Stinky flatulence: What's the reason for it?
We all have intestinal wind or flatulence - sometimes it is relatively odorless, but sometimes it downright stinks. If you have smelly flatulence and have to get rid of it in public, you risk critical or even disgusted looks. But what is the reason for the foul odor? Basically, it is caused by bacteria that produce gases in the intestines when digesting our food - these can smell, but they can also be odorless.
Flatulence can become a real stink bomb if you eat a high-protein diet. When proteins are broken down, the intestinal bacteria produce hydrogen sulphide, the smell of which resembles rotten eggs. The more protein products you eat, the worse the smell can be.
But constipation can also be the cause of foul-smelling farting. Not only does the flatulence stink , it can also be painful because it builds up in the bowel and can't come out due to the feces in front of it. When you are finally able to go to the toilet, the gas is usually released particularly violently.
What can you do about smelly flatulence?
Eggs, meat, pulses and dairy products contain a lot of protein. One solution would be to switch to a low-protein diet. However, as proteins are an important part of our diet, caution is advised. Dairy products such as yogurt or cheese are important for building our muscles and the calcium they contain is important for our bones. You should discuss this with your doctor if you are considering making a change.
Food intolerance: check other causes
As described above, you can consider changing your diet with medical advice if you have persistent flatulence. However, you should also check whether the flatulence could be related to food intolerances, for example. In this case, the gastrointestinal tract is not able to digest some food components properly or completely, which can lead to increased flatulence and other symptoms such as stomach pain. It is best to keep a food diary so that conclusions can be drawn about your eating habits.