Most people pass gas 13 to 21 times a day, but when it becomes painful, frequent, or disruptive, simple changes to how you eat, what you eat, and how you move can make a real difference. Relief often comes from a combination of strategies rather than a single fix.
Swallowed Air Is a Common Culprit
A surprising amount of gas comes not from your gut but from air you swallow throughout the day. This is called aerophagia, and certain habits make it worse: eating too fast, talking while eating, chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, using straws, drinking carbonated beverages, and smoking. Each of these introduces extra air into your digestive tract, and that air has to go somewhere.
The fixes are straightforward. Chew your food slowly and swallow one bite before taking the next. Sip from a glass instead of a straw. Save conversations for after meals rather than during them. Skip the gum and hard candies. If you smoke, quitting will reduce the amount of air you swallow on top of its other health benefits. Some people unconsciously gulp air when they’re stressed or anxious. If that sounds familiar, a behavioral health specialist can help you recognize those breathing patterns and interrupt them before the air builds up.
Foods That Produce the Most Gas
The other major source of gas is fermentation in your large intestine. Bacteria break down certain carbohydrates your small intestine couldn’t absorb, and the byproduct is gas. The foods most likely to cause this fall into a category researchers call FODMAPs, which are short-chain carbohydrates that ferment easily.
The biggest offenders include:
- Legumes and pulses: red kidney beans, split peas, baked beans, and falafels are especially high in fermentable sugars called GOS
- Certain vegetables: garlic, onion, leek, artichoke, mushrooms, and celery
- Fruits: apples, pears, mangoes, cherries, watermelon, peaches, plums, figs, and dried fruit
- Wheat-based grains: wholemeal bread, rye bread, wheat pasta, rye crispbread, and wheat-containing muesli
- Dairy: milk, yogurt, and soft cheeses (all high in lactose)
Plain meats, poultry, and fish are naturally free of these fermentable carbohydrates, though processed or marinated versions often contain garlic and onion as hidden ingredients. You don’t necessarily need to eliminate all these foods permanently. Many people benefit from cutting them out for two to six weeks, then reintroducing them one at a time to identify which specific foods trigger their symptoms.
Physical Positions That Help Move Gas
When gas is already trapped and causing discomfort, certain body positions create gentle pressure on your abdomen and help things move along. You don’t need yoga experience for any of these.
The knee-to-chest pose is the most direct option. Lie on your back, bring both knees up with a 90-degree bend, grab the front of each knee, and pull your thighs toward your chest. Tuck your chin down. Hold this for 30 seconds to a minute while breathing deeply.
Child’s pose works similarly. Kneel on the floor, then lean back so your hips and glutes rest on the backs of your feet. Stretch your arms out in front with palms flat on the floor and let your forehead rest down. Your torso pressing against your thighs creates gentle abdominal pressure that encourages gas to pass.
The happy baby pose targets the lower back and groin. Lie on your back, lift your knees to the sides of your body, point the soles of your feet toward the ceiling, and grab your feet with your hands. Pull down slightly to create tension. Rocking gently side to side can add extra relief. A seated forward bend, where you sit with legs straight and fold your chest toward your knees, applies similar abdominal compression from a different angle.
Over-the-Counter Gas Relief
Simethicone is the active ingredient in products like Gas-X and Mylanta Gas. It works by breaking up clusters of gas bubbles in your digestive tract into smaller ones that are easier to pass. The typical adult dose is 40 to 125 mg taken four times a day (after meals and at bedtime), with a maximum of 500 mg in 24 hours. It’s available as capsules, chewable tablets, and liquid. Simethicone doesn’t prevent gas from forming. It just makes existing gas easier to expel, so it’s best for acute discomfort rather than long-term management.
Enzyme Supplements for Specific Triggers
If your gas comes from identifiable food triggers, enzyme supplements can break down the specific compounds your body struggles with before they reach the bacteria in your colon.
Lactase supplements (sold as Lactaid) break down lactose, the sugar in dairy products. You take them every time you eat dairy. They’re effective if lactose intolerance is your issue but won’t help with gas from other sources.
Alpha-galactosidase (sold as Beano) targets a different problem: the non-absorbable fiber found in beans, root vegetables, and some dairy products. You take it as a tablet right before eating or with your first bite. Timing matters here, because the enzyme needs to be present in your stomach when the food arrives.
Neither of these is a blanket fix for all gas. They work only on their specific trigger foods, so it helps to pay attention to what you ate before a bout of gas to know which supplement, if any, would make a difference.
Peppermint Oil for Cramping and Pressure
Peppermint oil capsules can help when gas is accompanied by cramping or a feeling of pressure, particularly in people with irritable bowel syndrome. The menthol in peppermint relaxes the muscles lining your colon and dulls pain receptors in the gut. Look for enteric-coated capsules, which dissolve in your intestines rather than your stomach, reducing the chance of heartburn. The typical adult dose is 0.2 to 0.4 ml taken three times a day.
Probiotics for Ongoing Gas Problems
If excessive gas is a recurring issue rather than an occasional annoyance, probiotics may help by shifting the balance of bacteria in your gut toward strains that produce less gas during fermentation. This isn’t an overnight fix. Most people need several weeks of consistent use before noticing a change.
The strains with the strongest evidence for reducing gas and bloating are Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. B. infantis has strong anti-inflammatory effects in the gut and has been shown to improve bloating and gas in people with IBS. B. lactis helps break down dietary fiber and lactose, reducing the amount of material left for gas-producing bacteria. L. acidophilus also produces lactase, making it particularly useful if dairy contributes to your symptoms.
Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast rather than a bacterium, is worth considering if your gas started after a course of antibiotics or a gut infection. Unlike bacterial probiotics, antibiotics don’t kill it, so it can help restore microbial balance even while you’re still taking medication.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Gas by itself is rarely a sign of something serious. But persistent gas paired with certain other symptoms warrants a visit to your doctor: bloody stools, unexplained weight loss, a change in how often you have bowel movements or what they look like, ongoing constipation or diarrhea, and recurrent nausea or vomiting. Prolonged abdominal pain or any chest pain calls for immediate medical care. If your gas is severe enough to interfere with daily life and none of the strategies above are helping, that alone is a good reason to get evaluated.