What is Intestinal Gas?

Causes of Intestinal Gas

You can rest easy knowing that there are only two significant ingestion causes of air from intestinal gas and bacterial breakdown of substances found in certain types of food. You could have excessive flatulence if you pass gas more often than this regularly.

Swallow Air:

We all swallow a little air during the normal course of the day. This air is usually released through burping. However, it can also reach the large intestine and be released through the rectum in flatulence.

If you swallow more air frequently, you may experience excessive flatulence, which can cause belching.

Reasons you may swallow more air than normal include:

Diet Options:

Your dietary choices can lead to flatulence and excessive intestinal gas. Foods that cause too much intestinal gas include:

These foods can take a long time to digest, causing the unpleasant odor associated with flatulence. Some foods that the body cannot completely absorb, too.

This means that they pass from the intestines to the colon without being fully digested first. The colon has a large number of bacteria, which then break down food, thus releasing intestinal gases.

Bacterial Breakdown:

When certain substances in our food, particularly carbohydrates like simple sugars and starches, aren't fully digested or absorbed, they reach the large intestine, where bacteria break them down.

This process releases carbon dioxide, hydrogen, methane, and nitrogen gas. While some gases may be absorbed into the bloodstream and exhaled, most are expelled through the anus.

The main components of food that can trigger the release of intestinal gas are:

Fructose:

This sugar is found in some fruits and vegetables and many processed foods in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Approximately 15% to 25% of the population is estimated to have difficulty digesting and absorbing fructose, a condition called fructose malabsorption.

However, eating too many fructose-containing foods too close together can result in intestinal gas, even in people who do not have fructose malabsorption.

Lactose:

This sugar is found in milk and other dairy products. Lactose-intolerant people lack sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase and, therefore, cannot digest lactose. When lactose is not digested, it is available for intestinal bacteria to act on, with a subsequent release of gas.

Raffinose:

The large amount of this sugar in beans contributes to their well-earned reputation as gas. Raffinose is also found in vegetables like cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

Sorbitol:

Sorbitol occurs naturally in many fruits and is an artificial ingredient in many sugar-free foods. Sorbitol is classified as a polyol or sugar alcohol. About 8% to 12% of the population cannot absorb sorbitol.

How to diagnose Intestinal Gas?

Your doctor may ask about your diet and symptoms of trapped gas, as diets are a major intestinal gas cause. Recording your food and drink intake can help identify the problema. They may also request information on your intestinal gas frequency.

After reviewing your symptoms and medical history, the doctor may conduct tests to diagnose the cause of your excess intestinal gas:

Treatment for Intestinal Gas

Treating the underlying condition can provide relief if another health issue causes your gas pains. Otherwise, bothersome gas is usually treated with dietary measures, lifestyle modifications, or over-the-counter medications.

Although the answer differs for everyone, most individuals will find some relief with a little trial and error.

Diet:

Diet changes can help reduce the amount of gas your body produces or help gas move more quickly through your system.

Over-the-counter (OTC) Drugs:

The following products can reduce gas symptoms in some people:

Home Remedies for Intestinal Gas

If food contains excessive carbohydrates that are difficult to absorb, consider replacing them. To prevent intestinal gas, choose digestible foods like potatoes, rice, and bananas, to help keep intestinal gas managed. If you experience persistent discomfort, consult a doctor for proper gas pain diagnosis. Here are few home remedies for intestinal gas: