How to Stop Farting: Natural Remedies for Gas

Health & Wellness

If you’re googling this at 11 p.m. because you’ve farted your way through three meetings today, you’re not broken, and you’re not alone. “How to stop farting” is one of the most searched digestive-health questions there is, which tells you two things: excess gas is extremely common, and most people trying to fix it are throwing remedies at the problem without knowing which ones actually do anything. Some of what’s sold as a gas cure barely outperforms a placebo. Some genuinely works, but only for specific triggers. And the goal itself needs a small correction before you start: you’re not trying to stop farting entirely, you’re trying to bring an uncomfortable amount back down to a normal one. Here’s what the evidence actually supports, in order of how much it’s likely to help.

Quick answer

Most excess gas responds to a combination of three things: cutting back on your specific trigger foods (often beans, cruciferous vegetables, dairy, sugar-free sweeteners, carbonated drinks, or high-FODMAP foods), slowing down how you eat and drink to swallow less air, and adding fiber back gradually rather than all at once if you recently increased it. Over-the-counter options like simethicone (Gas-X) and alpha-galactosidase (Beano) can help with specific situations but aren’t universal fixes, and some, like activated charcoal capsules, have weak evidence behind them. Gentle movement after meals and, for some people, targeted probiotics can help modestly. If gas is severe, constant, or paired with pain, weight loss, or changes in bowel habits, that’s a signal to see a doctor rather than keep experimenting with remedies, since a treatable underlying condition may be driving it.

First, a reality check: some gas is healthy

Before changing anything, it’s worth resetting the goal. Passing gas is a normal, expected byproduct of digestion, and according to Cleveland Clinic, most people do it somewhere between 10 and 20 times a day without anything being wrong. That gas is largely generated by the trillions of bacteria in your large intestine fermenting fiber and other carbohydrates your small intestine couldn’t fully break down, the same bacterial activity that’s associated with a healthy, diverse gut microbiome. A completely gas-free digestive system isn’t a realistic or even a desirable target; if anything, a sudden drop to near-zero gas after a big diet change (like cutting fiber drastically) can be a sign you’ve overcorrected.

The more useful goal is reducing gas that’s excessive relative to your own baseline, or that comes with bloating, pain, or embarrassment, not eliminating a normal bodily function. With that framing, the remedies below are about turning the volume down, not off.

Start with diet: find and reduce your specific triggers

Diet is the single biggest lever most people have, and it’s also the most individual one. The same food can be a non-issue for one person and a major trigger for another, so the first real step isn’t a strict elimination diet, it’s identification. Mayo Clinic recommends removing one suspected trigger food at a time for a few days to see whether symptoms improve, rather than cutting everything at once and guessing which change actually worked.

The most common dietary triggers, according to Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, include:

Beans, lentils, and peas. High in raffinose, a complex sugar your small intestine can’t break down, so it passes to the colon where bacteria ferment it into gas.
Cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts contain fermentable fiber and sulfur compounds that increase both gas volume and, often, its odor.
Dairy, if you’re lactose intolerant. Undigested lactose reaches the colon and ferments, producing gas, bloating, and sometimes diarrhea. This is worth testing for specifically rather than assuming.
Sugar-free foods and drinks. Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol are poorly absorbed and reliably gas-producing; they’re common in sugar-free gum, candy, and “diet” products.
Carbonated drinks and beer. These add carbon dioxide gas directly, on top of any fermentation-driven gas from other ingredients.
High-FODMAP foods generally. A broader category covered in more detail below, including certain fruits, wheat, onions, and garlic.
Fatty and fried foods. Fat slows digestion, which gives bacteria more time to ferment whatever’s left in your gut, according to Mayo Clinic.

None of these foods need to be avoided forever. For most people, moderating portion size and frequency, rather than full elimination, is enough to bring gas down to a tolerable level while keeping the fiber and nutrients those foods provide.

