If you suffer from painful gas or bloating, you might be able to alleviate your symptoms by taking probiotic supplements. One common cause of this ailment is having an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in your digestive tract. Probiotics add beneficial bacteria to your digestive tract, which work in harmony with your body, rather than against it.
More than 30 percent of people report experiencing bloating regularly, 10-15% have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and at least 40% of people worldwide experience some form of FGID or Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder.
While developing small amounts of gas is quite normal, and everyone experiences it, gas and gas pain can be worse and more persistent for people suffering from GI disorders. It’s the same with bloating: for some people, it’s mild and merely a nuisance, but for others, it is painful and interferes with daily life. While scientists know what causes gas, there is no conclusion about what truly causes bloating and no pharmaceutical cure. Frequent and ongoing gas and bloat is often a sign that something is out of balance with your gut health.
Recent research has pointed more and more to imbalances in the gut microbiome as the culprit of many gastrointestinal issues.
The balance between healthy bacteria and harmful bacteria in your digestive tract is all-important. When the microbiome is balanced and the number of beneficial bacteria outweighs the number of bad bacteria, the digestive system will function properly.
But when there are too many pathogens and unwanted microorganisms in the gut, gas and bloating may be among the first warning signs. Depression, weight gain, and IBS, among other things, have also been linked to changes in the gut flora. And due to years of processed food, heavy antibiotic use, and stressful lifestyles, many—if not most of us—need help repairing our gut!
One important thing to note: researchers have identified that bloating (the feeling of swelling in your abdomen) is not the same thing as distention (actual expansion of the abdomen). We’ll use bloating and distention interchangeably because even most physicians do the same, and they’ll understand if you describe distention as bloating.
What Can Cause Gas and Bloating in the Stomach and Digestive System?
Gas and bloating can happen for more reasons than you might think. Excess gas is the primary cause of flatulence and a distended belly.
This gas can result from an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut, your diet and ability to digest the food you eat, and even how you eat. Certain health conditions like IBS and inflammatory bowel disease may lead to bloat. Weak abdominal muscles, slow digestion, stress, anxiety, and hormones can also play a role.
Dysbiosis
Gut dysbiosis refers to the condition when the composition of microbes in the gut is out of balance. A healthy gut has a balance and diversity of bacteria. Many health issues, including gas and bloating, tend to begin with an imbalance in the gut microbiome.
It has been shown that there is a distinct difference in the number and type of bacterial strains in people who have a healthy gut versus in those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and bloat.
Scientists hypothesize that these bacteria produce excessive gas, leading to bloating and distention, something called abnormal intraluminal fermentation.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, is a type of dysbiosis with even higher levels of bad bacteria, located not only in the colon but in the small intestine.
Just as with dysbiosis and irritable bowel syndrome, there are also distinct differences in the gut bacteria of patients with SIBO with bloating versus Healthy Controls. SIBO is also strongly associated with IBS, with some studies showing an up to 78% correlation.
Constipation or IBS
It’s not always an overabundance of gas in the system that leads to bloating, but rather holding on to it for too long.
People suffering from constipation have slow digestion, being unable to process food as quickly as others do. This leads to a back-up in their digestive tract that can cause the body not to be able to expel gas, resulting in the feeling of bloating and abdominal distention. Some studies have shown that unhealthy gut bacteria are actually the cause of slow digestion.
