Why Do I Have So Much Gas? 9 Reasons You Can’t Stop Farting and Burping

Real talk: Everybody farts, including supermodels, politicians, actors—everybody. While it can be embarrassing and awkward to let one rip in front of a crowd, that doesn’t mean it’s not perfectly normal (same goes for burping).

Still, if you’re suddenly letting flatulence fly like it’s your job, you might take a beat to wonder, Why do I have so much gas? Also, if you’re farting that much, you might be a little uncomfortable, too, whether you’re also dealing with bloating or just feeling anxious about the idea of accidentally clearing a room in public.

Again, farting is a fact of life, but it’s not typical to desperately hold back your gas to the point of constant discomfort. Not sure if you should be concerned? Here are the most common excessive gas causes, and how to get some relief already.

Gas forms in your digestive tract for two reasons: from the air that you swallow and from the breakdown of undigested food by the trillions of bacteria that live in your large intestine, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. “We all have bacteria in our gut, which produces gas—and it has to go somewhere,” Sophie Balzora, MD, gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, tells SELF.

Whether you fart or burp, gas comes out of your body in one form or another. In fact, we all pass gas an average of up to 20 times each day, according to the Mayo Clinic. In most cases, the gas you expel from your body is odorless, a mix of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sometimes methane. Sometimes, however, the bacteria we mentioned release gases that include sulfur, which is the culprit behind the unpleasant odor associated with passing gas, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Occasional gas is perfectly healthy. Excessive gas, however, can cause discomfort to the point of bloating and abdominal pain, and it can actually be a symptom of a more serious condition.

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There’s a pretty wide range of excessive gas causes, and some are more easily remedied than others. Here are the most common ones to be aware of:

Usually, the food you’re eating can be to blame for any excessive gas you’re dealing with. A food that causes gas in one person may not in another, but there are some common culprits. “The classic food groups are high-fiber foods such as whole wheat and grains, fresh fruits and cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, etc.),” Felice Schnoll-Sussman MD, gastroenterologist and director of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, tells SELF.

Fiber is usually recommended to combat constipation, but it can lead to excessive gas if it’s eaten in excess. This is because fiber isn’t fully digested by the small intestine, and the bacteria required to ferment or break down fiber-rich foods in the large intestine produce gas as a by-product, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.

So, as with all good things, moderation is key. “Fiber must be slowly incorporated into the diet,” Dr. Schnoll-Sussman explains. “If you binge on kale for its obvious nutritional value, you will most likely feel it with gas and bloating.”

Another tip? Make sure you’re drinking enough water, as fiber promotes healthy bowel movements best when there’s an adequate amount of water in your body.

“Many people as they get older have difficulty digesting milk products,” Dr. Schnoll-Sussman says. So even if you’re not full-on intolerant, your body’s level of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose) may be lower than it used to be, making dairy a problem food. “Someone who is very lactose intolerant may experience bloating, cramps, and flatulence as soon as they ingest milk or other dairy products.” But your level of gassiness will vary depending on how sensitive you are.

For some people, certain carbs (sugars and starches) can cause excessive gas, Dr. Balzora adds. If it seems that you’re sensitive to carbs but you can’t figure out which ones, your doctor may suggest following a low-FODMAP diet. The acronym stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols—which, more simply put, are specific types of sugars that may be difficult to digest and then left in the digestive tract for bacteria to feed on. “If having gas is interfering with your daily life, I’ll prescribe this for six to eight weeks, and then reintroduce foods back into the diet slowly,” Dr. Balzora says.

The best way to combat gas related to a food sensitivity is to pay attention to your body—with the guidance of a medical professional or registered dietitian if possible. They will probably ask you to start keeping a food diary to help find patterns between what you’re eating and what you’re feeling. This way, you can take note of what foods might be causing issues for you so you can decide whether you want to eat them only once in a while or avoid them altogether.

Sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, maltitol, and more, can’t be fully broken down by your digestive tract,¹ Ashkan Farhadi, MD, a gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, tells SELF. As a result, they move through your stomach and into your colon, where they can end up as food for bacteria that live in your gut. When bacteria feed on artificial sweeteners, they produce gas as a byproduct—and then you end up farting or burping it out.

So, if you’ve noticed an uptick in your gas production right around the same time as you started drinking more diet sodas or eating sugar-free products, the sugar alcohols could be to blame, Dr. Farhadi says.

One commonly overlooked cause of gas is actually ingesting air, which causes it to accumulate in the esophagus, according to the Mayo Clinic. It happens when you do anything that causes you to swallow an excessive amount of air.

It can also be caused by chewing gum, sucking on candies all day, or breathing through your mouth instead of your nose while you sleep. If you have gas in the morning or wake up feeling completely full, it might be because of the way you’re breathing as you sleep. It also turns out that swallowing air can be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is a condition in which stomach acid travels up the esophagus (instead of staying where it belongs), but we’ll get into that a bit later.

Sodas, seltzers, sparkling waters, and other carbonated beverages are literally packed with tiny bubbles of air that head right to your stomach. You usually burp those bubbles back up, Dr. Farhadi says, but sometimes they can make their way to your intestines, where they end up coming out as farts.

Large, fatty meals take a long time to digest and, therefore, hang out longer in your gut and build up more gas than smaller, less fatty meals. That lengthy digestion can lead to the classic post-burger-and-fries feeling of bloat and gassiness, per the MD Anderson Cancer Center. On top of that, eating quickly increases the chance that you’ll inhale some air along the way, adding even more gassiness.

