Passing Gas...

Have you ever been standing in a room full of people and all of a sudden, you smelled a foul odor? And then you hear someone whisper, “it smells like somebody just passed gas.” It was probably you who passed the gas, right?

Gas (flatulence). This is a subject many of us avoid. Matter of fact, we avoid discussing any bodily function that has to do with bowels or the digestive system. However, passing gas is a normal bodily function that many of us do and do not connect the health aspects of why we do it.

In general, gas is produced by the bacterial fermentation of undigested foods or carbohydrates that are not completely absorbed by the body (Schlenker, & Roth, 2011). In general, we lack what is necessary to digest certain elements of foods in beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and other foods, therefore, gas is produced.

My grandmother used to say (after letting out a big one), “if it doesn’t come out of your behind, it will come out of your mouth.” Meaning that those who don’t pass a lot of gas, may burp (belching), or often have smelly breath. I don’t know if there is much truth to the smelly breath thing (though for some reason, I do think there is a little truth to it), and I won’t discuss any gastrointestinal issues I have, but gas is normal. Most people pass gas (through burp or the rectum) about 14 times a day (National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), 2011). This is completely normal.
Some even suggest that the more you pass gas, the better!

There are different types of gases humans produce (CO2, H2), however, hydrogen sulfide gas has the worse odor. It usually comes from eating vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli; or anything high in sulfur (Schlenker, & Roth, 2011). Gas can also be produced based on medication taken, but if gas is extremely excessive, it can be a symptom of an underlying issue.

Now, I won’t be the one to tell you things you can do to decrease passing gas, because a lot of the healthier foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, etc.) produce gas. There are however products available that are natural and can help with the occurrence of passing gas (naturally) by helping your body digest what it needs to digest. Beano is one such source for this. Though I have never tried it, it makes the claim of containing a natural enzyme to help prevent gas from coming out (www.beanogas.com).  Another remedy might be an antacid that will cause gas to be belched instead of coming out of the rectum.

I know this wasn’t a fun topic, but I hope it was informative. Until next time…

-Jenelle N. Robinson

Schlenker, E., Roth, S.L. (2011). Williams’ Essentials of Nutrition and Diet Therapy, 10^th Edition. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.

Gas in the Digestive Tract. Retrieved August 15, 2011 from http://www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gas/index.aspx.