Gas inside our stomach is generally made of odorless vapors that consist of carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and in some cases methane also. The foul odor of burping comes from the bacteria present in the large intestine that releases a small amount of gas containing sulfur. Normally, people produce about 1 to 3 pints of gas every day and release it nearly 14 times a day. However, anything beyond this is excessive gas and can result in cramping, pain and uneasiness inside the abdomen of a person. It can even cause serious problems like ulcer inside the abdomen and therefore should not be neglected. Excessive gas is caused due to certain reasons and one needs to know about them before trying to rectify the problem. People facing excessive gas problem generally face many gastronomical disorders like belching, flatulence and bloating. Belching is the release of gas through the mouth by burping. Flatulence is the passing of gas through the rectum, when the food is not properly digested inside the stomach. Bloating, on the other hand, is the result of accumulation of gas inside the stomach that makes one feel uneasy and uncomfortable. In the following lines, we have provided detailed information on what causes or what leads to the problem of excessive stomach gas.
Excessive Stomach Gas Causes
Food
Indulgence in wrong food habit is the leading cause for production of excessive gas. Some food items are very difficult to digest. As such, they are broken into gases by the bacteria present in our intestines. Foods rich in starch, fiber and natural sugar are not easy to digest. These undigested foods are the main reason behind the formation of excessive gas. Sometimes, people suffer from gas after eating a particular food. People with allergies to some particular food suffer from excessive gas after consuming them. However, the effect of different food items is different from one person to another. Nonetheless, there are some common foods which cause of excessive gas like milk and dairy products, apricots, apples and bananas, prunes, beans and peas, onions, cabbage and sauerkraut, carrots, celery and corns, oatmeal, wheat, pastas, potatoes and those with artificial sweeteners.
Swallowing Air
Swallowing air often leads to accumulation of excessive gas inside the bowel. People knowingly or unknowingly consume lot of air while eating and drinking, which enters the bowel. Swallowing often causes ingestion of air which forms into gas inside the bowel. There are many activities in which we gulp lot of air like chewing gum, licking candies, eating or drinking quickly, having loose dental set, smoking, drinking from a straw, consuming carbonated drinks and so on.
Medications & Health Conditions
Certain medications cause excessive gas as result of their side effects. These medications include type 2 diabetes medicines that are enriched with high sugar, sorbitol or lctulose content. Medicines that are fiber supplement in nature also cause formation of excessive gas. Some unhealthy medical conditions like ulcer cause excessive gas. Medical conditions like lactose or milk allergy, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux disease, stomach ulcer, and Crohn’s disease also lead to formation of excessive stomach gas.