Health

Here’s why you’re bloated — and what to do about the common digestive condition

Published

2 years ago

February 8, 2024

Here’s why you’re bloated — and what to do about the common digestive condition

Most people experience periods of bloating, which involves a tight, full feeling in the stomach that’s often combined with gas.

Although it’s very common and generally not serious, the condition can cause extensive discomfort.

Fox News Digital spoke with two gastroenterologists for more information about how to manage or prevent bloating symptoms so you can better digest the situation next time it happens to you.

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Here are details.

What exactly is bloating?

Tightness in the gut and feeling overly full are usually the first signs of bloating.

“Bloating refers to a person’s sensation of abdominal fullness,” said Leila Kia, M.D., an associate professor of medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and a spokesperson for the American Gastroenterological Association.

Tightness in the gut and feeling overly full are usually the first signs of bloating. (iStock)

“This sometimes occurs when excess air is trapped in the digestive tract, causing discomfort — though more commonly, it is due to increased awareness of normal amounts of gas,” she told Fox News Digital.

What causes bloating?

There are many different causes of bloating, including these common triggers.

Gas-producing foods

Certain foods, such as beans, lentils, cruciferous vegetables and carbonated beverages, can produce gas during digestion.

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This happens either by the fermentation of gut bacteria or by fluid being drawn into the digestive tract, said Kyle Staller, M.D., director of the GI motility laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the Boston metro area.

Lactose intolerance

Individuals diagnosed with lactose intolerance often experience bloating, gas and diarrhea after consuming dairy products, said Staller, who is also a spokesperson for the American Gastroenterological Association.

“Lactase supplements can help break down lactose, reducing these symptoms,” he said.

Certain medical conditions, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, can lead to secondary lactose intolerance.

Menstrual cycles

During women’s menstrual cycles, hormone levels — particularly estrogen and progesterone — fluctuate to regulate the process, Staller said.

During women’s menstrual cycles, hormone levels — particularly estrogen and progesterone — fluctuate to regulate the process, a GI doctor said. (iStock)

“In the days leading up to menstruation, the body retains more water, and this can contribute to bloating,” the doctor said.

Overeating or sluggish bowel movements

When someone overeats, the digestive system is tasked with handling a larger amount of food than it’s accustomed to processing.

“Imagine your digestive system as a team of workers in a factory — they are responsible for breaking down the food you eat into smaller particles, absorbing nutrients and eliminating waste,” Staller said.

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“When you eat more than your body needs, it’s like sending an overwhelming amount of work to the digestive team,” he went on.

“As a result of this excess workload, the digestive process may slow down because there’s so much food to break down, which can lead to a backlog in the digestive system.”

“When you eat more than your body needs, it’s like sending an overwhelming amount of work to the digestive team.”

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As the digestive system works harder to break down the surplus food, more gas is produced as a natural byproduct.

This excess gas can accumulate in the stomach and intestines, the doctor said.

An enlarged stomach can also put pressure on neighboring organs and structures, leading to a feeling of fullness and bloating. Constipation can also happen as a result, according to the expert.

How to reduce bloating

Lifestyle changes can help to prevent bloating from happening in the first place.

Diet modification can be effective, Staller said. He recommended identifying and limiting the foods that tend to cause gas and bloating.

As mentioned earlier, some common culprits include beans, certain vegetables, carbonated drinks and artificial sweeteners.

An enlarged stomach can also put pressure on neighboring organs and structures, leading to a feeling of fullness and bloating. (iStock)

Eating smaller, more frequent meals — and chewing food thoroughly, to reduce the amount of swallowed air — can also be helpful, according to the doctor.

Staller also recommended drinking plenty of water to help maintain regular bowel movements and prevent constipation, which can contribute to bloating.

Regular exercise can also promote healthy digestion and help alleviate bloating.

Treatments for bloating

Some over-the-counter remedies may help alleviate symptoms.

Anti-gas medications may provide relief by breaking down gas bubbles in the digestive tract, although evidence of their effectiveness is rather limited, noted Staller.

If an underlying medical condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is causing bloating, a health care professional may prescribe medications to manage symptoms.

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Fiber supplements may also be helpful, although Staller noted that “not all fiber is created equal.”

