Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCalorie BurningNormal Gas vs. Unnatural GasControlling GasWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Calorie Burning
Normal Gas vs. Unnatural Gas
Controlling Gas
When to See a Provider
Since at least 2009, a persistent rumor has circulated on the Internet that farting (passing gas) burns up to 67 calories per fart. People pass gas for many reasons, and it has benefits, but farting does not burn calories.
Releasing Farts and Burning Calories: What’s True?
Fartingdoes not burn calories, at least not enough to be significant. Passing gas is a passive process.
The anus hastwo rings of muscle around it. The internal sphincter (inner ring) is an involuntary muscle that stays closed except when you are trying to open your bowels. When the time comes to open this sphincter, it’s typically automatic, and you do not need to do it consciously.
The external sphincter (outer ring) is a voluntary muscle that you can intentionally tighten to hold in stool (poop) when the need is urgent or if you do not wish to release gas.
Farting requires only passive muscle involvement because the pressure buildup causes the gas to be released. If you need to fart, it will come out with little to no effort on your part unless you are actively squeezing your anal muscles to prevent it.
What Does Burn Calories?
Active ways you canburn calories throughout the dayinclude:
Farting is normal and happens more frequently than you may think. People fart an average of eight to 14 times a day, and sometimes more often. There’s no agreed-upon number of farts that is considered excessive, but generally, up to 25 times a day is considered normal.
Holding in fartsisn’t dangerous, but if you don’t let the gas out, it can become uncomfortable, or lead to abdominal pain.
Letting farts out is a good thing. Farting has benefits such as:
Engaging in “fart walks” can also be beneficial. Taking a short walk within an hour after eating can help get your bowels moving and release farts. This can help mitigate bloating and could reduce acid reflux.
Where Does Gas Come From?
Intestinal gascomes from two primary sources:
Swallowing Air
Swallowed air, such as when eating and drinking, is typically released through belching (burping), but it can pass into the small intestine, especially if you are lying down.
Some actions can cause excess air to be swallowed, including:
Intestinal Bacteria
Most intestinal gas is odorless, but minor components of gas, such as trace amounts of sulfur, can have anunpleasant odor.
Some high-FODMAP foods are:
Otherfoods that can increase gas productionin some people include:
Health Conditions That Can Lead to Increased Gas
Certainconditions can cause excessive gas, including:
These conditions often have other symptoms. If you notice excess gas or changes in amount or odor, do not self-diagnose. A healthcare provider can help determine if your gas is normal or due to an underlying condition.
Some medications can have increased or smelly gas as a side effect, including:
Talk to your healthcare provider before stopping or changing your medication plan.
How to Control Flatulence
Passing gas does not usually call for treatment, but if it is bothering you, you can take some measures.
If an underlying condition has been ruled out,you can try:
If odor is your concern, underwear made from carbon fiber is an option.
When to Speak With a Provider
Talk to a healthcare provider if you experience:
Summary
Farting does not burn calories, but it does have benefits, such as relieving intestinal pressure and preventing abdominal pain. Most of the time, farting is not a concern. Excess gas often happens because of swallowed air and certain foods.
In some cases, excessive gas can indicate an underlying health problem.Talk to a healthcareprovider if you have concerns or are experiencing other symptoms with excessive gas.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bladder and Bowel Community.Factsheet: sphincter exercises to aid bowel control.MyHealth Alberta.Rectum, anus, and anal sphincter.Harvard Health.Burning calories without exercise.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract.University of Bergen.Why do we fart?Johns Hopkins.Bloating: causes and prevention tips.Kify Hospital.Flatus or farting - health benefits.University of Washington.Why ‘fart walks’ are so good for your health.UpToDate.Gas and bloating (beyond the basics).Merck Manual.Gas.American College of Gastroenterology.Belching, bloating, and flatulence overview.Mount Sinai.Gas - flatulence.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Gas: beat the bloat.Johns Hopkins.FODMAP diet: what you need to know.Keck Medicine of USC.This Is what your excessive or foul-smelling gas could mean.Houston Methodist.Flatulence: everything you wanted to know about farting.National Health Service.Farting (flatulence).Hospital for Sick Children.Gas (flatulence).Cedars-Sinai.Gas in the digestive tract.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bladder and Bowel Community.Factsheet: sphincter exercises to aid bowel control.MyHealth Alberta.Rectum, anus, and anal sphincter.Harvard Health.Burning calories without exercise.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract.University of Bergen.Why do we fart?Johns Hopkins.Bloating: causes and prevention tips.Kify Hospital.Flatus or farting - health benefits.University of Washington.Why ‘fart walks’ are so good for your health.UpToDate.Gas and bloating (beyond the basics).Merck Manual.Gas.American College of Gastroenterology.Belching, bloating, and flatulence overview.Mount Sinai.Gas - flatulence.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Gas: beat the bloat.Johns Hopkins.FODMAP diet: what you need to know.Keck Medicine of USC.This Is what your excessive or foul-smelling gas could mean.Houston Methodist.Flatulence: everything you wanted to know about farting.National Health Service.Farting (flatulence).Hospital for Sick Children.Gas (flatulence).Cedars-Sinai.Gas in the digestive tract.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bladder and Bowel Community.Factsheet: sphincter exercises to aid bowel control.MyHealth Alberta.Rectum, anus, and anal sphincter.Harvard Health.Burning calories without exercise.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract.University of Bergen.Why do we fart?Johns Hopkins.Bloating: causes and prevention tips.Kify Hospital.Flatus or farting - health benefits.University of Washington.Why ‘fart walks’ are so good for your health.UpToDate.Gas and bloating (beyond the basics).Merck Manual.Gas.American College of Gastroenterology.Belching, bloating, and flatulence overview.Mount Sinai.Gas - flatulence.Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Gas: beat the bloat.Johns Hopkins.FODMAP diet: what you need to know.Keck Medicine of USC.This Is what your excessive or foul-smelling gas could mean.Houston Methodist.Flatulence: everything you wanted to know about farting.National Health Service.Farting (flatulence).Hospital for Sick Children.Gas (flatulence).Cedars-Sinai.Gas in the digestive tract.
Bladder and Bowel Community.Factsheet: sphincter exercises to aid bowel control.
MyHealth Alberta.Rectum, anus, and anal sphincter.
Harvard Health.Burning calories without exercise.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract.
University of Bergen.Why do we fart?
Johns Hopkins.Bloating: causes and prevention tips.
Kify Hospital.Flatus or farting - health benefits.
University of Washington.Why ‘fart walks’ are so good for your health.
UpToDate.Gas and bloating (beyond the basics).
Merck Manual.Gas.
American College of Gastroenterology.Belching, bloating, and flatulence overview.
Mount Sinai.Gas - flatulence.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Gas: beat the bloat.
Johns Hopkins.FODMAP diet: what you need to know.
Keck Medicine of USC.This Is what your excessive or foul-smelling gas could mean.
Houston Methodist.Flatulence: everything you wanted to know about farting.
National Health Service.Farting (flatulence).
Hospital for Sick Children.Gas (flatulence).
Cedars-Sinai.Gas in the digestive tract.
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