As unpleasant as it is to talk about it, we must admit the truth: gas is a problem that everyone suffers from from occasionally, and usually often. LiveScience decided to ask experts—Dr. Ali Rezai and Dr. Eric Goldstein, gastroenterologists at Cedars-Sinai and Mount Sinai hospitals (respectively) in Los Angeles—what causes more and less smelly swelling. We used ChatGPT to summarize the stinky secrets they uncovered.
The main source of the least (or vapors, or flops, or whatever you want to call them) is carbohydrates, especially those that are insoluble, and navigate their way from the pharynx to the duodenum without breaking down. Rezaei compares these sugars to high-octane fuel for the bacteria that reside in the colon: these bacteria delight in these carbohydrates, releasing gas, which when it accumulates in our bodies we also release.
However, not all gases produced by stomach bacteria produce equally smelly bloating. In fact, the average person's body produces 500-1,500 ml of gas every day, and only a few percent of them have a smell that is felt in the human nose. According to Goldstein, prone gases include hydrogen sulfide, notorious for its rotten egg scent, as well as indoles and scatoles, which are not known for their pleasant aromas.
It is important to note that turning food into gas is not a simple, uniform process within our intestines. For example, sulfur-rich foods, such as legumes (lentils, beans and peas) and vegetables from the cauliflower family, often contain insoluble carbohydrates that bacteria in the colon can turn into a foul-smelling gas. However, not everyone who eats these foods will necessarily develop smelly gases. The complex interplay of different bacteria in the gut, some of which balance the production of smelly gases, makes this process very unpredictable, especially since each person has quite different gut bacteria.
Beyond the personal diet, gut microbiomes and sensitivities can lead to unique experiences with gas. Gut motility, changes in bacterial composition, and the time it takes for food to pass through the digestive tract play roles in determining the smell of excreted gases. Moreover, bloating may also contain gases from air ingested by the person and gases scattered in the bloodstream.
Disorders and sensitivities, such as lactose intolerance, can change the way bacteria produce gases. In such cases, the carbohydrate lactose reaches the bacteria that reside in the large intestine, which can cause a significant bout of gas. For those who suffer from extreme cases of gas, diets of temporary and complete avoidance of certain foods may provide relief.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us