Gas and Flatulence

Flatulence is the expulsion through the rectum of a mixture of gases that are by-products of the digestion process. Informally known as fart, or simply gas. Belching is the expulsion of gas or air from the mouth, mostly accompanied with loud sound. The air that comes out are mostly swallowed air present in the stomach. But when associated with Gastritis or Acid Peptic Disease or food intolerance – this gas comes out with a bitter tasting liquid (mostly acid, gastric juice from the stomach). This may also be called Regurgitation or Waterbrash. The unpleasant odour of flatulence comes from bacteria in the large intestine that release small amount of gases that contain sulphur. Most gases in the stomach are mixtures of nitrogen and oxygen derived from swallowed air and most of these gases are expelled by belching.
Cause of production of the gases in the intestine:
The body does not digest and absorb some carbohydrates (the sugar, starches and fibre found in many foods) in the small intestine because of shortage or absence of certain enzymes. This undigested food then passes from small intestine into the large intestine where normal, harmless bacteria break down the food, producing hydrogen, carbon dioxide and in about one-third of all people methane. Eventually these gases exit through rectum.
Apart from swallowing of air, lactose intolerance , undigested food getting fermented – flatulence can be caused by Irritable Bowel Syndrome (a very common stress related disease) and drugs. Excessive bacterial growth in the intestine due to colitis is also a major cause of flatulence. Peptic ulcer, infection in the intestine, gall stones, intestinal inflammation, hypo thyroidism, malignancy in the colon can also cause flatulence. Consumption of milk can also cause flatulence. Milk contains lactose and an enzyme called lactase, helps to break this lactose in the intestine. Many people, especially adults, do not have this milk digesting enzyme. Babies bodies make this enzyme so they can digest milk including breast milk.
Why the flatulence problem is increasing?
With more and more people knowing the bad effects of fatty food and good effects of carbohydrates with more fibre – many have start consuming more fruits and vegetables. They do so in order to treat Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and Cancer. This indirectly have increased flatulence.
Diet behaviour modification would be to find out which kind of foods are leading of more flatulence and try avoid them.
a. They should try to eliminate and reintroduce the following foods and see if they are related to increased flatulence. If introducing them increases flatulence – the culprit food should be eliminated from the diet.
1. Milk and milk products
2. Fruits: Apple, Banana, figs, pears, melon, oranges, raisins, and other fruits.
3. Vegetales: All leafy vegetables, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, garlic, onion.
4. Cereals: Bran, oats, corn, soya beans.
5. Others: Fructose containing foods, nuts (ground nuts, coconut, cashew nuts), fish, chicken, red meat, popcorn, avocado, rice, wheat with gluten, eggs, non milk chocolates.
b. Many salads when taken can cause Flatus formation.
c. Sprouted beans and pulses also cause flatulence and belching in many – they can be taken after boiling or steaming.
d. Removal of all fibres in the diet can lead to dramatic reduction in flatus formation.
e. Sugar and sugar products also can cause flatulence and can be avoided on the basis of elimination diet.
f. Rice is rarely flatulogenic because its lack of protein binding helps its degradation in the small intestine. However most other grains(oat, bran, bajra and wheat) produce moderate flatulence.