Your Shame-Free Guide to Gassiness

Written by Megan Falk: Experienced health and wellness journalist and editor. Megan is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Magazine Journalism and a minor in Food Studies. She’s also a certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise.
Reviewed by Jennie O’Grady: Senior SciComms Specialist at Seed Health

Starting at a young age, most of us are taught that basic bodily functions are, in a word, icky—and none are more embarrassing than burping and farting. 

It’s time to clear the air. Flatulence and its cousin, burping, are totally normal byproducts of a complex digestion process. Here, we break down the top drivers of gas, the reason behind its sound and smell, and what to do if you’re farting or burping more often than you’d like. 

The Truth Behind Your Toots: What Causes Farts and Burps?

Gasses such as hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide naturally occur in the digestive tract.¹ When they build up, you might experience bloating—that feeling of fullness, tightness, or swelling in the abdomen.²

There are only a few places for these excess gasses to go: They can either be released through your anus (aka flatulence) or your mouth (aka burping). 

Your gut bacteria strongly influence the type and volume of gas you’re lugging around at any given time. These resident microbes release gas in the process of feeding on certain types of complex carbohydrates such as fibers (hence why you may fart more after eating a fiber-rich meal).¹ 

Diet aside, gas and bloating can also be triggered by hormonal changes (during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, for instance) or lifestyle factors. Even something as simple as swallowing air—whether it be from eating too quickly, drinking through a straw, chewing gum, or smoking—can also make you need to cut the cheese.³

Stress, which can both delay stomach emptying and speed up the passage of material through the intestines, can be associated with excess bloat too.⁴

Is It Dangerous to Hold In Farts or Burps?

Let’s be real: Everyone releases gas, a lot. In fact, the average person burps up to 30 times a day and farts anywhere from eight to 14 times daily.^5,6 But what determines how often you let one rip? 

You might fart more frequently than others (or at least, feel like you do) if:

• Your diet is rich in fiber: Since gas is mainly produced when gut bacteria ferment undigested carbohydrates in the colon, you may fart more often if you’re fueling up with foods rich in fermentable fibers and sugars (more on those in a sec).¹ This side effect is even more likely if you bump up your fiber intake quickly.
• You digest slowly: If your transit time—how long it takes for the foods and drinks you consume to travel through your digestive highway—is slow, it leaves more time for bacterial fermentation. This could result in increased gas in the lower GI tract.
• Your microbiome favors certain bacteria: The composition of your gut microbiome, particularly the types and balance of its bacteria, can influence how much gas you produce—and therefore how often you may fart.⁷

On the flip side, you might be a big burper if:

• You chow down quickly, chew gum, guzzle bubbly beverages, or talk while eating: All of these actions can cause you to swallow excess air. This can accumulate in the stomach and then get released as burps before it’s able to travel further through the GI tract to the intestines.
• You don’t eat as much fiber: A diet low in fermentable carbohydrates means less bacterial gas production in the lower GI tract, which may also lead to fewer farts.

What Foods Cause Farting?

Everyone’s digestive system is unique, so what makes you gassy may not affect your friend, sibling, or romantic partner. Still, there are a few foods that tend to be more likely to lead to farts in most people. 

• Beans and legumes: Most beans contain raffinose, a complex sugar the body can’t digest and is known to cause gas.⁸ Beans also tend to be high in fiber, a common fart instigator.⁷ 
• Cruciferous veggies: Like beans, cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts) contain large quantities of raffinose and fiber, potentially triggering a case of toots and bloating. Both of these food groups are nutrient-dense, however, so this isn’t necessarily a reason to eliminate them from your diet.
• Dairy products: Milk, cheese, and ice cream contain lactose, a natural sugar found in dairy. Those with lactose intolerance, which is common in individuals of African American, South American, and Asian descent, can experience gassiness and stomach upset after eating them.^7,9
• High-FODMAP foods: FODMAPs—fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols—are a group of carbohydrates that cannot be easily absorbed by the small intestine.¹⁰ People who are sensitive to FODMAPs may experience bloating, gas, and abdominal pain after eating foods rich in those specific carbohydrates.^10,11 Onions (containing the FODMAP fructan) are one example of a high-FODMAP ingredient—learn about the others here.
• Sugar alcohols: Sweeteners like sorbitol, erythritol, and mannitol (sometimes found in diet sodas, candies, and baked goods) make their way through the GI tract mostly undigested until they reach the large intestine. There, resident bacteria break them down, leading to—you guessed it—gas.⁷

Foods that are more likely to cause gassiness include beans, certain cruciferous vegetables, sugar alcohols, and dairy products in those who are lactose intolerant. 

Asking for a Friend: Why Do Some Farts Smell So Bad?

You can tell your “friend” that it all comes down to the breakdown of gasses in a fart. 

Hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide are the most common and they can account for roughly 74% of your toot’s volume.^1,12 

Around another quarter comes from other odorless gasses like oxygen and nitrogen.¹³ (Fun fact: Methane and hydrogen are flammable, so your farts can literally ignite if they contain high enough amounts of these compounds.)

The remaining, seemingly insignificant 1%? That consists of the trace substances that can give your toots an eye-watering smell. Hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and dimethyl sulfide seem to be among the most pungent offenders.^13,14 These compounds are produced when gut microbiota ferment sulfur-containing amino acids and use the sulfate and sulfite compounds in food as a source of energy.¹³ These are commonly found in animal protein sources (yes, protein farts are real!), cruciferous vegetables, and some legumes.^15,16 

Your farts’ signature scents could also be a result of variations in your gut microbiota composition. Certain gastrointestinal conditions can also affect GI function and ultimately affect your gas’ smell.^17,18

Why Are Some Farts Louder Than Others?

