Intestinal gas is a common, sometimes embarrassing condition. Learn how to control it.
Intestinal gas is a normal byproduct of digestion. Producing intestinal gas is a sign your digestive system is working properly.
Everyone's familiar with the consequences of excess intestinal gas — flatulence, burping, bloating and, sometimes, social embarrassment. Although intestinal gas is perfectly normal, it can be bothersome. Modifying your diet or taking certain medications may help prevent or reduce intestinal gas.
Which foods cause intestinal gas?
Carbonated beverages may cause gas. So can carbohydrates because they often contain indigestible sugars, starches and fiber. For example:
- Lactose. Milk and milk products such as cheese and ice cream, as well as some processed breads, cereals and salad dressings, contain the sugar lactose. While most people can digest lactose with no difficulty, some have trouble because they don't produce any or enough of the enzyme lactase, which splits lactose into digestible parts. Without lactase, milk and other lactose-rich foods ferment in the intestine, releasing excessive gas. People of African, Asian and American Indian descent are most likely to be deficient in lactase.
- Fructose. Onions, artichokes, pears, wheat, and some soft drinks and processed foods contain this sugar, which may be difficult to digest.
- Sorbitol. Apples, pears, peaches, prunes, and some sugar-free foods, candies and chewing gum contain the sugar alcohol sorbitol, another compound that's hard to digest.
- Raffinose. This sugar is found in beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus and whole grains.
Rice is the only starch absorbed almost completely by the small intestine. Because rice starch never reaches the large intestine, gas-producing bacteria don't break this starch down. But other starches, including potatoes, corn, noodles and wheat, are gas producers. Dietary fiber, found in beans and wheat bran, also tends to produce gas. When research subjects ate a diet in which half of their calories came from pork and beans, they experienced a tenfold increase in their normal gas production.
What can you do to reduce intestinal gas?
The most common ways to reduce intestinal gas are to change your diet, avoid swallowing air and take over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
Change your diet
If you're deficient in lactase, the enzyme needed to digest milk, your doctor may suggest that you eliminate dairy products from your diet and get the calcium you need from calcium supplements or consume milk products with added lactase, which allows for digestion of lactose or milk sugar. Otherwise, there's probably no need for you to stop eating entire classes of food. Instead, try cutting out or reducing your intake of a few gas-producing foods for a week or two. If your symptoms improve, your problem is solved.
Swallow less air
To swallow less air — which makes its way to your intestine — don't suck on hard candy or chew gum, and steer clear of carbonated beverages. Avoid drinking through a straw because this causes you to swallow more air. Of all the reasons you shouldn't smoke, the fact that you swallow air and get gas from smoking is among the least compelling. Still, quitting smoking may be beneficial if you're troubled by gas.
Take OTC gas-reducing medication
Products that contain antacids and simethicone, a foaming agent that pulls gas bubbles together (Mylanta, Di-Gel, others), have no effect on intestinal gas. They may, however, help you belch away excess stomach gas. The jury is still out on anti-gas medications containing activated charcoal (Nature's Way Activated Charcoal, CharcoCaps, others). If they do work, their effects aren't dramatic.
The digestive enzyme lactase (Lactaid and Lactrase) may relieve excess gas caused by dairy products. Another digestive enzyme, alpha-galactosidase (Beano), may reduce the gas caused by beans and other carbohydrates containing the sugar raffinose.
When should you see a doctor because of intestinal gas?
By itself, intestinal gas is rarely a sign or symptom of a serious condition. But you see your doctor if your gas is persistent or severe, or if it's associated with vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, unintentional weight loss, blood in the stool or heartburn. Excessive gas may be a sign of another digestive disorder such as celiac disease, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or irritable bowel syndrome.
Intestinal gas can cause discomfort and embarrassment, but it's usually just a sign of a normally functioning digestive system. If you're bothered by excessive gas, try changing your diet.
Last Updated: 07/05/2007
