thrownameafteruse t1_itvf6d7 wrote on October 26, 2022 at 4:24 PM

In a person who isn’t constipated, why does the poop move through but gas stays trapped in both upper and lower gi? I have no trouble with daily BMs, often feel it urgently, but still bubble with gas all around my abdomen. I can’t make sense of why/how the poop moves but gas doesn’t.

cucciaman OP t1_itvlmkb wrote on October 26, 2022 at 5:06 PM

Thanks for the question!

One potential explanation is that gas is moving through your intestines along with your stool, but there is more gas being produced than can escape at a given time. Intestinal gas is produced by the fermentation occurring when the bacteria in your gut digest the foods you are giving them. Several different types of food have been associated with increased gas production, including beans, peas, lentils, and cruciferous vegetables. One common characteristic of these foods is the large amount of soluble fiber, which is digested by bacteria in your gut and leads to gas production.

Figuring out which foods trigger an uncomfortable amount of gas for you can be tricky and takes a lot of trial and error. It’s one of the features of our app we’re most proud of! We want to be doing everything we can to help people understand their gut as quickly as possible so they can avoid any GI discomfort in the long run.

-RM