Smelly Flatulence: Why Does My Fart Smell So Bad & How Do I Stop It?

Smelly flatulences can be one of the most embarrasing incidents that could happen to a person, especially during social gathering. Flatulence is a biological process that helps in releasing gas from digestion. It is sometimes called a passing gas or farting. Though in some cases farts may be odorless and silent, in many other cases can become foul or bad smelling. It is true that smelly flatulence is not rare and is often considered normal. There are some foods, medications and some other underlying conditions that can cause your fart to smell real bad. If you are someone suffering from this embarrassing situation and want to know why does your fart smell so bad and ways to stop it; then do read the following array of the article.

There are numerous reasons why your fart can smell bad. Below are some of them.

A lot of high-fiber foods can make you pass more gas and the farts may smell really bad. It takes long time for these foods to break down in the digestive system, so they ferment over time. Some of the foods that may cause your fart to smell bad include strong smelling vegetables like broccoli, cabbages, asparagus, etc.

Your fart may smell like rotten eggs, because of the sulfur compound found in fiber-rich foods. Sulfur smells like spoiled eggs. Many vegetables are sulfur-based. You can change you diet if this is causing the the problem of smelly flatulence.

Our body extracts nutrients and sends them to the bloodstream when it digests food. The waste products are sent to the colon. Disrupting the natural process of digestion can cause an overgrowth of bacteria. Some bacteria can lead to infection in the digestive tract and the intestine. This may cause a higher volume of gas than normal and a strong smelling odor of the fart. Individuals with digestive tract infections also have abdominal pain and diarrhea along with smelly flatulence. In such case, do not delay visiting doctor to determine if you have a bacterial infection and get yourself treated well.

Smelly flatulence can also be caused due to food intolerance. If you have a sensitivity or reaction to specific foods, you may have farts that smell very bad. For example, those with lactose intolerance cannot break down the carbohydrate lactose, and as a result, it is fermented by bacteria in your intestine. Similarly, Gluten intolerance or in its more severe form, like Celiac disease, can also cause smelly flatulence. In case of Celiac disease, there is an inflammation and injury in the intestine, leading to malabsorption and flatulence. Fatigue, weight loss, diarrhea, bloating, etc. are some other symptoms of this disease. You need to consult your doctor to know if you have any food intolerance.

Sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol found in most diet drinks, sugar-free candy, and some chewing gums, can also contribute factor for your farts to smell bad. These sweeteners cannot be absorbed by the body completely, and thus they travel to the colon where they cause smelly flatulence.

Beans are loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. However, they also cause smelly flatulence. This is because they contain raffinose family oligosaccharides or RFOs, a group of sugars that are at least partially responsible for bloating and smelly farts. Similarly, legumes, lentils and cruciferous vegetables also cause smelly flatulence.

There are certain medications that can cause smelly flatulence. Antibiotics kill harmful pathogens in the human body. They also destroy some of the good bacteria present in the stomach, which helps in digestion. Without these good bacteria, you may have smelly farts. You can also experience constipation and bloating.

One more reason why your farts might smell bad, is constipation. Constipation indicates that you have a buildup of stool, in your colon. In case you cannot poop regularly, it can cause bacteria and odor to develop and thus may result in smelly flatulence. Taking OTC laxatives to get some relief from constipation.

One of the rare cause of smelly farts is colon cancer. When tumors form in the digestive tract, it can cause a partial bowel obstruction, which leads to a gas buildup and bloating.

You need to consult doctor to determine the colon cancer and go for the treatment for the cancer that may include surgery to remove tumors, and also chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells.

Ingesting excessive air while eating, drinking and even talking, can cause farting. However, the fart becomes smelly only when a person is suffering from allergies and respiratory ailments of some kind.

Treatment for smelly farts could be simple and this involves primarily cutting back on foods that can cause smelly farts and increase the consumption of foods that prevent foul-smelling farts.

Below are some of the ways you can stop smelly flatulence.

