Flatulence

We all have gas or flatus in our digestive tract. This may occur from one individual to another in varying degrees. Production of gas is a natural function of the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract mainly consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach and the intestines.

The gas may have its origin in the upper digestive tract, in which case it is expelled through the mouth as a belch or a burp. When the gas occurs in the lower digestive tract it is expelled from the body through the anal opening.

Most healthy individuals pass about 1000 cc or about 40 oz of gas every day. The gas produced in the normal course of digestion is more or less odourless. It normally lasts about as long as it takes for the food to digest.

Flatulence is excessive intestinal gas

However there could be an excessive presence of gas as a result of pathology or an inappropriate diet. This condition is called flatulence. Pathology is the state of bodily changes which occur during a disease. Flatulence is marked by periodic expulsion of gas either from mouth or anus or both. The presence of excessive gas may cause pain and cramping or colic.

Cause of flatulence

Being on a diet of food products that produce gas over a long period of time may lead to inflammation of the lining of the intestinal tract. Such pathological condition leads to flatulence.

On a conservative estimate, flatulence affects one out of four adults. It is perhaps the most neglected of all body conditions.

Where does the gas come from? The digestive process in the digestive tract involves breaking down of food particles into smaller units. These broken down food particles then enter the bloodstream.

Thus carbohydrates (both simple and complex) are broken into glucose (or equivalent) molecules, proteins are broken down into amino acids, and fats are broken down into fatty acids. Gas occurs when a certain component of food does not break down completely in the stomach and small intestine. As a result of this, the food that enters the large intestine is partially undigested.

Causes of Flatulence >>