Flatulence Research
Flatulence is a condition in which an excessive amount of gas causes pressure in the colon. This is a universal condition and rarely poses a health risk. When food enters the stomach of the gastrointestinal tract, it is broken down into smaller units so that it can be digested and absorbed into the body and bloodstream from the small intestine. The items that cannot be digested are passed through to the large intestine or colon for waste and for liquid absorption. The colon is loaded with bacteria, most of which are friendly bacteria that aid digestion. Also in the colon are enzymes that will break down much of the undigested food into components that can be digested. What are left are the items that create the gases. There is usually no pain or symptoms from flatulence, but the odor is troublesome. All gases from the colon are not necessarily offensive because several of the gases have no odor, which includes nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and methane. The extremely offensive odor is from hydrogen sulfide.
Treatment in most conditions of flatulence is not a medical condition. It can be reduced in severity by eliminating foods that are indigestible for the person involved and foods that create excessive amounts of gas such as beans. A person may have trouble in digesting a certain food because the enzyme of that particular food does not develop in their gastrointestinal system. Lactase is a food that many people cannot digest. Probiotic supplements, which are large numbers of friendly bacteria that aid in digestion, will be beneficial. There are other over the counter products that help many people.
