Everybody, and we mean everybody, passes wind – but it seems some do it a lot more frequently than others.
It’s hard to put an exact number on how many daily farts are ‘normal’, but Dr Lawrence Cunningham, of the UK Care Guide, suggests 13-21 times a day is pretty normal.
That said, some people “might find themselves on the higher or lower end of this range” and that’s “typically not a cause for concern”, the expert tells HuffPost UK.
A ‘Big Poo Review’, conducted by diet and health app Zoe, which polled over 140,000 people, revealed women reported farting on average eight times a day. This rose ever so slightly to nine times a day for men.
Why do we pass wind?
We fart because when we swallow food or saliva, or even have a sip of a drink, we ingest small amounts of air which then collect and build up in the digestive system. On top of that, as your body digests food, more gases are released.
This air needs to evacuate the premises somehow so it either comes back up, as a burp, or exits via the back door.
“The average volume of gas we pass is 400ml to 2l per day,” Dr Deborah Lee, of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, tells HuffPost UK.
Does this change as we get older?
The general consensus is that, yes, we probably do fart a bit more as we age.
Dr Lee says: “This is for a combination of reasons. Older people may chew and swallow less efficiently and swallow more air. The muscle tone in the gut wall deteriorates with age so food does not pass through the gut quite the way it used to. Also, we produce less stomach acid as we get older.”
In addition to all of that, we tend to take more medication as we age which can affect gut metabolism and, well, prompt a bit more wind.
What’s more, loosely-fitting dentures can cause you to be gassier than normal as they make it more difficult to chew – therefore causing you to swallow more air and pass more gas.
When to see a doctor
Dr Cunningham suggests that unless your flatulence is accompanied by discomfort or other symptoms, “it’s usually just part of how our bodies process food” and shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
If you’re concerned you are farting more often or your farts are excessively smelly, and this has been continual for several weeks with no improvement, Dr Lee advises a trip to see your GP.
She suggests common causes could be:
- Constipation - other symptoms are not pooing often and tummy pain.
- Irritable bowel syndrome – there may be bloating and tummy pain that comes and goes, along with constipation or diarrhoea.
- Coeliac disease – this also causes indigestion, bloating, tummy pain and diarrhoea.
- Lactose intolerance – other symptoms are nausea, vomiting, tummy pain and diarrhoea.
- Side effects of medication – such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, laxatives, antifungals and statins.
- Premenstrual syndrome – excess flatulence is a common premenstrual symptom due to fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone that happen at this time of the month.
- Endometriosis – excess flatulence is common in those with endometriotic lesions in the gastrointestinal tract.
“Over the years, I’ve seen that if gas is accompanied by pain, bloating, or changes in bowel habits, it might be time to consult with a healthcare professional,” says Dr Cunningham.
For instance, farting more often has been noted as a symptom of bowel cancer, says Dr Lee, alongside abdominal pain, passing a mucous discharge from the rectum and faecal incontinence.
The best thing to do is monitor your symptoms (writing them down can help) and if there’s a sudden change to your normal pattern, or you’re experiencing discomfort, see a doctor.
What can I do about smelly and excessive farts in general?
If your farts are quite smelly and you’re feeling a bit self-conscious about it, speak to your local pharmacist. According to NHS Inform they can recommend special underwear or pads that absorb smells.
Making a handful of changes to your lifestyle and diet could also help reduce how often you fart.
The NHS recommends chewing food slowly with your mouth closed, eating little and often, and drinking slowly (no big glugs!).
Doctors also recommend trying easily-digestible foods such as rice, bananas, citrus fruits and potatoes, as well as drinking peppermint tea.
You might want to avoid chewing gum, smoking or sucking on hard sweets or pen tops as this can make you swallow excess air.
And lastly, drinking fizzy drinks, too much alcohol or fruit juice, and eating foods like cabbage, lentils and beans can also cause a lot of farting, so limit these if you’re particularly gassy.