Most people experience what they consider excessive intestinal gas at some point in their lives. While it is normal to pass more than 12 pints of gas per day, intestinal gas can range in severity, with some people experiencing few symptoms or mild discomfort while others encounter severe pain or embarrassment due to uncontrolled flatulence. Just as the severity of symptoms vary, the effectiveness of different treatments also varies among individuals. Intestinal gas sufferers may have to try a few different remedies to figure out what works best.
Dietary Changes
Dietary changes can significantly affect the frequency and severity of intestinal gas symptoms. Eliminating potential food triggers from the diet and then slowly reintroducing them is a way to determine which foods may be causing gas production. Common culprits include beans, dairy, cruciferous vegetables, whole wheat, bran, sugar free foods, carbonated drinks, onions, asparagus and some fruits. Eliminating or reducing fatty or fried foods can also help some people reduce gas. If dairy is the problem, lactose-free dairy products may help.
Enzyme Supplements
Enzyme supplements help the body digest specific foods. Lactase is a digestive enzyme that many people are missing that allows the body to digest milk. Commercially available enzyme supplements artificially supply this enzyme to lactose intolerant individuals so that their bodies don't produce excess gas while trying to digest dairy products. The product Beano is another digestive enzyme which aids in the digestion of beans and vegetables. It works by breaking down the complex sugars in these foods and must be taken at the beginning of a meal to be effective.
Simethicone
Simethicone causes gas bubbles in the digestive tract to join together, which makes them easier to pass through the body and eases pain and pressure caused by intestinal gas. Many different manufacturers make products with simethicone. Some of the available medications using simethicone are Alka-Seltzer, Little Tummies, Maalox, Mylanta, Phazyme and Gas-X.
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is a common alternative remedy for the treatment of intestinal gas. One July 1986 study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology reported that bloating, abdominal cramps and breath hydrogen levels were all reduced in individuals taking activated charcoal for gas when compared with those taking a placebo.
Peppermint Tea
Warm peppermint tea is another alternative remedy for intestinal gas, according to the Mayo Clinic. The menthol in the tea has an antispasmodic property that relaxes the digestive tract muscles and eases gas pain. However, side effects may include heartburn or acid reflux.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Gas and Gas Pains
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Gas in the Digestive Tract
- Canadian Society of Intestinal Research: Intestinal Gas
- Drugs: Simethicone
- "American Journal of Gastroenterology"; Efficacy of Activated Charcoal in Reducing Intestinal Gas: a Double-Blind Clinical Trial.; Jain NK, et al.; July 1986