That doesn’t mean you can’t eat large meals (please, by all means, enjoy your burger!), but it does mean that you might just have to accept some (totally normal) discomfort along the way. If you’d rather skip that feeling, you can stick with more frequent smaller meals rather than less frequent larger meals. And no matter what you’re eating, you can do your best to eat mindfully, paying attention to every bite and how it affects your body without rushing.

After eating a deliciously satisfying meal it’s tempting to just sit back and relax. Or, more likely, you’re eating your lunch at your desk and just staying there is the easiest thing to do.

But getting regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your digestive tract. We’re not saying you need to do burpees after every meal (that would be ill-advised), but if you’re dealing with gas right this second, you can try going for a quick walk or doing some stretches designed to move digestion along and ease your gassiness. Experts aren’t totally sure why it can help, but it works wonders for some people.

Some people tend to swallow air when they’re feeling anxious. This is called aerophagia and it can make you more gassy than usual. Many people with aerophagia don’t even realize they’re dealing with this. “The amount of air you swallow can be minimal unless you have high amounts of anxiety,” Dr. Farhadi says. Usually, you’ll just burp that air back up “but sometimes it goes down.” In that case, it’s going to eventually come out your back end. (Other symptoms of aerophagia include bloating, burping, having a gurgling stomach, or stomach pain or discomfort.²)

What’s more, general gastrointestinal distress is a physical symptom of anxiety, so you may notice more stomach pain or bowel movement changes too. This comes down to something called the gut-brain axis, which refers to how your brain communicates with the system in charge of your digestion.³ The link helps explain why stress and anxiety tend to cause so many stomach woes. Plus, when you’re feeling anxious, you may have a harder time exercising or you may eat more foods that tend to make you gassy, per the American Psychological Association.

Excessive gas can be a symptom of many gastrointestinal disorders. If it’s isolated, it’s most likely your diet or excessive air-swallowing. But if you’re experiencing other symptoms like stomach pain, heartburn, unexplained changes in your weight, or frequent bouts of diarrhea, that could mean your gas is a sign of an underlying issue.

For instance, GERD, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and even intestinal blockages can all be causes of excessive gas. Additionally, your excessive gas coupled with other ailments like abdominal pain could be a symptom of gastritis or peptic ulcer disease, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. So if your gas doesn’t resolve itself (one way or another) or if it’s paired with any other concerning symptoms, it’s important to talk to a doctor if you can.

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It can be tricky to know for sure if your gas production is excessive. “It’s really based on the individual,” Dr. Farhadi says. But if you feel like you’re on the wrong side of typical, you probably want to do something about it.

When it comes to gas treatment, there are a few hacks you can try at home:

• Consider a low-FODMAP diet: This is a biggie, Arashdeep Litt, MD, a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine at Spectrum Health, tells SELF. There are a lot of foods that fall into the high-FODMAP category, including wheat, garlic, milk, apples, cherries, and cauliflower—and they all can give you the toots if you’re susceptible. To learn more about whether this type of diet might be a fit for you and how to try it safely, check out our full guide on the low-FODMAP diet (including why it should be done with the help of a doctor or registered dietitian when possible).
• Minimize your fizzy drink intake: You might be able to lower the amount of air you’re swallowing by reaching for non-carbonated beverages, Dr. Farhadi says.
• Avoid sugar alcohols if you can: Again, this includes ingredients such as sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, and maltitol, among others. You’ll commonly find sugar alcohols in diet sodas, sugar-free gum, protein bars or powders, and some low-calorie packaged desserts.
• Look into OTC anti-gas medication: Yep, there’s actually anti-flatulence medication out there, and it’s stuff you’ve heard of before. Dr. Litt suggests trying simethicone (Alka-Seltzer, Gax-X) or bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol). These meds help break down the excess gas bubbles hanging out in your G.I. tract, so they can be more easily passed.

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Excessive gas treatment ultimately comes down to trying to figure out what’s actually behind all that burping and farting. In the case of a potential food sensitivity or allergy, an underlying gastrointestinal condition, or anxiety, it’s often helpful to get a doctor’s input to help you get to the root of your issue, Dr. Farhadi says.

If you feel like your gas is excessive, you’ve noticed an overall change in your digestive habits, your flatulence comes with other symptoms (abdominal pain, for instance), or you’re anxious about whether or not something is normal, it’s always worth checking in with a doctor who can help put your mind—and your gut—at ease. Ditto if it feels like excess gas is interfering with your life, like you’re nervous to be in a car or room with someone else over fears that you’ll accidentally let one fly, Dr. Farhadi says.

Finally, know that gassiness is a normal part of life. It’s a good time to remind you that passing gas (even smelly gas) is healthy, so if your belches and farts aren’t excessive, this might not be something you need to worry about. It’s normal to expel about one to four pints of gas per day! So try to think of any lingering awkwardness as a sign that your digestive processes are humming along. “It’s important to understand that farting is normal,” Dr. Balzora reiterates. “But it shouldn’t be ignored if you’re having other symptoms.”

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Sources:

1. International Journal of Dentistry, Gastrointestinal Disturbances Associated With the Consumption of Sugar Alcohols with Special Consideration of Xylitol
2. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Symptoms of Aerophagia Are Common in Patients on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy and Are Related to the Presence of Nighttime Gastroesophageal Reflux
3. Frontiers in Psychiatry, Gut-Brain Axis and Mood Disorder

Related:

• Can Stress Cause Diarrhea and Constipation?
• What It Could Mean If You Have Stomach Cramps After Eating
• How to Know If Your Abdominal Pain Is Physical or Mental