CONDITIONS THAT CAUSES GAS IN THE STOMACH

Gas is sometimes a symptom of a digestive condition. These include:

• Inflammatory bowel disease: This term describes chronic inflammation in the digestive tract and includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Symptoms include diarrhea, weight loss, and abdominal pain that can mimic gas pains.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): This is a condition that affects the large intestines and causes a variety of symptoms, such as:
  • cramping
  • bloating, gas
  • diarrhea
  • constipation
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: This condition causes excess bacteria in the small intestines. It can also damage the lining of the intestines, making it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients. Symptoms include:
  • stomach pain
  • bloating
  • diarrhea
  • constipation
  • gas
  • belching
• Food intolerance: If you have a sensitivity to milk (lactose) or gluten, your body may have difficulty breaking down these foods. You may experience gas or abdominal pain after eating foods containing these ingredients.
• Constipation: Infrequent bowel activity causes gas to build up in the abdomen, triggering gas pains and bloating. Constipation is described as having fewer than three bowel movements a week. Taking a fiber supplement and increasing physical activity can stimulate intestinal contractions and ease constipation.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD): This occurs when stomach acid backflows into the esophagus. GERD can cause:
  • persistent heartburn
  • nausea
  • regurgitation
  • stomach pain
  • indigestion that feels like gas
• Internal hernias: This is when an internal organ protrudes into a hole in the peritoneal cavity of the abdomen. Symptoms of this condition include intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
• Colon cancer: Excess gas can be an early sign of colon cancer, which is cancer that develops in the large intestine.

What foods, drinks, or products cause gas?

A variety of foods, drinks, and products can cause gas. See the following table for examples.

Table 1. Examples of foods, drinks, and products that can cause gas
Foods
Vegetables asparagus artichokes black beans broccoli brussels sprouts cabbage cauliflower kidney beans mushrooms navy beans onions pinto beans	Fruits apples peaches pears Whole Grains bran whole wheat	Milk Products cheese ice cream yogurt Packaged Foods with Lactose bread cereal salad dressing
Drinks
apple juice pear juice	carbonated drinks drinks with high-fructose corn syrup	fruit drinks (such as fruit punch) milk
Products
Sugar-free Products with Sorbitol, Mannitol, or Xylitol candies gum Dietary Supplements and Additives certain types of fiber, such as inulin and fructose-oligosaccharide, that may be added to processed foods to replace fat or sugar fiber supplements

SYMPTOMS

The most common gas symptoms include burping, passing gas, bloating, and pain or discomfort in your abdomen. Gas symptoms vary from person to person.

1. Burping

Burping, or belching, once in a while, especially during and after meals, is normal. If you burp a lot, you may be swallowing too much air and releasing it before the air enters your stomach.

2. Passing gas

Passing gas around 13 to 21 times a day is normal.¹

3. Bloating

Bloating is a feeling of fullness or swelling in your abdomen. Bloating most often occurs during or after a meal.

4. Pain or discomfort in your abdomen

You may feel pain or discomfort in your abdomen when gas does not move through your intestines normally.

• Conditions that cause gas, pains, and bloating

Some conditions can cause excess gas. They include:

• gastroenteritis
• lactose intolerance
• celiac disease
• Crohn’s disease
• diabetes
• peptic ulcer
• irritable bowel syndrome