Is Gas Bad?

I know this may be an odd subject for some, but it is nutrition related and is something that I know is a part of any bodybuilders diet and subsequent effects.

Is gas bad? Does it have a negative affect on internal organs? Is it an indication that something isn’t functioning optimally? Or is it simply a by product of the digestion or processing of certain foods?

My gut is in great health, things look great on the way out, but certain veggies along with eggs make me sound like the pied piper.

I’m always looking to learn more so I’ll toss this one out to the Nation.

haha, I’m with you on the eggs. Anytime I eat egg whites, hours later I’m unleashing some nasty smelling aromas!

Interesting topic.

I would not think that they would be harmful to the internal organs, the gas is being produced in the intestinal tract; I would imagine that it would be impossible for the gaseous compounds to work their way past the abdominal wall in this form unless there are holes in said wall, or it’s constitution is really weak.

Possibly just an off ratio of fiber:water:bulk that produces gas, or maybe you’re making your bacteria happy. Either way, I doubt gas can be used as a reliable indicator of internal status outside the digestive system.

And I third the torturous sulfur farts from eggs, cabbage, and whey.

Whey concentrate makes me fart. Good whey isolate doesnt.

[quote]silverhydra wrote:
Possibly just an off ratio of fiber:water:bulk that produces gas[/quote]

Could you explain this further? I do consume a ton of fiber in the form of veggies and flax, but I also make sure to stay very well hydrated.

i’d say it’s a good sign, means things are working!

Gas is largely created via intestinal bacteria (though some can be released by the food itself, and some can be a result of carbonated beverages, swallowing air, etc.[note that this is usually belched, though theoretically CAN be farted, too]).

Different foods tend to have different affects on gas in different people. The difference in people is largely due to the individuality of people’s intestinal bacteria, and what those specific bacteria thrive on/produce gaseous by-products with.

While many report egg/cheese issues, many others have no such reaction. It was said in some study (I’ll try to find it for you, after all, a fart study is a hilarious thing) that some people’s bacteria produces little gas, and no smell.

It has been noted by various nutritionists that gas will often be present at the beginning of a change in diet (especially when fiber is increased), but will reduce as the individual “gets used” to the diet.

I have never read anything that suggests that gas would be bad for you, other than the discomfort it can produce, and the fact that it can, shall we say, reduce your appeal to the opposite sex :wink:

One might assume from the theory around adaptation to diets in regards to gas that excess gas may be a sign of bacterial shifts in metabolism, or even shifts in the kind of bacteria dominating the intestines (though this is just my take on it).

Interestingly, the only time I have ever been devoid of gas for long periods of time (days) was while on keto/ad type diets, and yet everything else moved along just fine.

Man, writing about gas like this makes me realize I need a second hobby.

MID

Edit: P.S. Some typically problomatic foods are those that contain calories that have a low level of bioavailability, such as soluble fiber (digested by bacteria and resulting in sjort chain fatty acids and gas, the former of which we can absorb), fructooligosaccharides, sugar alcohols, lactose (to some extent), and others. This is by no means a complete list, as there are NUMEROUS things that cause gas aside from such nutrients…

And, while I’ve done my best to be accurate, there is only so much one man can remember about farts from bio/research.

hahaha, props for that post midnight!

alcohol is about the only thing that ever gives me gas - the next morning…

[quote]midnightamnesia wrote:

Man, writing about gas like this makes me realize I need a second hobby.

[/quote]

Lol…

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
hahaha, props for that post midnight![/quote]

Thanks waylanderxx.

Did a little more reading on flatulence and found something interesting:

Gas that is present in the intestines can be absorbed into the blood stream and ultimately excreted via the breath. So? Well, you can make your own jokes about this one.

Another interesting thing is that the bacteria in the intestines also break down gases, meaning that they are not only a large cause to our gaseous troubles, but also a major remedy to them.

A final thing is that, depending on the source you read, the average person passes between .5 and 1 liter of gas a day, and there is no seeming difference between men and women. Might be good in an argument during the offseason :slight_smile:

MID

It could indicate an allergy. But that is obviously not always the case. For me it completely stopped after getting a blood test and finding out I am allergic to nuts.