Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIs It Normal?CausesPreventing Excessive GasFart Walk Benefits
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Is It Normal?
Causes
Preventing Excessive Gas
Fart Walk Benefits
You may notice you tend to fart when you walk.Passing gasis how the body gets rid of gas and air trapped in the digestive system. Walking and other physical activity can aid digestion, and producing farts is a normal function of an active digestive tract.
While farting during a walk can be embarrassing, some people embrace the benefits. The term “fart walk” has found its way into the social conversation as people tout taking a walk to reduce bloating and trapped air.
This article discusses why it’s normal to fart while walking, what causes flatulence, ways to reduce excessive flatulence, and thebenefits of walkingon digestion.
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Is It Normal to Fart While Walking?
Estimates vary, but most people fart anywhere from six to 20 times each day.Farting is a normal part of digestion, and it’s common for people to fart when walking.
Farting is one of two ways to get rid of the air trapped in your body. The other is belching.
The reason farts can be smelly (and belching is not) is that the gas that builds up in your intestines from gut bacteria contains sulfur, which has a distinctive and unpleasant odor. About half of the gas in flatulence is nitrogen, while hydrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, methane, and sulfur make up the rest.
For some people, farting can be socially embarrassing. They become self-conscious while engaging in healthy exercise around others, including when walking on a treadmill at the gym or outdoors, with friends.
A Word From VerywellFarting is a good sign that your intestines are moving appropriately and removing excess gas. Farting is a sign of good gut motility.—KUMKUM PATEL, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Farting is a good sign that your intestines are moving appropriately and removing excess gas. Farting is a sign of good gut motility.—KUMKUM PATEL, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Farting is a good sign that your intestines are moving appropriately and removing excess gas. Farting is a sign of good gut motility.
—KUMKUM PATEL, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
What Causes Farting While Walking?
The more active your system, the more you may fart to get rid of the gas. Nearly any kind of exercise or activity can have the same effect.
There are a few behaviors that can increase the amount of air in your body, which will increase farts, including:
Eating foodsthat contain a lot of fiber or ferment in the body can also add to farting. These foods are only partly digested in the small intestine, leaving more work for the large intestine, where the gas is produced. Some of these foods produce particularly smelly gas, including:
Some medications can also increase flatulence, including:
Walking After Eating: A Proven Strategy for Better Gut Health
How Can I Prevent Excessive Farting When Walking?
If you feel like you are farting more than you can deal with, here are some tips to employ:
Some types of food may also lead to more gas production, and you might want to wait to consume them until after your workout:
As these foods can be beneficial, it’s best not to entirely eliminate whole categories of foods from your diet. Talk to a healthcare provider about your digestive concerns and to a registered dietitian to ensure you are getting a healthy diet.
When to See a Healthcare Provider for GasSometimes,gas can be connected to digestive disorders. If you notice changes in your digestion, including an increase in flatulence, farts that smell very strong, farts with severe abdominal pain, bloody or oily stool, or diarrhea or constipation that doesn’t go away, see a healthcare provider.
When to See a Healthcare Provider for Gas
Sometimes,gas can be connected to digestive disorders. If you notice changes in your digestion, including an increase in flatulence, farts that smell very strong, farts with severe abdominal pain, bloody or oily stool, or diarrhea or constipation that doesn’t go away, see a healthcare provider.
Can Taking a Walk Help With Digestion?
Social media “fart walk” claims of improved digestion came from people who eat a fiber-heavy diet and found that walking helped them. Activity does increase digestive activity in the body, which may alleviate minor gastrointestinal concerns.
Does Farting Burn Calories?
Summary
You may fart when you walk because physical activity stimulates the digestive system. Trapped gas and air moves through your digestive system and is released through either farting or belching. Walking can be good for your digestion, and farting is a normal bodily process.
If you notice changes in your digestion, including increased farting and intestinal distress, contact a healthcare provider.
7 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.Unity Point Heath.The truth about gas.American College of Gastroenterology.Belching, bloating, and flatulence overview. January, 2022.Giddens S.Flatulence: everything you wanted to know about farting. Houston Methodist. October 13, 2020.My Health Alberta.Medicines or vitamins that can cause gas, bloating, or burping. March 1, 2023.MedlinePlus.Gas - flatulence. May 4, 2022.Johns Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of gas pain.Hamaguchi T, Tayama J, Suzuki M, et al.The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: an observational study.PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0234089. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234089
7 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.Unity Point Heath.The truth about gas.American College of Gastroenterology.Belching, bloating, and flatulence overview. January, 2022.Giddens S.Flatulence: everything you wanted to know about farting. Houston Methodist. October 13, 2020.My Health Alberta.Medicines or vitamins that can cause gas, bloating, or burping. March 1, 2023.MedlinePlus.Gas - flatulence. May 4, 2022.Johns Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of gas pain.Hamaguchi T, Tayama J, Suzuki M, et al.The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: an observational study.PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0234089. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234089
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.
Unity Point Heath.The truth about gas.American College of Gastroenterology.Belching, bloating, and flatulence overview. January, 2022.Giddens S.Flatulence: everything you wanted to know about farting. Houston Methodist. October 13, 2020.My Health Alberta.Medicines or vitamins that can cause gas, bloating, or burping. March 1, 2023.MedlinePlus.Gas - flatulence. May 4, 2022.Johns Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of gas pain.Hamaguchi T, Tayama J, Suzuki M, et al.The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: an observational study.PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0234089. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234089
Unity Point Heath.The truth about gas.
American College of Gastroenterology.Belching, bloating, and flatulence overview. January, 2022.
Giddens S.Flatulence: everything you wanted to know about farting. Houston Methodist. October 13, 2020.
My Health Alberta.Medicines or vitamins that can cause gas, bloating, or burping. March 1, 2023.
MedlinePlus.Gas - flatulence. May 4, 2022.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of gas pain.
Hamaguchi T, Tayama J, Suzuki M, et al.The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: an observational study.PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0234089. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234089
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