The low-FODMAP approach, and when it’s worth trying

FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) are a group of short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and rapidly fermented by gut bacteria, producing gas as a direct byproduct. Mayo Clinic Press and Johns Hopkins Medicine both describe the low-FODMAP diet as a structured elimination-and-reintroduction plan, originally developed for irritable bowel syndrome, that temporarily removes high-FODMAP foods (certain fruits like apples and pears, wheat, onions, garlic, legumes, and dairy) for several weeks, then reintroduces them one category at a time to identify which specific ones a person reacts to.

It’s not meant to be a permanent way of eating, and it’s most strongly supported for people with IBS-related gas and bloating rather than as a general anti-gas diet for everyone. Because it’s restrictive and can affect fiber and nutrient intake if followed loosely, both Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins recommend doing it under the guidance of a registered dietitian, at least for the elimination phase, rather than freelancing it long-term based on a food list alone.

Add fiber back gradually, not all at once

One of the more common self-inflicted causes of excess gas is a sudden jump in fiber intake, whether from a new health kick, a fiber supplement, or a big increase in vegetables and whole grains. Mayo Clinic specifically advises increasing fiber slowly, giving your gut bacteria time to adjust, rather than making the change all at once, since a rapid increase can spike gas and bloating even from foods that are otherwise beneficial. If you’ve recently added a fiber supplement, more high-fiber grains, or a lot more vegetables and noticed a jump in gas, scaling that increase back over a few weeks, alongside adequate water intake, is often enough to let symptoms settle without abandoning the fiber altogether.

Eating habits: reduce the air you swallow

Not all gas comes from fermentation. A meaningful portion of the average person’s gas is simply swallowed air (mostly odorless nitrogen and oxygen), and how you eat and drink directly controls how much of it you take in. Mayo Clinic and the NHS both point to the same core habits:

Eat and drink slowly. Rushing a meal means swallowing more air along with your food; taking your time reduces this significantly.
Chew with your mouth closed, and chew thoroughly. Talking while chewing and gulping down poorly chewed food both increase air intake.
Skip straws. Drinking through a straw pulls in extra air with every sip.
Cut back on gum and hard candy. Both increase the rate of swallowing, and gum specifically increases swallowed air throughout the day.
Go easy on carbonated drinks. Sodas, sparkling water, and beer introduce carbon dioxide gas directly into your digestive tract.
Try smaller, more frequent meals. The NHS suggests this over a few large meals a day, since a very large single meal gives your gut more to ferment at once and can worsen bloating and gas.

These changes won’t fix a genuine food intolerance, but they reliably reduce the “volume” side of gas, the swallowed-air component, which is often a bigger factor than people assume, especially for anyone who eats at their desk, talks a lot during meals, or drinks a lot of fizzy or bottled beverages.

Over-the-counter options: what each one actually does

The gas-relief aisle has several genuinely different products, and they don’t all work the same way or have the same evidence behind them. Here’s what the research and major medical sources actually say about each.

Option	How it works	What the evidence shows
Simethicone (Gas-X, Mylanta Gas)	Breaks down small gas bubbles into larger ones that are easier to pass, reducing bloating and pressure	Some evidence for indigestion-related bloating and post-procedure gas after colonoscopy prep; Mayo Clinic notes it “lacks proven efficacy” for general flatulence specifically, though many users report relief. It does not stop gas from forming.
Alpha-galactosidase (Beano)	An enzyme, taken before eating, that helps break down the fermentable sugars (raffinose) in beans and some vegetables before gut bacteria can	An early double-blind crossover study found it can reduce gas from bean-based meals; effects are specific to raffinose-containing foods and won’t help with dairy, sweeteners, or other gas triggers.
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol)	Binds sulfur gases in the colon	A controlled study published in the journal Gastroenterology found it can bind more than 95% of hydrogen sulfide gas, useful mainly for reducing odor; best used occasionally rather than daily due to salicylate exposure.
Activated charcoal (oral capsules)	Claimed to adsorb gas in the digestive tract	Weak, inconsistent evidence for oral capsules; external charcoal-lined pads or cushions have better evidence for absorbing odor after gas is released than oral charcoal does for reducing gas itself.
Lactase supplements (Lactaid, Dairy Ease)	Supplies the enzyme lactose-intolerant people lack, so dairy sugar is digested before it reaches the colon	Well-supported for lactose intolerance specifically; irrelevant if lactose isn’t your trigger.

