It’s a problem we all face from time to time, but don’t want to talk about: flatulence. Now, a doctor who specializes in gut health has offered a surprisingly simple solution.
Gastroenterologist Dr. Trisha Pasricha, from Harvard Medical School, offered tips for anyone who wanted to “avoid offending people with a poorly timed fart.”
The cure, she said, is the over-the-counter pink liquid, Pepto Bismol. Or, more specifically, the active ingredient in the heartburn medication: bismuth subsalicylate.
In a video seen tens of thousands of times on Instagram, Dr. Pasricha said the treatment has been shown to “reduce 95 percent of sulfide-containing gases and reduce symptoms of flatulence.”
However, the drug – which is available from online pharmacies – is not entirely without risk. Dr. Pasricha warned that it should be taken in moderation as research has shown it has toxic effects at high doses.
“But if you are just trying to ease your social discomfort for a day or two, take one dose by mouth up to four times a day beforehand,” she said.
Dr. Pasricha said those going on a flight may also want to consider this, to counteract the effect of cabin pressure on our internal gases.
As altitude increases, your intestinal gas expands due to the drop in air pressure, she explained, adding, “At that point, there’s really only one place for it to go.”
A mixture called bismuth subsalicylate, better known by the over-the-counter brand Pepto-Bismol (pictured), a drug designed to treat heartburn and acid reflux, is a recommended solution to reduce farting by gastroenterologist Dr. Trisha Pasricha
The NHS also advises people to eat smaller meals, drink and chew slowly, exercise regularly and drink peppermint tea to reduce excessive or smelly farts.
Dr. Pasricha noted that only one percent of the intestinal gas released during a fart is responsible for the unpleasant odor.
“99 percent of our intestinal gas is odorless gases such as nitrogen, methane and carbon dioxide,” she said.
‘Only one percent contains sulphur, and it is that sulphurous gas that makes farts smell so bad.’
Although farting, medically known as flatulence, is a normal biological function, in rare cases excessive or particularly smelly gas bursts can be a sign of something more serious, such as inflammatory bowel disease or even colon cancer.
What’s normal when it comes to flatulence varies from person to person, with Dr Pasricha suggesting farting ten to twenty times a day.
But the NHS advises people to seek medical advice from their GP if they notice a persistent change in their flatulence that worries them.