Are your toots toxic?

Sometimes, they’re loud, sometimes silent. Occasionally, they can be downright offensive. We’re talking about toots — also known as flatulence, farts, gas and wind. For most, it’s a minor inconvenience of everyday life. But for some, their toots can seem as if they might actually be toxic.

“A variety of gastrointestinal complaints, such as belching, bloating, abdominal pain and flatulence, are commonly attributed to ‘excess gas,’” says Dr. Alissa Speziale, a Sharp Rees-Stealy board-certified gastroenterologist. “Although excessive passage of gas or its foul odor may be a source of embarrassment to the patient, it’s rarely associated with serious illness.”

According to Dr. Speziale, the volume of gas passed per person varies from approximately 500 to 1500 milliliters per day. The frequency of gas release is between 10 and 20 times per day in healthy people.

When too much intestinal gas occurs, Dr. Speziale reports it may be due to excessive air swallowing, poorly absorbed nutrients in the gut, an obstruction or dysfunctional gas clearance, or an expansion of gas in the stomach or bowel due to changes in atmospheric pressure.

Culprits that cause toxic toots

While 99% of expelled intestinal gas has no odor, sulfur-containing compounds can create quite the stink bomb.

“Odor comes from sulfur-containing compounds, such as methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, as well as short-chain fatty acids, skatoles, indoles, volatile amines and ammonia,” Dr. Speziale says. “Dietary factors, such as an increased intake of lactose, fructose and sorbitol; undigestible starches in fruits, vegetables and legumes; and carbonated beverages can cause malodorous gases upon digestion.”

This can be the result of consuming:

• Milk and dairy products — Cheese, ice cream and milk

• Vegetables — Asparagus, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumber, kohlrabi, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, rutabaga and turnips

• Fruit — Apples, apricots, bananas, peaches, pears, prunes and raisins

• Whole grains — Bagels, bran, bran cereal, pretzels, wheat and oats, and wheat germ

• Legumes — Baked beans, beans, lima beans, peas and soybeans

• Fatty foods — Fried foods and pork

• Liquids — Beer, carbonated beverages and carbonated medications

• Artificial sweeteners and chewing gum

How to decrease the amount of gas you pass

While avoiding the above foods and beverages will help decrease gas, Dr. Speziale also recommends you:

1. Decrease the amount of air you swallow by avoiding gum chewing, smoking, drinking carbonated beverages, and gulping foods and liquids.

2. Use lactase enzyme replacement (Lactaid) if you have a lactose intolerance.

3. Take bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol) as needed; however, long-term use can lead to toxicity, so use only on occasion and as advised by your doctor.

In patients without a significant improvement despite the exclusion of gas-producing foods and following the above tips, Dr. Speziale recommends a diet low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols — a group of carbohydrates difficult to absorb known as FODMAPs. These include fructans found in garlic, onions and some vegetables; fructose; galactans found in beans and lentils; lactose; and polyols in fruits with pits.

If an increase in gas is accompanied by certain other symptoms, a conversation with your doctor is advised. “Talk with your doctor if you’re experiencing nighttime abdominal pain; unintentional weight loss; blood in your stool; chronic vomiting, diarrhea or fatty stools; or severe abdominal tenderness,” Dr. Speziale says.

Otherwise, remember that everybody toots. What’s more, holding in gas can lead to gas buildup, bloating and abdominal pain. So, if you pass an exceptionally toxic toot, simply say “excuse me” and move on — or blame the nearest pet.

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