Reducing the intake of dairy products such as ice cream, milk, and cheese prevents the excessive production of gas in the stomach, which may eventually lead to smelly flatulence.

Fibers in moderate amount helps in cleaning out the digestive system and getting rid of waste from the body regularly and also reduces the foul smell of farts. So, adding fiber to your diet could help.

Carbonated beverages introduce air into your stomach and when incorporated with a wrong diet and eating habits, this will cause smelly flatulence. So, you must limit the intake of carbonated beverages.

Limiting foods that cause smelly farts, can also be of great help. Foods that can cause smelly farts must be taken in moderation so as to prevent the flatulence.

There are more than 100 trillion bacteria in your gut and they can either be good bacteria or probiotics or be bad bacteria. The good bacteria or probiotics should outnumber your bad bacteria by 9 to 1; else there may be smelly farts and other effects too. Probiotics may help by killing bad bacteria that feed on carbohydrates and produce bad smelling farts in your large intestine. Moreover, probiotics also increase the function of your immune system to fight the nasty microbes. Yogurts, pickles, kefir, kombucha tea, etc. are some foods which contain probiotics.

A smelly flatulence may also be caused by an increase swallowing of air that might be caused from wearing dentures that are too large. In such case, it is recommended that you need to check for the correct size of your dentures. Relaxing and slowly chewing food while eating, reduces the amount of air swallowed. Walking and moving the body after eating is recommended too. All these can help you decrease swallowing air and may reduce producing farts that smell bad.

Activated charcoal is also known to be helpful remedy to get rid of farts that smell bad. A teaspoon of activated charcoal is beneficial in removing toxins and poisons from the body. It is also very good at absorbing hydrogen sulfides which is responsible for those smelly flatulence.

Apple cider vinegar can be an effective remedy to stop bad smelly farts. This is Probiotic and has a carbohydrate called Pectin, which attaches itself to waste products in the intestines and take them out of the system to be despose of as waste. This leaves the probiotic in your gut to multiply and develop healthy intestine reducing flatulence. You can take a teaspoon of natural apple cider vinegar along with a glass of water.

There are some studies showing peppermint oil being beneficial in reducing the expulsion of flatulence and also reduce stomach muscle spasm, thus acting as a stomach and colon muscle relaxant. It is recommended to take about 90 mg of peppermint oil daily so as to help reduce bloating, smelly farts and bowel movements for individuals with IBS excessive gas.

Digestive enzymes are known to be beneficial in digestion. These are the proteins made of amino acids and they come together in the forms of chains to breakdown food into the nutrients that your body requires. If you do not have enough of these digestive enzymes, you can suffer from smelly flatulence and bloating. So, you can use a digestive enzyme supplement that can really help to stop the bad farts caused by lack of digestive enzymes.

For several digestive disorders, it can be a long struggle to find a cure. Using a deordorizing fart pad made of activated charcoal cloth can be helpful in removing the bad smell from your farts.

In case you experience abdominal cramps, gas and bloating along with smelly farts, lie down on your back and pull your knees tightly to your chest. Gentle yoga involving twists and the child’s pose may also help. A short walk outside, where the gas can disperse, may also help you get rid of smelly flatulence. Gas empties faster when you stand or move, rather than when you simply lie down.

One of the most common ways to prevent smelly flatulence include, identifying your triggers by keeping a food diary, avoiding the foods that cause farts and taking foods that are known to be beneficial in preventing smelly flatulence.

Though the above mentioned ways could help to some extent, do ensure that you talk to your doctor in case these remedies do not work and you suffer from regular smelly farts. Some digestive diseases like Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS can be associated with smelly flatulence, which requires prescription treatments from your doctor. Apart from this, drink plenty of water.

Also Read:

• Benefits of Stomach Massage for Constipation, Gas & Weight Loss
• What Causes Trapped Gas Pain or Trapped Wind & Remedies to Get Rid of it?
• Do Carrots Cause Gas?
• What are the Best Medicines for Gas?
• Is Heartburn and Gas the Same Thing?