Bloating and foul smelling farts

Bloating and more farts indicate that there is a lot of gas production in the colon. Normal digestion produces odourless gases such as hydrogen and methane. Foul smelling gas indicates that the fermentation is happening in an undesirable way in the colon. This means that the fermentation is done by some bacteria other than the regular bacteria.

So, the first reason is increase in relative abundance of one species of bacteria which can produce foul smelling gases such as hydrogen sulphide.

The second reason is based on simple logic. More fermentation --> more gas production. So, longer the feces stays in the colon, more amount of gas is produced.

Normally, the undigested dietary fiber is fermented by bacteria and gas is produced. This mostly produces odourless gas.

Third possible reason is faster movement of gut which causes improper digestion and absorption of nutrients. Improperly digested foods reach the colon and certain species of bacteria feed on them and produce gas. If this improper digestion continues, then, that particular species of bacteria also grow in relative abundance. Hence, more gas is produced.

Also, it is observed that whenever multivitamin tablet/capsule is taken, more amount of foul smelling gas is produced. Fish consumption also slightly increases foul smelling gas.

 

Tips to avoid gas:

1. Chew the food well so that easy digestion takes place and the nutrients are absorbed well.

2. Avoid constipation

3. Eat well-cooked food OR predigested food such as soup, broth etc.

4. Take probiotics and prebiotics to restore the healthy balance of bacteria in the colon.

Update on 1 Dec 2021:

1. Avoiding wholegrain bread at breakfast did not produce the foul smelling fart. 

Update on 17 Feb 2023:

Consumption of osteocare (calcium+magnesium+zinc+vitamin D) for few days reduced the foul smelling farts an feces.

Update on 22 Dec 2023:

I got respiratory infection and doctor prescribed azithromycin 500 mg OD for 3 days. Then I got diarrhea. (daily two times with bloating, symptoms resembling inflammatory bowel disease diarrhea predominant). Then, doctor prescribed mtronidazole 500 mg BID x 7 days. For first few days, metronidazole caused headache. After that, it seems the body adapted to it. The diarrhea stopped a little. After consuming giner tea daily for few days stopped the diarrhea completely. After this, farting also reduced. Foul smelling also reduced.