Flatulence

Everyone has gas. Burping or passing gas through the rectum - "flatulence" - is normal. It might be embarrassing, but most people don't realize that passing gas 14 to 23 times a day is quite typical. Gas in the digestive tract - the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine - comes from two sources:

• Swallowed air from habits such as gulping food or beverages, drinking through a straw, chewing gum.

• The normal breakdown of certain undigested foods by harmless bacteria naturally present in the large intestine, or colon.

• Some medications designed to inhibit digestion, such as acrobose, and medicines that contain indigestible sugars.

Air that is swallowed and not eliminated by burping is partially absorbed in the small intestine, it then passes as flatus. Most flatus is primarily odorless - carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and sometimes methane. The unpleasant smell of flatulence comes from bacteria in the large intestine. They release small amounts of gases hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and, in about one-third of all people, methane. Some people have another type of common bacteria in the large intestine that can destroy the hydrogen produced by other bacteria. This balance of the two types of bacteria may explain why some people have more gas than others.

Foods that contain carbohydrates can cause gas; fats and proteins cause little gas. Some foods that are common causes of flatulence are:

• Sugars such as raffinose, lactose, fructose, and sorbitol;

  • Raffinose is found in beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, other vegetables, and whole grains.

  • Lactose is found in milk and milk products.

  • Fructose is found in onions, artichokes, pears, and wheat.

  • Sorbitol is found in fruits, including apples, pears, peaches, and prunes. Sorbitol and fructose are also added as artifical sweeteners to processed foods.

• Starches such as those found in potatoes, corn, noodles, and wheat;

• Soluble fiber found in oat bran, beans, peas, and most fruits; soluble fiber is broken down in the large intestine, dissolves in water to form a soft stool. Its digestion causes gas. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran and some vegetables. It passes relatively unchanged through the digestive system and causes little gas.

What to Do

Talk to your doctor if you can't seem to get your flatulence under control, because abdominal bloating and gas symptoms might be caused by a serious disorder.

Use Medicine Effectively

Your doctor might prescribe medicines to help reduce symptoms, especially for patients with a motility (or food movement) disorder.

Self-care Steps for Flatulence

Cut down on the foods that cause gas. These include:

• Beans

• Vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions, artichokes and asparagus.

• Fruits such as pears, apples and peaches.

• Whole grains such as whole wheat and bran.

• Soft drinks and fruit drinks.

• Milk and milk products, such as cheese and ice cream (for people who are lactose intolerant).

• Packaged foods that have lactose in them, such as bread, cereal and salad dressing (for people who are lactose intolerant).

• Dietetic foods and sugar-free candies and gum.

Other Strategies

• Drink plenty of water, non-fizzy liquids and clear soup: Try not to drink liquids that cause gas, like soda and beer. If you do drink these liquids, first pour them into a glass first to let some of the fizz out.

• Reduce the amount of air you swallow.

• Eat slower and chew more. This will reduce the amount of air you swallow when you eat.

• Avoid chewing gum and eating hard candy.

• If you smoke, try to cut down or quit.

• If you have false teeth, see your dentist to make sure they fit right.

• Over-the-counter medicines may help, but check with your health care provider before taking them to make sure they will not interact with other medicines you take or make a chronic condition worse.