Healthy people usually pass gas with few complaints, and most people expel intestinal gas at least 12 times per day, according to Ohio Health Online. However, the retention of intestinal gas in those with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome can cause uncomfortable symptoms, including bloating and sharp pains. According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder, mild exercise can help release retained gas in your intestinal tract and alleviate uncomfortable symptoms.
Definition
Your digestive system, which includes your esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine, or colon, contains various amounts of gas. Gas occurs through swallowing air and as a byproduct of fermentation, or the bacterial breakdown of food your body cannot absorb. It exits your system through belching, or burping, and through anal expulsion. The gas-producing fermentation process releases the gases hydrogen and carbon dioxide, which are consumed by colonic bacteria and produce bad-smelling, sulfur-containing gases.
Factors
Intestinal gas occurs due to diet, medications and digestive health conditions. For instance, it often results from consuming fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, starches and sugars -- and especially from beans. Diseases affecting nutrient absorption by the small intestine, such as Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, and diverticulitis, can also lead to increased gas. Antibiotics, another gas-causing culprit, can affect the balance of healthy flora in your intestines.
Effects
Effective nerve-muscle coordination is necessary for the successful passage of gas. If gas is retained in your gut, such as in IBS patients, it can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as belching, difficult gas evacuation, discomfort and an extended abdomen. Abnormal abdominal reflexes, or contractions, inhibit the passage of gas through the intestines, resulting in the retention of gas in the initial part of the small bowel, or small intestine.
Expert Insight
Mild exercise can improve the nerve-muscle coordination needed to move retained gas through your intestines. A study published in the November 2006 edition of "The American Journal of Gastroenterology" observed the effects of mild physical exercise on patients with abdominal bloating, which is related to the retention of gas. Gas was infused into the jejunum -- or middle part of the small intestine -- of eight patients complaining of bloating: seven with irritable bowel syndrome and one with functional bloating. Patients pedaled for five-minute intervals at 40 rpm, or revolutions per minute, and then rested for three minutes. During periods of activity, patients retained significantly lower amounts of gas in their guts and experienced improved abdominal symptoms when compared to periods when they rested. The researchers concluded that mild physical activity enhances intestinal gas clearance and reduces symptoms in patients complaining of abdominal bloating.
