What are the causes of gas and what do they tell us?

Gases are not a particularly pleasant topic, but they are a fact of life and everyone has them. But if you have them more often than usual, the body is telling you something. Some of the causes of frequent occurrence of gas are: consumption of certain foods and antibiotics, menopause or hormonal imbalance, constipation.

Why are gases produced?

"Bacteria ferment the food we eat," says Rebecca Gross, a gastroenterologist from New York and explains: "This happens in the large intestine, but some bacteria find their way to the small intestine and their growth occurs. In this case, the bacteria have access to food that has not yet been digested, so food and bacteria ferment together, and this causes gas. They are also caused by a bacterial imbalance in the intestines, especially after an illness. In most people who have had the stomach flu or infection, the composition of the intestinal flora changes, which causes gas to appear more often for a while ."

Foods and drugs that promote them

If you have a bacterial imbalance, Dr. Gross advises eating less fruits such as avocados, plums, cherries, legumes, onions and garlic. "Since such foods cause flatulence and gas, avoiding these foods will make it easier to control your digestive tract," advises the doctor. Antibiotics change the intestinal flora, so it is expected that you will have more frequent gas after the end of the course of antibiotics.

Swallowing air while eating

If you eat quickly or even chew gum a lot, you probably swallow a lot of air. "When you take in a lot of air, then you produce a lot of it. It's like blowing up a balloon. In any case, the gas has to get out of the body somehow, and one of the ways is burping," says Gross.

One of the causes is lactose intolerance, even if you used to tolerate milk and milk products very well with age, this can change. Do a test by paying attention to your digestive system after you eat cheese or another dairy product or eliminate dairy products for a few days and see how you feel.

Gluten sensitivity

If the body has problems digesting certain foods, it will warn you with more frequent gas. "Some of the more common problems with the intestines are intolerance to gluten or celiac disease, but only a doctor can determine this, so if you have doubts, go for an examination," explains Dr. Gross.

Women who are going through menopause or hormonal imbalance may have gas more often. "It's not yet known whether estrogen or progestogen is responsible for gas, but many women who are going through the transition notice that their digestion is slower than when they were younger. Regardless of the cause of gas, exercise and taking probiotics will help," she explains. Ph.D. Gros.

Constipation causes more frequent gases with an extremely unpleasant smell

Constipation, especially long-lasting, causes frequent gas, with a particularly unpleasant smell. Dr. Gross explains that this happens because the stool contains a lot of bacteria, the number of which increases the longer the stool is in the digestive system. If you are constipated, drink a lot of water, exercise and eat as much fiber as possible.