The gas produced by fermenting bacteria in your large intestine is a combination of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and sulfur compounds — which contribute to the foul odor. Flatulence often becomes more common with age, often due to a decreased production of digestive enzymes.

Natural remedies sometimes used to encourage belching include ginger, papaya, lemon juice and peppermint. Much like passing gas, many peoples and cultures (but not all) regard loudly belching in public as bad manners, so act accordingly.

People with celiac disease are particularly sensitive to gluten, which irritates their intestines and triggers abdominal pain and bloating. [9] X Expert Source Peter Gardner, MDBoard Certified Gastroenterologist Expert Interview. 25 August 2020. Other intestinal disorders that cause people to be more sensitive to bloating include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

The ability to make lactase drops off rapidly after childhood, which means there’s more risk of lactose intolerance as you get older. [11] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source If you want to continue to consume dairy products without the risk of gas and abdominal pain due to lactose intolerance, then buy some lactase enzyme capsules from a health food store or pharmacy. Take a few enzyme capsules before you indulge in food that contains dairy.

If your gas pains are caused by an infection or food poisoning, your doctor might recommend short-term antibiotics. However, over-use of antibiotics kills friendly intestinal bacteria and can actually lead to more GI symptoms. [13] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Certain medications often lead to bloating and flatulence such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen), laxatives, antifungal medicines and statins (for high cholesterol), so talk to your doctor about your prescriptions drugs. [14] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source Your doctor may want a stool sample and may check the blood for celiac disease and do a breath test for lactose intolerance. An X-ray or colonoscopy may be necessary in some cases.

To help with protein digestion, eat your meat, poultry or fish course at the beginning of a meal instead of starting with bread and/or salad. The stomach tends to dump the hydrochloric acid in as soon as you start eating, but carbohydrates need very little (compared to protein) to digest. Betaine hydrochloride is a popular supplemental form of HCl that you can get at most health food stores. Remember to take the tablets after you eat, not before or during your meal.

The sugar enzyme is derived from food-grade mold called Aspergillus niger, which can cause an allergic reaction in people sensitive to molds and penicillin. Alpha-galactosidase breaks down galactose into glucose effectively, but it may interfere with diabetic medication. Consult with your doctor if you’re diabetic and thinking of taking products that contain it.

Probiotics are available as tablets, capsules or powders and must be taken on a regular basis in order to maintain effective concentrations/colonies in your large intestine. Whichever supplement you choose should be enteric coated or microencapsulated to survive being digested by stomach acid, so it can make it to the intestines and still be viable. [18] X Research source Fermented foods are also a good source of friendly bacteria and include natural yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, fermented soy products (natto, miso, soy sauce, tofu), sauerkraut and even unpasteurized beer.

Elderly people with poor diets usually get constipation from not consuming enough fiber, which is why eating prunes or drinking prune juice is often recommended. Constipation in children and younger adults is more often caused by eating too much fiber at a time, such as carrots or apples. If constipation is caused by eating way too much fiber, then gas production and bloating from bacterial fermentation is possible too. As such, much of the advice above for getting rid of gas pains would apply.