Smelly Farts???

So Why do some Farts smell…

Farting is entirely normal, and most people pass gas up to 15 times a day. Most of it is odour-free and undetectable.

Gasses such as hydrogen, hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and methane are naturally produced during digestion, as the bacteria in the gut break down foods. 

When all these combined gasses are passed through your system, they can sometimes smell really bad.

 So, what makes your fart stink so bad?

1. Your Diet

Diet and eating habits are the most common cause of stinky farts. Eating quickly can cause you to swallow more air with your food, leading to more gas in your digestive tract.

Certain types of foods also lead to stinkier farts, such as foods fibre, like beans, leafy greens, and fruits. When your gut bacteria break down fibre, they release gases including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane that can lead to smelly farts. 

Common vegetables that cause farting are onion, broccoli, and cabbage which all cause odorous gas.

 2. Certain Food intolerance

Certain foods are difficult for the digestive tract to break down leading to food intolerances, which may make the farting worse.

If you have a food intolerance, you might notice symptoms such as:

• Stomach pain shortly after eating
• Diarrhea
• Skin rashes or itching 

3. Constipation

• A poo is primarily fibre, which humans can't digest. When poo stays in the colon for longer than the normal 36 hours or so, bacteria continue to break down the fibre which releases gas.  
• Unfortunately, smelly farts are not a sign that things are moving. 

4. Medicine

If you start a new medication and suddenly notice more fragrant farts, your meds could be to blame.

Many medications and supplements can affect how food moves through your digestive tract, which might cause stinky farts. Others have fillers or sugar alcohols that can be difficult to digest.

 Medications that can cause stinky farts include:

• Antacids
• Diarrhea medications 
• Fibre supplements 
• Strong pain relievers
• Antidepressants 

5. Underlying medical condition

Nailing down the cause of stinky farts can be difficult. If you haven't had any big changes to diet or medication, but you're still experiencing smelly gas that is unusual for you, it's best to seek medical help. Some conditions that can cause gas include:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
• Colon cancer
• Colon polyps

Just remember passing gas is entirely normal. It may even be stinky, especially if you're eating lots of fibre-rich or sulphurous vegetables, which are good for overall health. 

Keeping a food journal can help you identify the causes of smelly farts. If you're experiencing discomfort — either from physical symptoms like bloating or from the social awkwardness of passing stinky gas — try taking some Activated Charcoal tablets to help.