Let’s Talk About It: Smelly Farts!

Let’s Talk About It: Smelly Farts!

In my series ‘Let’s Talk About It’ I’m delving into areas of health which my clients are often embarrassed or shy to discuss but have been suffering with symptoms of for years. In this article I’ll be discussing the common causes of smelly gas and what you can do about it.

Why Do You Fart?

Gas is made up of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and occasionally methane. Your body can’t digest and absorb everything you eat so it makes its way into the large intestine. Once it reaches there, the gut bacteria start to break it down and produces gas.

Gas, both flatulent (farts) and burping is a normal way for the body to expel air that you’ve taken in during eating or drinking. You also create gas in the process of breaking down food – some more than others (looking at you, beans).

While some gas is normal, farting often or gas which has a strong smell can come from imbalances within the digestive system and can be embarrassing in social settings.

What Causes Smelly Farts

Gas is typically without smell most of the time in a healthy digestive tract.  A strong- or foul-smelling gas is often reflective of an imbalance of bacteria in the large intestine. I often see dysbiosis and bacterial overgrowth in stool testing with clients who have smelly gas, loose stools, constipation, and low energy.

Lactose intolerance is one of the biggest drivers that I see when it comes to smelly gas in my clinical work. The reason often being down to the individual not having the enzyme, lactase, to breakdown the sugar, lactose in their bodies naturally.

When someone with a lactose intolerance eats food containing lactose, their body has to find another way to break down the sugar during which strong smelling unpleasant gases are produced.

Once in a while this isn’t usually too problematic however when this has been happening repeatedly over time, the bacterial balance can be affected, resulting in dysbiosis.

Dysbiosis in turn can then contribute to conditions and symptoms such as allergies, inflammation, lowered immunity, low energy and bloating.

Health Conditions and Smelly Gas

There are some health conditions which can increase the chances of strong-smelling gas.

·      Lactose Intolerance

·      Coeliac Disease

·      Chron’s Disease

·      Peptic Ulcers

·      Gastroenteritis - inflammation of the stomach

·      Diverticulitis - small pouches that form in the large intestine lining and become inflamed

·      SIBO - this is when there is bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine which produces gas

What Smelly Farts Can Tell Us About Your Body

Your amazing body is made up of lots of little systems and together they all add up to you. What happens in one area of the body impacts others. As I’m always saying, nothing happens in isolation with the body. For example, when you’re stressed your digestive system is impaired and your immune system is lowered.

With that in mind, whenever I am working with a new client who has been experiencing chronic symptoms, I start to investigate the other areas which have a relationship with that original area of the body.

·      Low Stomach Acid – stomach acid is an important part of breaking down your food as it enters your stomach. I often see low stomach acid with both constipation and diarrhoea

·      Stress - when we spend time in sympathetic mode otherwise known as ‘fight or flight’ the digestive system takes a back seat. Your body even diverts blood flow away from the gut.

·      Slow Transit Time

·      Dysbiosis – similar to SIBO, an imbalance of bacteria in the large intestine can contribute to smelly gas

How To Get Rid Of Gas Naturally

·      Apple Cider Vinegar - drink two tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar (that contains the mother) with 250ml of water before your main meals  

·      Fennel Tea

·      Chewing Your Food Properly

·      Reducing Water Intake Around Meals

·      Digestive Enzymes

·      Probiotics – a broad spectrum probiotic supplement can be helpful with supporting your overall gut microbiome https://amzn.to/3iwp0RS

·      Probiotic Foods – support your gut bacteria with probiotic foods like olives, kimchi, sauerkraut

·      Avoid Carbonated Drinks – especially at meal times

Final Thoughts

Smelly farts are very common – you’re not alone! There are many possible reasons behind smelly gas and you can positive influence your body with dietary and lifestyle changes.

 Learn what your unique drivers are along with trying some of the suggestions above to support a healthy digestive system.  

 *if you are taking medication or have a medical condition check with your GP before starting any new supplements)