The removal of the good bacteria causes an imbalance in the digestive tract. The imbalance can cause a person to produce bad smelling gas. This excess gas can also lead to uncomfortable bloating and constipation. Constipation occurs when stool builds up in the colon or large intestine and cannot exit. This may be due to taking certain medications, poor diet, or other biological causes. The buildup of stool in the colon often causes a buildup of smelly gases to occur alongside.
This extra gas may cause bloating and discomfort. When finally released, the gas is often smelly. The digestive tract is responsible for breaking down foods into usable nutrients, which are absorbed into the blood.
It also produces waste, which is passed through the colon. The digestive tract relies on several different components to do this, including its resident good bacteria. At times, the levels of bacteria in the digestive tract may become imbalanced, potentially leading to an infection. The infection will often cause:. When a person experiences any of these symptoms, they should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Though not as common, a person may experience excessive smelly gas due to the presence of cancer of the colon.
Cancerous polyps or tumors can form blockages that cause gas to build up in the intestine. One early warning sign is when changes in diet or medication do not stop foul-smelling gas from occurring. After 50 years of age , a person at average risk for colon cancer should be tested to check for colon cancer. In many cases, a person can try to treat flatulence at home.
Often, changes in diet can be enough to reduce or get rid of smelly gas. These changes may require eating less of or avoiding several foods.
The foods that need to be reduced or avoided will vary from person to person. In other cases, an individual may find that medication has caused smelly flatulence. For over-the-counter medications, a person will likely find relief by stopping the product.
Flatulence , which is sometimes called passing wind, passing gas, or farting , is a biological process that helps to release gas from digestion. Though in some cases they are silent and odorless, farts can become uncomfortable when they are loud and foul smelling. Smelly gas is not uncommon and is often considered normal. Some foods or medications can cause excessively smelly farts.
There are, however, some instances where smelly farts can be an indicator of an underlying infection, digestive issues , or a disorder. There are a number of reasons why your farts smell bad.
In most cases, foul-smelling flatulence is associated with the foods you eat and an unbalanced diet. However, there can be more serious causes of rotten-smelling gas. Many high-fiber foods can make you pass more gas. It takes longer for these foods to break down in your digestive system , so they ferment over time. High-fiber foods also sometimes smell, which means your farts may smell too. This is especially true with strong-smelling vegetables such as:.
Your gas may smell like rotten eggs because of the sulfur in fiber-rich foods. Sulfur is a natural compound that smells like spoiled eggs. Many vegetables are sulfur-based. If you have a sensitivity or reaction to certain foods, your gas could have a foul odor.
As a result, it is fermented by bacteria in your gut. Gluten intolerance , or in its more severe form as Celiac disease , can also cause smelly farts. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where there is an immune response to the protein gluten. This leads to inflammation and injury in the intestine, leading to malabsorption.
Flatulence can be a result of this. Lactose, a natural sugar found in dairy products, is famously difficult for many adults to digest. Since different dairy products contain different amounts of lactose milk contains more than hard cheese, for example , people may notice worse symptoms after eating different types of dairy, says the NIH.
However, abdominal pain , bloating , nausea , and lots of smelly farts 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating dairy indicate lactose intolerance. Gluten , the always-controversial protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye, can also contribute to problematic flatulence.
In both cases, consuming gluten can also contribute to a slew of digestive issues, as well as headaches , fatigue, and mood issues, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation.
However, while genetic celiac disease can be identified through blood testing, identifying a gluten sensitivity or intolerance typically just involves observing changes in symptoms after removing gluten from the diet which should be done under the supervision of a dietitian or doctor.
People with low bacterial diversity in their gut which can be caused by frequent, excessive antibiotic use or a diet low in fiber and high in animal products often face this issue, Dr.
Ravella says. Another common culprit, though, is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, also known as SIBO , she says. SIBO occurs when excess bacteria builds up in the small intestine, which can affect nutrient absorption and cause all sorts of digestive symptoms including an uptick in flatulence.
Irritable bowel syndrome , a condition in which dysfunction in the large intestine causes digestive issues like bloating and abdominal pain, and bouts of diarrhea and constipation, is yet another common culprit behind particularly smelly farts, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Though frequent gas alone is not enough to diagnose IBS, changes in gas odor and production are common factors, says Dr. The human GI tract lacks an important enzyme needed to break down and digest these sugars. One study found that soaking dried beans in water helps remove RFOs without compromising the nutritional value of the beans. Taking an enzyme-based digestive aid like Beano, for example can also help ease symptoms.
Beware of sugar alcohols, like sorbitol and xylitol, which can be found in diet drinks, sugar-free candy, and some chewing gum. These sweeteners cannot be fully absorbed by the body, so they travel to the colon where they can contribute to awful-smelling gas.
Keeping a food diary can help you determine if sugar alcohols are causing your stinky farts. Raymond recalls a female patient who had bad gas but only on weekdays. It turned out that a big bowl of sugar-free candies at her office was the culprit: The woman would grab some every morning, "and by late afternoon, in a business meeting, she would be passing lots of gas," Dr. Raymond remembers.
Certain prescription drugs, vitamins, and supplements can do a number on your gut, including turning your farts foul.
The reasons they cause flatulence differ by drug, and how much they'll make you gas and how badly that gas stinks varies from one person to the next, explains doctor of pharmacy Oralia Bazaldua, professor of family and community medicine at UT Health San Antonio.
People taking the weight loss medication orlistat commonly experience gas with oily discharge. Iron supplements are also known to cause gas and bloating. Supplements containing fiber can produce gas as a byproduct, and the diabetes drug metformin can also make you gassy. Diabetes drugs called alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, which slow carbohydrate absorption, can give you gas too.
But don't use Beano with drugs in this class, Bazaldua says, because it can affect how well the medicine works. To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter.
Smelly gas alone is usually nothing to worry about, Dr. Gandolfo says.
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