Feeling Bloated After Meals? What Can Affect Everyday Digestive Comfort

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A meal that should be enjoyable can end with a heavy, uncomfortable stomach. It is a common experience, and it can have many different causes. This page gives a short, general overview of what is known, what people commonly try, and when it makes sense to talk to a doctor.

Common things that can contribute to gas and bloating

According to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), gas and bloating can be linked to several everyday factors:

• Swallowed air. Eating or drinking quickly, chewing gum, sucking hard candy and drinking carbonated beverages can all increase the amount of air swallowed.
• Carbohydrates that are not fully digested. Some sugars, starches and fiber reach the large intestine undigested, where gut bacteria break them down and produce gas. This is also why adding a lot of fiber at once can make some people feel more bloated.
• Food intolerances. For example, lactose or fructose intolerance can cause bloating after eating foods that contain those sugars.
• Other digestive conditions. These can include constipation, reflux (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome and others, which a health professional can evaluate.

Everyday habits people often talk about

These are general habits that people commonly discuss, not treatments, and what works for one person may not work for another:

• Eating more slowly and chewing food thoroughly.
• Keeping a simple food and symptom diary to notice patterns.
• Increasing fiber gradually rather than all at once.
• Paying attention to carbonated drinks, chewing gum and other sources of swallowed air.

When to talk to a doctor

NIDDK suggests speaking with a health care professional if gas or bloating bothers you, happens often or interferes with daily activities, if your symptoms change suddenly, or if you also have abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea or weight loss.

One presenter’s perspective

Beyond the general information above, some people like to hear different viewpoints. A short video shares one presenter’s personal perspective on everyday digestive discomfort, including why she feels common habits are not enough for some people, and a simple daily routine that she follows herself.

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Source

• NIDDK, “Symptoms & Causes of Gas in the Digestive Tract,” National Institutes of Health: niddk.nih.gov