Why Do I Fart When I Walk?

Medically reviewed by Kumkum S. Patel MD, MPH

You may notice you tend to fart when you walk. Passing gas is how the body gets rid of gas and air trapped in the digestive system. Walking and other physical activity can aid digestion, and producing farts is a normal function of an active digestive tract.

While farting during a walk can be embarrassing, some people embrace the benefits. The term "fart walk" has found its way into the social conversation as people tout taking a walk to reduce bloating and trapped air.

This article discusses why it's normal to fart while walking, what causes flatulence, ways to reduce excessive flatulence, and the benefits of walking on digestion.

Is It Normal to Fart While Walking?

Estimates vary, but most people fart anywhere from six to 20 times each day. Farting is a normal part of digestion, and it's common for people to fart when walking.

Farting is one of two ways to get rid of the air trapped in your body. The other is belching.

The reason farts can be smelly (and belching is not) is that the gas that builds up in your intestines from gut bacteria contains sulfur, which has a distinctive and unpleasant odor. About half of the gas in flatulence is nitrogen, while hydrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, methane, and sulfur make up the rest.

For some people, farting can be socially embarrassing. They become self-conscious while engaging in healthy exercise around others, including when walking on a treadmill at the gym or outdoors, with friends.

You can try to normalize farting in these circumstances by ignoring it when you or others fart. You might also feel comfortable making a small joke or offering a quick apology. Try not to let this normal body function keep you from getting healthy physical activity.

What Causes Farting While Walking?

The body creates gas as it breaks down foods in the large intestine. Movement increases digestion by stimulating muscle contractions in the intestine, which carry food along the intestinal tract and air and gas with it.

The more active your system, the more you may fart to get rid of the gas. Nearly any kind of exercise or activity can have the same effect.

There are a few behaviors that can increase the amount of air in your body, which will increase farts, including:

• Chewing gum

• Gulping liquids

• Sucking on hard candy

• Swallowing air

Eating foods that contain a lot of fiber or ferment in the body can also add to farting. These foods are only partly digested in the small intestine, leaving more work for the large intestine, where the gas is produced. Some of these foods produce particularly smelly gas, including:

• Asparagus

• Beans

• Cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables

• Coffee

• Dairy products, including milk and yogurt, especially in lactose-intolerant people

• Eggs

• Onions

Some medications can also increase flatulence, including:

• Antacids

• Antidiarrheal medicines

• Aspirin

• Fiber supplements

• Multivitamins and iron supplements

• Opioids

How Can I Prevent Excessive Farting When Walking?

If you feel like you are farting more than you can deal with, here are some tips to employ:

• Chew your food slowly and thoroughly.
  

• Don't chew gum.

• Avoid drinking carbonated liquids.

• Avoid using straws, which increase the amount of air you take in.

Some types of food may also lead to more gas production, and you might want to wait to consume them until after your workout:

• Foods containing hard-to-digest carbs, including FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), such as wheat, beans, and some fruits and vegetables

• Dairy foods containing lactose

As these foods can be beneficial, it's best not to entirely eliminate whole categories of foods from your diet. Talk to a healthcare provider about your digestive concerns and to a registered dietitian to ensure you are getting a healthy diet.

When to See a Healthcare Provider for Gas

Sometimes, gas can be connected to digestive disorders. If you notice changes in your digestion, including an increase in flatulence, farts that smell very strong, farts with severe abdominal pain, bloody or oily stool, or diarrhea or constipation that doesn't go away, see a healthcare provider.

Can Taking a Walk Help With Digestion?

Taking a walk after you eat can help you digest food by stimulating your digestive system. Even a 10- or 15-minute stroll can help avoid bloating, which is due to gas in your body.

Social media "fart walk" claims of improved digestion came from people who eat a fiber-heavy diet and found that walking helped them. Activity does increase digestive activity in the body, which may alleviate minor gastrointestinal concerns.

Summary

You may fart when you walk because physical activity stimulates the digestive system. Trapped gas and air moves through your digestive system and is released through either farting or belching. Walking can be good for your digestion, and farting is a normal bodily process.

If you notice changes in your digestion, including increased farting and intestinal distress, contact a healthcare provider.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.