Several options can help relieve a bloated stomach, ranging from over-the-counter medications to dietary changes and natural remedies. What works best depends on the cause of your bloating, whether that’s excess gas, slow digestion, constipation, or food sensitivities. Here’s a practical breakdown of what’s available and when each option makes the most sense.
Gas-Relief Medications
If your bloating feels like trapped gas with pressure or fullness, simethicone is the most widely available fix. It’s a non-prescription surfactant (sold as Gas-X, Phazyme, and store brands) that works by reducing the surface tension of gas bubbles in your digestive tract. Instead of many small, hard-to-pass bubbles, simethicone causes them to merge into larger ones that you can expel more easily through belching or flatulence. The standard adult dose is 40 to 125 mg up to four times daily, taken after meals and at bedtime, with a maximum of 500 mg per day. It doesn’t get absorbed into your bloodstream, so side effects are rare.
Activated charcoal is another option with some clinical backing. In a double-blind trial, it significantly reduced both measurable intestinal gas and subjective symptoms of bloating and abdominal cramps compared to placebo. The catch: charcoal can also absorb medications you’re taking, so you need to space it well away from any prescriptions or supplements.
Enzyme Supplements for Specific Foods
Some bloating happens because your body can’t fully break down certain foods before they reach your large intestine, where bacteria ferment them and produce gas. Enzyme supplements target this problem at the source.
If beans, lentils, broccoli, or root vegetables trigger your bloating, a product containing alpha-galactosidase (sold as Beano) can help. It breaks down the non-absorbable fiber in these foods before it reaches your intestines where fermentation would otherwise occur. The key is timing: take it in tablet form right before eating or with your first bite. Taking it after the meal is too late.
For dairy-related bloating, lactase supplements work the same way, breaking down lactose before it can ferment. If you notice bloating consistently after milk, cheese, or ice cream, this is the most straightforward solution.
Peppermint Oil
Enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules are one of the better-studied natural options for bloating, particularly if yours comes with cramping or is linked to irritable bowel syndrome. Peppermint oil relaxes the smooth muscle in your intestinal wall by blocking calcium channels, which reduces the spasms that can trap gas and cause pain.
The clinical evidence is strong. In one trial, 83% of people taking peppermint oil saw improvement in abdominal distension compared to 29% on placebo. Across multiple studies, roughly 50 to 75% of participants experienced meaningful symptom relief, and a meta-analysis found that only about four people need to be treated for one to benefit beyond placebo. Look for enteric-coated capsules specifically, as the coating prevents the oil from releasing in your stomach (which can cause heartburn) and delivers it to your intestines where it’s needed.
Ginger for Slow Digestion
If your bloating feels like food is sitting in your stomach too long, with heaviness or early fullness after meals, ginger may help. It acts as a prokinetic, meaning it speeds up the rate at which your stomach empties into your small intestine. In a clinical study, 1.2 grams of ginger root powder reduced the stomach’s half-emptying time from about 16 minutes to 12 minutes, a roughly 25% improvement.
You can get this through ginger capsules, fresh ginger steeped in hot water, or even ginger chews. Capsules offer the most consistent dosing. Taking ginger before or with a meal is the most practical approach if slow digestion is your pattern.
Probiotics
Probiotics can reduce bloating, but the strain matters enormously. Most of the strong evidence points to one specific strain: Bifidobacterium infantis 35624. In a study of women with IBS, this strain at a dose of 100 million colony-forming units was significantly better than placebo at reducing bloating, abdominal pain, gas, and bowel dysfunction over four weeks. It outperformed even higher doses of other bifidobacterium strains.
This strain is commercially available under the brand Alflorex (or Align in some markets). Generic “probiotic blend” products with dozens of strains and billions of CFUs aren’t necessarily more effective. For bloating specifically, targeted strains with clinical evidence behind them are a better bet. Expect to give probiotics at least three to four weeks before judging whether they’re helping.
Dietary Changes That Work
If your bloating is chronic rather than occasional, what you eat may matter more than what you take. The low FODMAP diet, which temporarily reduces certain fermentable carbohydrates, has the strongest evidence base. Up to 86% of people with IBS who follow it see improvement in bloating, pain, and other gut symptoms. FODMAPs include foods like onions, garlic, wheat, apples, milk, and legumes.
The diet works in three phases: a strict elimination period (usually two to six weeks), a reintroduction phase where you test foods one at a time, and a long-term maintenance phase where you only avoid your personal triggers. It’s not meant to be permanent, and working with a dietitian makes the reintroduction phase much easier to navigate. Even without a full FODMAP elimination, many people notice improvement by cutting back on carbonated drinks, chewing gum (which causes you to swallow air), and eating more slowly.
When Constipation Is the Cause
Bloating paired with infrequent or difficult bowel movements often resolves once the constipation does. Magnesium citrate is an osmotic laxative that draws water into the intestines, softening stool and increasing bowel movements. It’s available over the counter and works relatively quickly, often within hours. However, it’s meant for short-term use only, not as a daily supplement. Don’t take it for more than a week without medical guidance.
For ongoing constipation-related bloating, increasing fiber intake gradually, staying well hydrated, and regular physical activity are more sustainable solutions. Fiber supplements like psyllium husk can help, but adding too much fiber too quickly can actually worsen bloating temporarily.
Signs Your Bloating Needs Medical Attention
Most bloating is uncomfortable but harmless. Certain accompanying symptoms, however, signal something that needs evaluation: unexplained weight loss, blood in your stool, fever, difficulty swallowing, jaundice (yellowing of the skin), or an abdominal mass you can feel. Progressive pain that worsens over time, severe diarrhea that’s bloody or wakes you at night, or vomiting alongside bloating also warrant a visit.
Bloating that appears for the first time after age 55, or in anyone with a history of cancer or abdominal surgery, is treated more cautiously by clinicians and typically prompts additional testing. A family history of gastrointestinal or ovarian cancer is another reason to get persistent, new bloating checked out rather than simply managing it at home.