Could excessive flatulence signal a GI issue? Learn the causes of gas, how to manage symptoms, and when to see a GI specialist.

By: Said Nabhan, M.D.

Your gastrointestinal tract performs much like a factory. It converts raw materials – nutrients – into energy and then packs what’s left over into waste (stool) that you can conveniently dispose of in the toilet.

During this process, your body also makes waste in the form of gas, or flatulence. And just like with a factory, emitting excessive gas could signal an operational dysfunction. For humans, these dysfunctions can include troubling and persistent GI conditions.

How much is too much flatulence? On average, a healthy person passes gas 12 to 25 times per day, mostly while sleeping, when your body processes the foods you’ve eaten. (Relieving fact: Only about 1% of human flatulence smells bad.)

If you are passing gas more frequently than 25 times a day, you could have excessive gas that requires medical attention. Yes, it can be embarrassing to talk about. However, not talking about it can enable the underlying issue – and flatulence – to worsen.

Medical and Non-Medical Causes of Excessive Gas

Intestinal gas is not weird or rude – it is a normal byproduct of digestion. When food enters your large intestine, the resident bacteria break down the nutrients, a process that produces a mixture of methane, nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. These gases combine with the air that you naturally swallow while eating and become flatulence.

Your abdomen is built to manage some gas without bloat or discomfort. However, other sources can cause excessive gas to develop in your GI tract, either from swallowing more air than usual or due to a condition that disrupts healthy digestion.

Among these conditional causes:

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – In some people, a miscommunication between the brain and gut can direct food to pass too slowly or quickly through the GI tract, and excess gas builds. IBS is also characterized by changes in gut bacteria, an altered immune system, and a hypersensitivity to gut pain.

Gastroparesis – Also known as delayed gastric emptying, gastroparesis occurs when your stomach muscles cannot push food into your small intestine as effectively as they should, so food moves too slowly and sits in your stomach too long.

Food intolerances – Millions of people have difficulty digesting food categories such as wheat, gluten, and dairy. The symptoms, which include excessive gas, manifest as celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten), gluten intolerance (or non-celiac gluten sensitivity), and/or lactose intolerance. A food diary can help you and your doctor narrow down the issue.

Bacteria and viruses – Nerve and muscle dysfunctions can trigger bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, which can produce a buildup of excessive gas. And some bacteria and viruses can inflame the stomach and intestines, a condition called gastroenteritis, or stomach flu, with symptoms that include bloating and gas.

Supplements and prescriptions – Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (like Aleve and Ibuprofen), opioids, cholesterol and blood pressure medications, and antidepressants, among other drugs, are known to produce gas. Dietary aids, including fiber tablets, iron pills, and protein supplements, might do the same. Also, CPAP machines that reduce sleep apnea and snoring can force you to swallow air overnight, causing CPAP-related gas called aerophagia.

How to Tell If You Have Excessive Gas, and What to Do

Should any of these above factors enter your gut “factory,” excessive gas will likely be among the warning signs. Symptoms that distinguish excessive gas from regular gas include:

• Sharp abdominal pains, like cramps, that move around.
• Physically noticeable bloating.
• Passing gas and burping frequently but with no sense of relief.
• A “knotting” sensation in the abdomen.

If these signs are relatively new, you can try to manage them by:

Cutting back on fibrous foods. After eating foods like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, beans, and apples, you may experience more flatulence. This occurs because these foods either ferment in the belly, generating excessive gas, or contain gas-making sugars.

Digesting easy-to-stomach foods. Gas-sensitive stomachs should have an easier time breaking down lower-fiber foods. Bloat-avoidant fruits and veggies include leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots, oranges, and berries. For proteins, replace beans with peanut butter, tofu, quinoa, lean beef, poultry, and fish.

Swallowing less air. Avoid chewing gum, carbonated beverages, and drinking through a straw, all of which can introduce excess air into your GI tract. Also, chew with your mouth closed (for wellness as well as a courtesy).

Slowing down your eating. Gobbling food leads to more air entering your body because you tend to breathe in between quick bites, rather than taking a complete breath first. Extend the time it takes to eat a meal to 30 minutes, which is typically how long it takes for your body to tell your brain you are full.

Taking up calming exercises. Stress and anxiety can trigger IBS and gas in general. Physical activity should help reduce both mental and GI stress by improving bowel regularity, which prevents gas buildup. Walking after meals in particular helps improve digestion.

When to See a Doctor for Excessive Gas

If the above steps fail to relieve your excessive gas, or if you experience any of the following severe symptoms, you should contact a GI specialist:

• Piercing abdominal pain that does not subside.
• Trouble eating.
• Recurring diarrhea or constipation.
• Persistent vomiting.
• Blood in your stool.
• A fever, chill, and other signs of infection.

A GI specialist will perform a thorough exam, listen to your gut, and ask about your bowel movements, so a food-and-stool journal could help your diagnosis. Your doctor might also advise tests, some of which use a flexible scope to see your insides.

You should feel confident asking for help. Like any energy-converting system, your body will always produce some gas. When that gas becomes excessive enough to disrupt your lifestyle and/or bodily functions, your care team can help regulate it.

Want to learn more? Visit our website covering abdominal pain here, or read our related blog about the causes of abdominal bloat, “The Story Behind the Gas.” To request an appointment, click here.