Much like the smell factor, sounds vary from fart to fart. This largely comes down to physics: When gas passes through a tighter anal sphincter—a group of muscles around the anus—it may create a higher-pitched sound. A more relaxed sphincter may lead to a lower-pitched tune. (Think of it like air vibrating through a trumpet.) 

The faster you expel the fart, the louder the sound, thanks to increased vibration of the anal tissues. Larger volumes of gas can also cause more pronounced vibrations, potentially resulting in a louder noise. Finally, your farts tend to be bigger (and, most likely, louder) when you first wake up in the morning, suggesting that gas builds up in the large intestine throughout the night.¹³

When all of these boisterous elements combine, there’s no way to blame it on the dog.

Is It Bad to Hold in Farts or Burps?

No, there’s little scientific evidence to suggest that holding in farts or burps during inconvenient moments is harmful. At most, pressure could build within your digestive system and potentially cause discomfort, pain, or bloating. Chances are, the gas will eventually come out as a burp or fart later.¹⁹

How to Ease Up on the Gas Pedal

If you’re farting or burping more than you’d prefer, it’s not necessarily an issue or anything to be concerned about. That said, there are some strategies you can use to ease up on the gas pedal if you so choose:

1. Start with your diet. 

Monitor your intake of foods known to cause gas and bloating (including FODMAPs), steer clear of dairy if you tend to have trouble with lactose, watch sodium consumption (which may ease bloating), and eat slowly, taking the time to chew food thoroughly to reduce the amount of air you’re gulping down.^11,20,21 Make sure to gradually build up your fiber consumption to give your digestive system some time to adjust. 

Some foods and beverages may help minimize gassiness, too. Chamomile tea, for instance, has been shown to help with stomach spasms, flatulence, and stomach aches, while ginger may prevent flatulence and bloating.^22,23 

2. Take a probiotic.

As we’ve covered, your gut bacteria help shape the composition of gases within your GI system.²⁴ To support a well-balanced, diverse gut microbiome, consider taking a probiotic like DS-01^® Daily Synbiotic—which is formulated to help ease sluggishness and leave you feeling less weighed down in as little as two weeks.*²⁵ 

The ingredients in Seed’s two-in-one probiotic and prebiotic have been clinically shown to ease abdominal bloating quickly.* There are over 20 clinical and mechanistic studies underpinning DS-01^®’s strain-specific benefits, so you can trust that it’s working for you and your microbes. 

EXPLORE FURTHER: So, You Just Started DS-01®. Now What?

3. Go for a “fart walk.”

Consider this your cue to cap off your meals with a stroll down a loud street and fart with reckless abandon. One study found that those who walked for 10 to 15 minutes after meals experienced significant improvements in GI symptoms like belching, flatulence, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.²⁶ 

Other forms of regular exercise can help, too. Some small studies suggest that using a stationary bike enhances the gut transit of gas and improves intestinal gas clearance, plus reduces symptoms of bloating.^27,28

4. Stay upright (especially after eating). 

Your posture can affect how gassy you feel. Gas retention is worse when you’re supine, or lying on your back, compared to when you’re sitting or standing upright.²⁹ Try to minimize the amount of time you spend horizontal throughout the day to potentially curb gas and bloating. 

5. Know when flatulence is a red flag.

Everyone’s flatulence baseline is different, and farting more frequently than your  “usual” every once in a while is generally no cause for concern. This uptick could be related to diet, a period of swallowing more air, and other temporary lifestyle changes. 

That said, if your flatulence becomes more frequent or severe—without any major diet or lifestyle changes—there could be an underlying food intolerance or health condition at play. In that case, chat with your healthcare provider about your symptoms. You’ll also want to speak with a professional if your excessive gas is paired with pain, unexplained weight loss, blood in stool, or diarrhea.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Why are my farts wet? Sometimes, gas isn’t the only thing that shoots out of your rear during a fart. If a toot feels, erm, wet, you may have released some watery stool, too. This might happen after childbirth, if you’re taking certain medications, or if you’re experiencing digestive issues. When you’re dealing with the runs, that soft stool is more likely to accidentally leak out with your gas. Backed up? Hard stool can cause the rectal muscles to stretch and weaken, which can allow the watery stools that are built up behind it to escape. An occasional damp fart usually isn’t a cause for concern, but if it occurs frequently or over prolonged periods, you may want to chat with your healthcare provider.³⁰ 
• Why do my farts smell? Foods that are high in sulfur—such as animal proteins, cruciferous vegetables, and some legumes—can cause farts to smell worse than usual. 
• Why do my farts burn? Spicy foods are the main culprit here. Capsaicin, the chemical that gives peppers and other foods their signature heat, irritates the digestive tract and can cause a burning sensation when farting or pooping.³¹ (Remember, what goes in must come out!) Your farts may also burn if your anal tissue is irritated, such as after a bout of diarrhea. Again, a burning fart typically isn’t something to worry about, but speak with your healthcare provider if you regularly experience pain while farting or pooping.

The Key Insight

Whether you realize it or not, everyone around you is farting about a dozen (or more) times each day, thanks to natural digestive processes. The sounds and smells may vary, depending on the person, their diet and health, and lifestyle factors. 

All this to say: To have gas is to be human, and there’s no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed about it. Instead, try to take each toot as a reminder of your twisty, turny, downright tantalizing gastrointestinal system.