The practical takeaway: match the product to the likely cause. Beano before a bean-heavy meal, lactase before dairy, simethicone for general bloating discomfort, and bismuth subsalicylate occasionally when odor is the main concern rather than volume. None of them is a daily cure-all, and none replaces figuring out your actual trigger foods.

Probiotics and gut health: modest, strain-specific evidence

Probiotics are popular for gas, but the evidence is more nuanced than the marketing suggests. Reviews of probiotics for IBS-related symptoms generally describe the evidence as mixed and dependent on the specific strain used, rather than a blanket effect from “probiotics” as a category. Small clinical studies have found benefits with specific combinations: one non-randomized clinical trial found that a mix of several Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, taken daily for 60 days, was associated with a significant reduction in flatulence, linked to a drop in gas-producing methane-generating microbes in the gut. That’s a genuine, published finding, but it came from a small study without a placebo control, so it should be read as encouraging rather than definitive.

The honest summary: certain probiotic strains may help some people with gas over several weeks of consistent use, effects vary by strain and by individual gut microbiome, and probiotics are not a fast or guaranteed fix. If you try one, give it several weeks, track whether symptoms actually change, and don’t expect it to override a diet that’s heavy in your personal trigger foods.

Physical remedies: movement, yoga, and massage

Movement is one of the more consistently recommended, lowest-risk options. Mayo Clinic suggests taking a short walk after eating as part of managing gas and bloating, and Cleveland Clinic recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days as part of preventing excess gas, partly because regular activity helps prevent the constipation that can make gas worse. A short, easy walk after a meal, sometimes nicknamed a “fart walk” online, is a low-effort habit with solid general-health backing, even if it hasn’t been rigorously tested as a gas treatment in isolation.

Certain yoga poses, like knees-to-chest, wind-relieving pose (Pawanmuktasana), and gentle twists, are widely recommended in wellness and yoga literature for easing trapped gas by applying gentle pressure to the abdomen and encouraging movement through the digestive tract. It’s worth being honest about the evidence level here: this is based on anecdotal and traditional use rather than controlled clinical trials, so think of it as a low-risk comfort measure rather than a proven remedy. The same goes for gentle clockwise abdominal massage, which some physiotherapy and bowel-management resources suggest can help ease trapped gas along the natural direction of the colon; it’s safe for most people to try but isn’t backed by strong research specifically for reducing gas frequency.

When remedies aren’t enough: underlying conditions worth ruling out

If you’ve adjusted diet, slowed down eating, tried appropriate OTC options, and stayed active for a few weeks without meaningful improvement, that’s a reasonable point to talk to a doctor rather than keep cycling through remedies. Persistent excess gas can be a symptom of an underlying, treatable condition rather than something that just needs the right home remedy. Cleveland Clinic and the NHS both point to lactose intolerance, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and chronic constipation as common medical causes, each of which has its own specific test (a hydrogen breath test for lactose intolerance or SIBO, blood and biopsy testing for celiac disease) and its own targeted treatment that generic gas remedies won’t address. We cover these underlying causes and what drives excessive gas frequency in more depth in our companion guide on why you might be gassy so often; this article focuses specifically on what to do about it.

See a doctor sooner, rather than trying more remedies first, if excess gas comes with abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, blood in your stool, persistent diarrhea or constipation, or if it started suddenly after starting a new medication.

A quick note on trapped gas relief vs. reducing gas overall

It’s worth separating two different goals that sometimes get lumped together. This guide is about reducing how much excess gas you produce overall, through diet, habits, and gut health. A separate, more immediate need is relieving trapped gas that’s already causing pain right now, which is where deliberately encouraging yourself to pass gas (through certain positions or movement) is actually the goal rather than something to avoid. If that’s what you’re dealing with in the moment, that’s a different guide with the opposite short-term aim, so look for content on relieving trapped gas specifically rather than applying the reduction strategies here.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you experience persistent, severe, or worsening gas, especially alongside pain, weight loss, or blood in your stool, see a doctor to identify the underlying cause.

