The fastest ways to get rid of stomach gas are moving your body, changing position, and using an over-the-counter gas relief product. Most stomach gas comes from swallowed air or food fermenting in your intestines, and both causes have straightforward fixes. Here’s what actually works, starting with what you can do right now.
Quick Physical Relief
Walking is one of the simplest and most effective ways to move trapped gas through your system. Physical movement stimulates the muscle contractions in your intestines that push food, air, and gas along the digestive tract. Even a 10 to 15 minute walk after eating can make a noticeable difference. Almost any kind of physical activity has this effect, but walking is gentle enough to do even when you’re uncomfortable.
If you’re not up for a walk, lying on your back and pulling your knees toward your chest works well. This is sometimes called the wind-relieving pose, and it does exactly what the name suggests. Lie flat, bend your knees to 90 degrees, and place your hands on your shins. As you exhale, gently draw your knees closer to your chest. As you inhale, let them move slightly away. The compression and release on your abdomen helps trapped gas find its way out. Repeat for a minute or two.
Over-the-Counter Options That Work
Simethicone (sold as Gas-X and similar brands) is the most widely recommended medication for gas relief. It works by combining small gas bubbles in your stomach and intestines into larger ones that are easier for your body to pass. The typical adult dose is 40 to 125 mg taken up to four times a day, after meals and at bedtime, with a maximum of 500 mg in 24 hours. It’s generally well tolerated and works quickly.
Peppermint oil is another option with real evidence behind it. It naturally relaxes the muscles in your digestive tract, which can reduce the spasms that trap gas and cause pain. Enteric-coated capsules are the best delivery method because they don’t dissolve in your stomach. Instead, they release the oil directly in your intestines where it’s needed most. Peppermint tea can also help, though it’s less targeted.
The Cleveland Clinic specifically recommends simethicone and peppermint oil over activated charcoal, which has conflicting evidence for gas and bloating despite its popularity.
Enzyme Supplements for Problem Foods
If beans, broccoli, or other high-fiber vegetables reliably give you gas, a digestive enzyme supplement can prevent the problem before it starts. Products containing alpha-galactosidase (like Beano) break down the non-absorbable fiber in these foods before it reaches your large intestine, where bacteria would otherwise ferment it and produce gas. More than 20% of people have difficulty digesting these complex carbohydrates, according to Harvard Health.
The key is timing: take the enzyme right before eating or with your first bite. It won’t help much if you take it after the meal is already digesting. If your gas is specifically tied to dairy products, a lactase supplement works on the same principle, breaking down lactose before it can ferment.
Foods That Cause the Most Gas
Four types of sugars are responsible for most food-related gas: raffinose, lactose, fructose, and sorbitol. Understanding which ones bother you helps you make targeted changes rather than cutting out everything.
- Raffinose is found in large amounts in beans and in smaller amounts in cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, and whole grains.
- Lactose is the sugar in milk, cheese, ice cream, and many processed foods including bread, cereal, and salad dressing.
- Fructose occurs naturally in onions, artichokes, pears, and wheat, and is added to many soft drinks and fruit drinks.
- Sorbitol is found naturally in apples, pears, peaches, and prunes, and is used as a sweetener in sugar-free candies and gums.
Starchy foods also produce gas as they break down in the large intestine. Potatoes, corn, noodles, and wheat all contribute. Rice is the only common starch that does not cause gas, which is worth knowing if you’re looking for a safer side dish on a bad stomach day.
Soluble fiber from oat bran, beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, and most fruits tends to produce more gas than insoluble fiber. That doesn’t mean you should avoid fiber entirely. Your gut bacteria adjust over time, so increasing fiber gradually (over a couple of weeks) causes far less gas than suddenly loading up on beans and lentils.
Habits That Make You Swallow Air
A surprising amount of stomach gas has nothing to do with food. It’s simply swallowed air that builds up and needs to escape. Common culprits include eating too fast, talking while eating, chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, drinking through straws, and carbonated beverages. Smoking also increases air swallowing significantly.
The fixes are straightforward: chew your food slowly and make sure you’ve swallowed one bite before taking the next. Sip from a glass instead of using a straw. Save conversation for after the meal rather than during it. Skip the gum and hard candies, especially if you chew or suck on them throughout the day. These changes can make a real difference for people whose gas is mostly upper-digestive (lots of belching and stomach pressure rather than lower intestinal gas).
Long-Term Prevention With Probiotics
If gas and bloating are a recurring problem, probiotics may help by shifting the balance of bacteria in your gut toward strains that produce less gas during digestion. Not all probiotics are the same, though, and specific strains have better evidence than others.
Bifidobacterium infantis has the strongest evidence for reducing bloating and gas, particularly in people with irritable bowel syndrome. Bifidobacterium lactis helps break down dietary fiber and lactose, potentially reducing the fermentation that creates gas in the first place. Lactobacillus acidophilus produces lactase, making it especially useful if dairy triggers your symptoms. Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast, may help restore gut balance after antibiotics or gut infections that have thrown off your digestion.
A 2025 study found that combining Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains helped promote regular bowel movements, which indirectly reduces bloating since slow-moving stool gives bacteria more time to produce gas. Probiotics typically take a few weeks of consistent use before you notice a difference.
When Gas Signals Something Else
Occasional gas is completely normal. Most people pass gas 13 to 21 times a day. But certain patterns suggest something beyond ordinary digestion is going on. Pay attention if your bloating gets progressively worse over time, persists for more than a week, or is consistently painful rather than just uncomfortable. Bloating paired with fever, vomiting, bleeding, unintentional weight loss, or persistent changes in bowel habits (new diarrhea or constipation) warrants a closer look from a healthcare provider to rule out conditions like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
The general rule: if your gas comes and goes and eventually resolves, it’s almost certainly a food or habit issue you can manage on your own. If it’s constant, worsening, or accompanied by other symptoms, it’s worth investigating further.