Several over-the-counter products can help with bad gas, and the right one depends on whether your problem is painful bloating, excessive flatulence, or foul-smelling gas. Simethicone, digestive enzymes, and dietary changes are the most reliable starting points, but other options like peppermint oil, ginger, and probiotics can also make a real difference.
Simethicone for Pressure and Bloating
Simethicone is the most widely available gas relief product, sold under brand names like Gas-X and Phazyme. It works by breaking up gas bubbles in your digestive tract so they’re easier to pass. It won’t stop gas from forming in the first place, but it helps when you’re already feeling bloated and uncomfortable. The standard approach is to take it four times a day, after meals and at bedtime. You can also take it as needed when symptoms flare up. It’s considered very safe because it isn’t absorbed into your bloodstream.
Digestive Enzymes That Prevent Gas
If certain foods reliably give you gas, an enzyme supplement taken right before eating can prevent the problem from starting. The two most useful ones target different triggers.
For Beans, Vegetables, and Grains
Products containing alpha-galactosidase (sold as Beano and similar brands) break down the complex carbohydrates in beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, onions, and other vegetables that your body can’t digest on its own. When these carbs reach your large intestine undigested, bacteria ferment them and produce gas. The enzyme does the digesting for you before that happens. Swallow one capsule right before your first bite or within 30 minutes of starting the meal.
For Dairy
If dairy gives you gas, you’re likely not producing enough of the enzyme that breaks down lactose, the sugar in milk. Lactase supplements fill that gap. The typical dose ranges from 3,000 to 9,000 units taken with meals or dairy products. If a lower dose doesn’t fully help, you can try a higher one within that range.
Peppermint Oil for Gas and Cramping
Enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules relax the smooth muscles lining your digestive tract, which helps gas move through rather than getting trapped and causing pain. In a clinical trial of patients with irritable bowel syndrome, 79% of those taking peppermint oil capsules reported less flatulence, compared to just 22% on placebo. Bloating improved in 83% of the peppermint group versus 29% on placebo. The typical regimen is one capsule three to four times daily, taken 15 to 30 minutes before meals. The enteric coating matters: it prevents the capsule from dissolving in your stomach, where peppermint oil can cause heartburn, and instead releases it in the intestines where it’s needed.
Ginger for Sluggish Digestion
Ginger speeds up gastric emptying, meaning food moves out of your stomach faster instead of sitting there fermenting. One clinical study found that ginger extract reduced the volume of food remaining in the stomach by 24% compared to placebo. It also reduces intestinal cramping and has a long history of use as a carminative, a substance that helps expel gas. You can use ginger tea, fresh ginger in food, or capsules containing ginger extract. A dose equivalent to about 2 grams of fresh ginger root twice a day is what clinical trials have used.
Bismuth Subsalicylate for Smelly Gas
If the volume of gas isn’t your main concern but the smell is, bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) targets that specifically. It binds to hydrogen sulfide, the compound responsible for the rotten-egg smell in flatulence. In a study of healthy subjects, taking bismuth subsalicylate four times a day for several days produced a greater than 95% reduction in hydrogen sulfide released from stool samples. It won’t reduce how much gas you pass, but it can dramatically cut down on the odor.
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal tablets have some clinical support for gas relief, though the evidence is mixed. In a double-blind trial, activated charcoal significantly reduced both measurable intestinal gas and subjective symptoms like bloating and abdominal cramps compared to placebo. The catch is that charcoal can also absorb medications you’re taking, so you need to space it at least two hours away from any other pills.
Probiotics That Help With Gas
Probiotics can help, but the strain matters. Not every probiotic on the shelf will make a difference for gas specifically. The strongest evidence points to a few specific options. A fermented milk product containing Bifidobacterium animalis was associated with significant improvement in overall digestive discomfort in a meta-analysis of nearly 600 participants. Composite probiotics containing Bifidobacterium infantis have shown significant reductions in abdominal pain and bloating. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (a beneficial yeast) significantly reduced abdominal pain and improved stool consistency in IBS patients across two pooled trials.
Probiotics take time to work. You generally need at least two to four weeks of consistent daily use before you’ll notice changes. They’re a better long-term strategy than a quick fix.
Foods That Cause the Most Gas
Taking something for gas helps, but identifying your triggers can reduce how often you need relief in the first place. The foods most likely to cause excessive gas are those high in fermentable carbohydrates. The main categories:
- Beans and lentils contain galacto-oligosaccharides that humans can’t break down without bacterial help.
- Garlic, onions, leeks, and artichokes are rich in fructans, another type of fermentable carbohydrate.
- Apples, pears, cherries, peaches, and plums contain sorbitol and excess fructose.
- Mushrooms and celery are high in mannitol.
- Milk, yogurt, and soft cheeses contain lactose, which roughly 68% of the world’s population has trouble digesting.
- Wheat and rye products contain fructans.
- Honey, high-fructose corn syrup, and sugar-free candies are loaded with fructose or sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol.
You don’t necessarily need to avoid all of these permanently. Keeping a food diary for two to three weeks and noting which meals precede your worst symptoms can help you narrow down your specific triggers. Many people find that just two or three categories are responsible for most of their discomfort.
When Gas Signals Something Else
Passing gas up to 20 or so times a day is normal. But gas that comes with other symptoms can point to conditions like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Watch for bloody stools, unintentional weight loss, persistent changes in how often you go or what your stools look like, and ongoing nausea or vomiting. Prolonged stomach pain that doesn’t let up also warrants prompt medical attention.