Flatulence may be the brunt of many jokes, but it’s also a completely normal, even medically necessary bodily function. Your digestive system — your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon — is made up of one long, balloon-like tube. “Like a real balloon, too much gas in your digestive system can cause it to pop, which is life-threatening,” says Dr. Andrew Boxer, a gastroenterologist in Clifton, New Jersey.
If too much gas builds up inside your gastrointestinal tract, your body finds a way to release it. You burp when there’s gas in your stomach, and you fart when you have gas in your small intestines and colon. On average, adults produce up to three pints of gas daily, which passes through the anus each day anywhere from 14 to 23 times (yes, that means 23 farts).
While passing gas is an important bodily function, certain signs can indicate mild to potentially severe health problems.
We spoke to the experts about common fart patterns, what they could mean and when it’s time to check in with a doctor.
Stinky farts
Flatulence stinks for a reason. When you digest food, your gut bacteria help break down your food, creating gas in the process. Depending on what you eat, this gas can range from slightly smelly to straight-up offensive.
The occasional very stinky fart usually isn’t a concern. Commonly, stinky farts occur after you eat a type of carbohydrates called FODMAPs, which your gut bacteria ferment and turn into a stinkier gas. Common examples include asparagus, artichokes, garlic and onions.
Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, as well as eggs, contain chemicals that release sulfur. That’s why you might also notice a particular stench after eating these types of foods.
Sometimes, more intense fart odors can occur if your pancreas isn’t properly absorbing fat in your diet. If this is the case, you might also notice floating, greasy fat in your poop. “When people have malodorous gas or stools that aren’t due to diet changes, that could relate to pancreatic insufficiency,” says gastroenterologist Dr. Sarah Robbins, based in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Inflammation of the pancreas, also called pancreatitis, could be one cause. Sometimes gallbladder problems can also cause fat-absorbing problems.
More frequent farts
Excess farting usually happens due to changes in gut motility, or how quickly your gut digests food. The longer your food stays inside your digestive tract, the more your gut bacteria can ferment it, potentially causing an increase in flatulence.
Increased gut motility, which means your digestive tract is breaking down food faster than usual, can also cause you to poop or toot more. This often happens when your body can’t properly process carbohydrates. Lactose intolerance and celiac disease (the inability to process wheat gluten) are other common causes.
A condition called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, can also cause increased gas and bloating. “With SIBO, you have too much bacteria in your intestinal tract, so you experience more gas when you eat any food,” says Boxer.
Loud farts
It’s not only your digestion that causes you to fart. You can also accumulate excess gas by swallowing air when you talk, eat or drink too quickly, drink carbonated beverages or chew gum. When this happens, your body expels the gas with more velocity, so your flatulence will be louder (but probably less smelly).
Louder farts can sometimes signal excessive gas due to something you’re eating or a digestive problem, such as an infection. “If someone came to me with frequent louder gas, I’d try to check them for SIBO and dietary problems,” says Boxer.
Farts with pain or other symptoms
If you eat lots of high-fiber foods — for example, beans and/or whole grains — you might get a buildup of gas that makes your flatulence feel kind of painful. “If you have a big accumulation of air, your gut can be like a balloon under pressure, which may hurt,” says Robbins.
But in general, it’s not normal to experience pain because of farting. If it happens a lot, you should definitely see a doctor — especially if you notice other bothersome GI symptoms.
Any persistent or worsening patterns, such as changes in fart odor or frequency or farts that come with other symptoms, warrant a check-in with your medical provider. If needed, your primary care provider can refer you to a gastroenterologist for investigation.
See your medical provider ASAP if you have persistent GI problems accompanied by weight loss or anytime you notice blood in stool (which may appear black rather than red).
The good news? Temporary changes in your farting habits (while frustrating and maybe a little gross) are usually nothing to worry about, as long as they go away. “The vast majority of the time, it’s just the cabbage,” says Robbins.