Why Am I Gassy? Causes of Gas and Bloating, and How to Improve Symptoms

Everyone feels "gassy" from time to time. For some people, having gas means abdominal pain or bloating. For many others, it means belching (burping) or having flatulence (farting).

These are normal body functions related to the passage of gas through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It's normal to pass gas anywhere from 10 to 20 times a day. But sometimes other factors - or even a medical condition - can cause you to pass excessive gas.

Below, we'll explore the causes of gas and what you can do to feel less gassy.

What causes gas?

There are several reasons you may have an increased amount of gas in your GI tract. Let's look at some of them.

Swallowing air

Swallowing excess air can lead to excessive gas and bloating. Everyone swallows some air during activities like eating, drinking, or chewing gum. But certain factors and conditions can increase the amount of air you swallow, such as:

• Anxiety

• Postnasal drip

• Poorly fitting dentures

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

• Smoking

• Chewing gum or sucking on hard candy

• Eating too quickly

• Drinking through a straw

Food and drink

Excessive gas and bloating can result from eating foods that are more difficult to digest. For many people, these include high-fiber foods like:

• Leafy greens

• Beans and lentils

• Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts

Carbonated beverages, which contain carbon dioxide, can also increase gas in your GI tract and often cause burping.

Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol found in some sugar-free candy, chewing gum, and fruits (among other foods), can cause gas and other GI symptoms in many people.

Lactose intolerance and fructose intolerance

Lactose intolerance is the inability to break down lactose in the small intestine. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and many dairy products. People with lactose intolerance don't have the enzyme needed to digest lactose.

When someone with lactose intolerance consumes dairy, the undigested lactose passes into their large intestine. There, bacteria break it down and produce gas. This is why eating dairy can cause excess gas, abdominal pain, and bloating in people with lactose intolerance.

Similarly, fructose intolerance is the inability to break down fructose in the small intestine. It can cause excess gas in much the same way lactose intolerance does.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

In people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the gut may be sensitive to normal or slightly increased amounts of gas, leading to a gassy feeling. IBS also affects gut bacteria, which may create toxins that cause excess gas.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as acid reflux, happens when stomach acid travels back up (or "refluxes") into your esophagus (food pipe), causing belching or bloating.

Bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine

Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is when there's too much bacteria in your small intestine, or a change in the type of bacteria that are normally there.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that may lead to abdominal pain and bloating after eating gluten.

When you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers your immune system to attack. This damages the lining of your small intestine. Excess gas and bloating - along with other common GI symptoms of celiac disease - are caused by this inflammation in your small intestine.

Constipation

Constipation occurs when bowel movements are infrequent and difficult to pass. Bloating and gas often accompany constipation. This is because stool that remains in your colon for too long allows bacteria to create more gas.

Diet plays an important role in how often you poop. So does staying hydrated. Drinking enough water helps keep stool soft, making it easier to pass through your digestive system.

Medications

Antibiotics can cause bloating and gas because they kill the "good" bacteria that populate your gut microbiome. This can lead to dysbiosis - when your gut contains too many harmful bacteria and not enough helpful bacteria.

Other medications that can affect GI function and causeincreased gas and bloating include:

• Anticholinergics like diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

• Antidepressants

• Opiate pain medications

• Blood pressure medications known as calcium channel blockers

If you're concerned a medication is causing excess gas, talk with a healthcare professional. They may be able to make some suggestions to help.

How to relieve gas and bloating

Making diet and lifestyle changes can help reduce gas and bloating. If you have a lot of gas (farting, burping, and/or bloating), here are some tips that may make a difference.

Avoid carbonated beverages

Limit carbonated beverages like soda, beer, carbonated water, and energy drinks. This can reduce the amount of gas in your GI tract. Instead, drink plain water. Again, drinking plenty of water also helps improve or prevent constipation, which can also cause bloating and gas.

Try a low-FODMAP Diet

FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) are types of carbohydrates that aren't always digested well in your small intestine. For some people, especially those with IBS, these foods stay in your intestines for longer, creating excess gas as bacteria try to digest them. Cutting out certain high-FODMAP foods may help reduce gas.

Some high-FODMAP foods include:

• Fruits like apples, pears, peaches, and watermelon

• Honey and agave nectar

• Vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, onions, and cabbage

• Grains like wheat and rye

• Beans and lentils

• Artificial sweeteners

If you decide to experiment with avoiding FODMAPs, try cutting them all out for a couple weeks. Then, reintroduce one food at a time to see if you're able to eat it without getting gassy.

Talking with a dietician or your primary care provider can help you to determine if trying a low-FODMAP diet is a good idea for you.

Change how you eat

Changing not only what you eat, but how you eat, can help reduce gas. For example:

• Take your time when eating and chew slowly.

• Have smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.

• Sit down when eating, rather than eating on the run.

• Minimize talking while you eat.

• Go for a stroll after large meals to aid digestion.

Try OTC medications

There are several over-the-counter (OTC) medications that people use to treat gas, including:

• Activated charcoal

• Simethicone (Gas-X)

• Alpha-galactosidase (Beano)

Activated charcoal and simethicone may work for some people, but current evidence doesn't show they're effective treatments. Alpha-galactosidase, however, has been shown to effectively prevent gas from eating high-fiber foods.

Move your body

Research shows that walking can help gastrointestinal (GI) problems, including gas. In one study, adults with a history of bloating walked for 10 to 15 minutes after every meal. After 4 weeks, they reported fewer GI symptoms, including belching and flatulence. In fact, walking after eating was more effective than medications that aid digestion.

Eat fewer fatty foods

Eating some fat is an important part of your diet. Fat helps you feel full. It also allows your body to absorb nutrients from your food. The most healthful kinds of fat to eat are unsaturated fats, which can be found in:

• Nuts and nut butter

• Avocados

• Fatty fish

• Healthy oils

But when you eat a meal that's high in saturated fat (typically high-fat dairy products, red and processed meat, and baked goods), it slows down your digestive system. This can lead to gas and bloating. Some types of fat can also lead to inflammation in your intestines.

Identify causes

To improve gas and bloating, it's important to determine what's causing your symptoms.

Try keeping a food diary to help you identify the culprit foods. If you've tried eliminating foods that make you gassy and it hasn't helped, make an appointment for a medical evaluation.

Some causes of gas and bloating, like constipation, may get better with increasing fiber, drinking more water, and doing more physical exercise.

Other causes - like lactose intolerance, GERD, or celiac disease - need medical evaluation and treatment.

When is gas a sign of a more serious problem?

Sometimes, excess gas can be a sign of a more serious condition that needs medical attention. Examples include:

• Gastroparesis: This is a condition where the stomach empties slower than normal. It can make you feel gassy, but can also cause significant nausea and vomiting.

• Intestinal obstruction: A blockage in a portion of the bowel is a very serious medical condition that needs emergency attention. Intestinal obstruction can cause significant pain, bloating, and vomiting.

If you have excessive gas that doesn't improve with diet and lifestyle changes, it's a good idea to check in with your primary care provider. This is especially true if your gas is paired with other symptoms like:

• Stomach pain

• Diarrhea

• Weight loss

• Fever

• Heartburn

• Nausea

• Bloody stools

Frequently asked questions