What The Smell Of Your Farts Says About Your Health

Farting, trumping, passing gas... Whatever you call it, everyone farts in one way or another and while it is socially awkward, it’s completely natural.

According to digestive system charity Guts UK, the average person farts around 15 times a day. On their website, the bowel health experts say: “In an otherwise healthy person, wind is nothing to worry about.

“Burping or belching is a natural process to rid the stomach of too much swallowed air. Farting (or flatulence) is the normal way that air and digestive gases are let out from the bowel, via the anus.”

What your farts say about your health

Another awkward-but-true thing is we all love the smell of our own farts. Back in 2014, Science Alert explained: “As humans, we’re more likely to prefer something that’s familiar to us - whether it’s a song, an old blanket, or a smell - than something that isn’t.

“And because the bacterial population that’s responsible for producing our various smells is entirely unique from every other fart-producing bacterial population, our farts truly have a one-of-a-kind brand that our noses can differentiate.”

How, uh, cute.

However, the smell of our oh-so-familiar farts can tell us a lot about our digestive systems.

BBC Science Focus explains: “If a three-bean chilli gives you farts that smell faintly eggy, it’s because your gut is busy breaking proteins into hydrogen sulphide. Methionine, an essential building block for proteins found in dairy, fish and meat, is broken down into methanethiol, noted for a smell like rotten cabbage.”

The science experts added that most protein in our diets will be digested and used as an energy source for cells, “it’s only when you over-consume protein that you’ll likely have a problem.”

Additionally, they said, carbs can produce smellier farts when they’re fermented by gut bacteria. Fibre is of course an essential part of the diet, aiding digestion and bowel movements but, they warn: “it’s broken down into fatty acids that can hitchhike on any gases escaping and contribute an unfortunate aroma.”

When to worry about your farts

The NHS assures that most farting is normal but you should see a GP if: 

• farting is affecting your life and self help and pharmacy treatments have not worked
• you have a stomach ache or bloating that will not go away or comes back
• you keep getting constipation or diarrhoea
• you have lost weight without trying
• you’ve had blood in your poo for 3 weeks