5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Hold In Your Fart, According to Science

On average, a person farts 15 times a day and that number can go up to 40! Farting is caused by trapped air and bodily gases. While it is a completely normal process, it can be loud and embarrassing at times and that is the reason why most of us try to hold it in. However, doing so might not be such a great idea.

Holding in your farts can cause you some major problems.

It can lead to pain and heartburn.

When you contract your muscles to avoid farts from escaping, it builds pressure inside your body and can lead to pain, indigestion, and heartburn. If done regularly, it can also cause swelling in your digestive tract.

It will make you feel bloated all the time.

bloating

While it is still debatable whether holding in farts makes you actually bloated or not, it has been found that keeping them inside voluntarily makes you worry and gives you the impression that you might be bloated.

It affects your colon health.

colon pain

Farting eliminates the pressure in your body. While farting is good for your colon, holding it in can irritate it and can also trigger hemorrhoids.

Your body might reabsorb it.

When you force your body to hold in your fart, the body is left with no option but to reabsorb it. It is put into circulation again and can also escape through your breath or as a burp.

It might be signaling a worse problem.

While farting is completely normal and healthy, its pattern and odor can actually point to potential health issues like food intolerances and digestive issues. Extremely stinky farts may also indicate a high sulfur content in your body. If your farts feel painful or something other than normal to you, we suggest that you consult a doctor.

Tricks to use to avoid stinky and loud farts

  • Avoid drinking carbonated drinks since they produce more gas in your body.
  • Eat smaller portions and chew slowly.
  • Consume foods like bananas, potatoes, cereal, and wheat regularly to prevent farts from smelling bad.
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