading to excessive flatus. Habits that can lead to swallowing extra air include:

  • Smoking
  • Chewing gum
  • Sucking on your pen or lollies
  • Chewing food quickly, and
  • Swallowing large pieces of food.

Food and Drink Choices

Naturally, food and drink choices can lead to changes in your flatus. The type of sugars found in food, the amount of fibre you consume, the way foods get broken down, and the gasses found in some drinks, are all contributors to flatulence.

Some carbohydrates  – we’re talking tiny ones found in all sorts of foods, not necessarily your starchy choices – are not digested or absorbed by the intestines. These undigested carbohydrates are taken to the large intestine where they are eaten by bacteria, which produce gas as a byproduct of the process. This leads to flatus  (when they produce gas, you produce gas). Foods containing high amounts of indigestible carbohydrates include:

  • Apples
  • Artichokes
  • Beans
  • Broccoli and Cauliflower
  • Lentils
  • Onions

Alternatively, foods containing none of these tiny carbohydrates but lots of fibre, such as bran and oats, can cause problems with extra wind, in the same way as undigested carbohydrates. Then you have foods containing sweeteners such as sorbitol (found in sugar-free gum and other diet products), which can also cause extra gas. As such, sugar-free gum can cause extra flatulence due to both swallowing air AND the sweetener used!

But why do your farts reek sometimes? Certain foods, such as onion and cabbage, result in the foul-smelling flatus, due to the production of gas containing sulfur. Production of smelly flatus varies from person to person depending on the foods consumed, so it is up to you to work out what causes your farts to smell. Some foods to watch out for include:

  • Meat
  • Poultry
  • Fish
  • Eggs, and
  • Cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts.

Stress

While not the case for everyone, some people find that they are more prone to tooting when stressed. Rapid breathing causing intake of extra air, as well as swirling stomach acid, both lead to extra gas production and release. Other people engage in flatulence-promoting habits when stressed, such as smoking, chewing gum, and drinking alcohol.

Constipation

The longer food waste spends in your colon, the more it can ferment (producing more gas). As such, individuals that are experiencing constipation, often release more smelly gas than others.

Medications

Flatulence is a common side effect of many different medications, including:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen
  • Diarrhoea medications and some laxatives, such as Imodium and Lomotil
  • Antacids
  • Antifungal medications
  • Statins
  • Fibre supplements, such as Metamucil
  • Multivitamins and iron pills.

Cutting Down on The Gas

While it is perfectly normal to fart every day, there are some things you can try to reduce the frequency (and smell).

  1. Avoid foods that usually make you fart (or consume them in smaller portions).
  2. Eat smaller meals, more often, to reduce the work in your gut and limit gas production.
  3. Drink and chew food slowly (and with your mouth closed) to reduce air intake.
  4. Eat fewer fatty foods (as these slow down the speed of digestion and increase the opportunity for food to ferment).
  5. Avoid carbonated beverages such as soft drink and alcohol, to reduce incidental air intake (and don’t drink with a straw – as this leads to you sucking up air with every mouthful of drink).
  6. Give up habits such as smoking, chewing gum, and sucking on your pen.
  7. Exercise regularly (this helps promote healthy digestion and limit flatulence).

When To Ask for Help

Farting all the time is not normal and can be a sign of a health problem. But what does excessive farting look like? Unfortunately, only you can tell. It is time to seek support if your flatulence is becoming particularly troublesome and you have found no reprieve from trying some of the above strategies.

You should also seek support if you are also experiencing any of the following symptoms in addition to gas:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Persistent abdominal pain
  • Bloating
  • Changes in your bowel motions (consistency, colour, and/or frequency), and/or
  • Recurring episodes of diarrhoea and/or constipation

These symptoms can be a sign of a more serious health problem such as IBS and IBD and are best managed by a health professional.

Think you might need help with your gas? Reach out to our team for support.

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