Frequently asked questions

How can I stop farting so much?

Start by identifying and cutting back on your personal trigger foods (common ones include beans, cruciferous vegetables, dairy, sugar-free sweeteners, and carbonated drinks), eat and drink more slowly to swallow less air, and add fiber back gradually if you’ve recently increased it. If those changes don’t bring meaningful improvement after a few weeks, see a doctor to check for an underlying cause like lactose intolerance, celiac disease, or SIBO.

Does Gas-X actually stop farting?

Simethicone, the active ingredient in Gas-X, breaks down small gas bubbles into larger ones that are easier to pass, which can ease bloating and pressure. Mayo Clinic notes it lacks strong proven efficacy for flatulence specifically, though many people report relief, and importantly, it doesn’t prevent gas from forming in the first place.

What foods should I avoid to reduce gas?

The most common triggers are beans and lentils, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, dairy if you’re lactose intolerant, sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol) in sugar-free products, carbonated drinks and beer, and high-FODMAP foods generally. Removing one at a time for a few days is the most reliable way to identify which ones actually affect you.

Can probiotics help with excessive gas?

Some specific probiotic strains have shown modest benefits for gas in small studies, including one trial linking a multi-strain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium combination to reduced flatulence over 60 days. Evidence is strain-specific and generally comes from small studies, so results vary by person and it isn’t a fast or guaranteed fix.

Is it healthy to try to stop farting completely?

No. Passing gas 10 to 20 times a day is normal and reflects healthy digestion and gut bacteria activity, according to Cleveland Clinic. The realistic goal is reducing excess or uncomfortable gas, not eliminating a normal bodily function entirely.

Does walking after eating help with gas?

It can. Mayo Clinic recommends a short walk after eating as part of managing gas and bloating, and Cleveland Clinic recommends regular exercise generally to help prevent excess gas, partly by helping prevent constipation. It’s a low-risk habit worth adding alongside dietary changes.

What is the low-FODMAP diet and does it help with gas?

FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates (found in foods like wheat, onions, garlic, certain fruits, and legumes) that are poorly absorbed and rapidly fermented by gut bacteria, producing gas. The low-FODMAP diet, an elimination-and-reintroduction plan best done with a dietitian, has the strongest evidence for people with IBS-related gas and bloating rather than as a general first step for everyone.

Can Pepto-Bismol help with gas?

Bismuth subsalicylate, the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol, has been shown in a controlled study to bind more than 95% of hydrogen sulfide gas in the colon, which mainly helps with odor rather than gas volume. Because of salicylate exposure, it’s best used occasionally rather than as a daily long-term remedy; check with a pharmacist first.

How long does it take for dietary changes to reduce gas?

Many people notice a difference within a few days to about two weeks of removing a specific trigger food, since gut bacteria adjust relatively quickly once the fermentable material driving the gas is reduced. If you’re reintroducing fiber gradually, give it several weeks for your gut bacteria to adapt before judging whether it’s working.

When should I see a doctor about gas instead of using home remedies?

See a doctor if excess gas persists after a few weeks of dietary and lifestyle changes, or if it comes with abdominal pain, bloating, unexplained weight loss, blood in your stool, or persistent diarrhea or constipation. These can point to conditions like lactose intolerance, celiac disease, IBS, or SIBO that need specific testing and treatment rather than general remedies.

How to stop excessive farting if it started suddenly?

A sudden increase in gas is often traceable to a recent change: a new medication, a jump in fiber or fiber-supplement intake, more sugar-free products, or a new intolerance developing. Reviewing recent changes to diet and medications with your doctor, rather than assuming it’s random, is the fastest way to identify the actual cause.

References

Related Guides

Everydaything

How to Stop Farting: Natural Remedies for Excess Gas