Common causes of foul-smelling gas can be a food intolerance, high-fiber foods, certain medications and antibiotics, and constipation. More serious causes are bacteria and infections in the digestive tract or, potentially, colon cancer.
Flatulence that smells sulphuric like “rotten eggs” or has any distinct bad smell may indicate a problem deep within the digestive system. Or, you may have just eaten something which has disrupted your gut. Gut bacteria produce all kinds of gases when they are digesting the foods we have eaten.
Intestinal gas may or may not have a smell. Flatulence usually only has a bad smell if it contains gases with a strong odor, such as hydrogen sulfide. Smelly gas after eating certain foods, particularly those that are difficult to digest, is normal.
Common causes of foul-smelling gas can be a food intolerance, high-fiber foods, certain medications and antibiotics, and constipation. More serious causes are bacteria and infections in the digestive tract or, potentially, colon cancer.
Probiotics may help reduce flatulence
Probiotic bacteria such as Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 has been shown in clinical trials to help reduce flatulence, whilst also alleviating other gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation, acid regurgitation and irregular bowel movements when compared with placebo.
Body Odor
Poor digestion causes imbalances with the bacteria in your digestive tract. In addition to the chemicals made from the digestion process causing bad breath, the odor is also absorbed into the body and then emitted through your skin when you sweat.
Irritable bowel syndrome, a condition in which dysfunction in the large intestine causes digestive issues like bloating and abdominal pain, and bouts of diarrhea and constipation, is yet another common culprit behind particularly smelly farts, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Food intolerance
Examples include consuming milk or dairy products in lactose-intolerant people. In these cases, the gas a person releases may feel warm. It may also smell foul or sour and come with other symptoms such as temporary diarrhea.
The most common cause of stomach pain and bloating is excess intestinal gas. If you get a bloated stomach after eating, it may be a digestive issue. It might be as simple as eating too much too fast, or you could have a food intolerance or other condition that causes gas and digestive contents to build up.
What Does Gut Breath Smell Like? Patients with gut problems have described multiple noticeable smells from the mouth. These include a: Rotten smell that resembles the scent of rotten eggs or sulphur.
It is known as hydrogen sulfide gas. There are microbes in your digestive system that break down the sulfur and release it. Most often, these microbes are part of the “good bacteria” and nothing to worry about. If you have sulfur burps and diarrhea, you may have bacteria that are infectious.
When these foods move undigested into the large intestine, sulfur-metabolizing bacteria try to break it all down. This process creates odorless hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas (and sometimes methane) as well as odorous hydrogen sulfide—which mix into your poop and add an extra stench2.
Why does my poop smell like sulfur? Foods that contain a lot of sulfates, such as eggs, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, can make stool have a sulfur (rotten egg) smell. This is usually harmless, but if the symptom continues, check with your doctor.
Some people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), experience changes in body odor as a result of the disease. Although they are common symptoms, these odors can make a person feel anxious, affect their self-esteem, and even make them wary of leaving the house.
Some people with IBS say they experience a bad odor and changes in stool. If you suspect you have IBS, see your doctor. Although there is no cure for IBS, there are many treatments available to help control your symptoms.
The theory of leaky gut syndrome suggests that anything that injures your gut lining can lead to intestinal permeability if the injury is persistent enough. Therefore, common everyday factors such as diet and stress may cumulatively wear down your intestinal lining until it becomes permeable.
Alpha-galactosidase is a dietary supplement that may help improve the digestion of carbohydrates and reduce symptoms of flatulence. It's found in a product called Beano, which has been shown to have some effect in reducing flatulence and is available from some pharmacists and health food shops.
Unfortunately, probiotics can cause gas, among other side effects like flatulence (farting), bloating, and more.
Intestinal gas is a normal part of digestion. Excessive flatulence can be caused by lactose intolerance, certain foods or a sudden switch to a high-fibre diet. Flatulence can be a symptom of some digestive system disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome.
However, too much burping may be a sign of gastritis, and in most cases of gastritis, burping is accompanied by other symptoms like heartburn and foul-smelling flatulence.