He said, “I generally recommend soluble fiber as the best for IBS, which is one of the more common causes of bloating. Soluble fiber — found in foods like oats, beans and fruits — can be beneficial for bloating.”

Over-the-counter anti-gas medications may provide relief by breaking down gas bubbles in the digestive tract, although evidence of their effectiveness is rather limited, a doctor said. (iStock)

Although fiber can help bloating, it can also cause the condition, the doctor warned.

It’s advisable to introduce fiber supplements gradually to allow the digestive system to adjust.

“Starting with a low dose and increasing it over time can help minimize potential side effects like gas and bloating,” said Staller.

What if lifestyle changes don’t help?

Although bloating is common and typically harmless, Kia from Northwestern cautioned that if symptoms don’t improve with dietary and lifestyle changes, or if there are other associated symptoms, it’s important to consult a physician.

“If a person has persistent bloating that does not improve with lifestyle or diet interventions, one may want to consider other causes,” Kia told Fox News Digital.

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“Bloating can be due to digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, or inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease),” she said.

“It can also be seen in chronic constipation, intestinal blockage, bacterial overgrowth or cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.”

Diet modification can be effective in preventing bloating, a GI doctor said. (iStock)

These conditions require specific treatments aimed at treating the underlying problem, the doctor said.

“Bloating typically improves when the underlying cause is addressed.”

It’s also important to consult a physician if bloating persists or is associated with pain, bloody stools or weight loss, she emphasized.

“Your doctor may want to order tests to determine the cause,” Kia said. “Some of these tests may include scans of the abdomen, a colonoscopy, an upper endoscopy, or blood and stool tests.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health.

Erica Lamberg is a contributing reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Heart disease threat projected to climb sharply for key demographic

Published

3 hours ago

February 27, 2026

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Heart disease threat projected to climb sharply for key demographic

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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.

The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.

More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.

The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.

As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)

Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.

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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”

“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)

Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”

The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.

The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.

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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”

Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.

Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)

Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.

The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.

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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”

“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”

“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)

“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”

The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.

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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.

“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Vanessa Williams, 62, Opens up About Weight Loss and HRT After Menopause

Published

14 hours ago

February 26, 2026

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Vanessa Williams, 62, Opens up About Weight Loss and HRT After Menopause

Vanessa Williams Opens up About Weight Loss and HRT | Woman’s World

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Health

Common vision issue linked to type of lighting used in Americans’ homes

Published

15 hours ago

February 26, 2026

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Common vision issue linked to type of lighting used in Americans’ homes

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Nearsightedness (myopia) is skyrocketing globally, with nearly half of the world’s population expected to be myopic by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.

Heavy use of smartphones and other devices is associated with an 80% higher risk of myopia when combined with excessive computer use, but a new study suggests that dim indoor lighting could also be a factor.

For years, scientists have been puzzled by the different ways myopia is triggered. In lab settings, it can be induced by blurring vision or using different lenses. Conversely, it can be slowed by something as simple as spending time outdoors, research suggests.

Nearsightedness occurs when the eyeball grows too long from front to back, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). This physical elongation causes light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it, making distant objects appear blurry.

The study suggests that myopia isn’t caused by the digital devices themselves, but by the low-light environments where they are typically used. (iStock)

Researchers at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry identified a potential specific trigger for this growth. When someone looks at a phone or a book up close, the pupil naturally constricts.

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“In bright outdoor light, the pupil constricts to protect the eye while still allowing ample light to reach the retina,” Urusha Maharjan, a SUNY Optometry doctoral student who conducted the study, said in a press release.

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“When people focus on close objects indoors, such as phones, tablets or books, the pupil can also constrict — not because of brightness, but to sharpen the image,” she went on. “In dim lighting, this combination may significantly reduce retinal illumination.”

High-intensity natural light prevents myopia because it provides enough retinal stimulation to override the “stop growing” signal, even when pupils are constricted. (iStock)

The hypothesis suggests that when the retina is deprived of light during extended close-up work, it sends a signal for the eye to grow.

In a dim environment, the narrowed pupil allows so little light through that the retinal activity isn’t strong enough to signal the eye to stop growing, the researchers found.

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In contrast, being outdoors provides light levels much brighter than indoors. This ensures that even when the pupil narrows to focus on a nearby object, the retina still receives a strong signal, maintaining healthy eye development.

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The team noted some limitations of the study, including the small subject group and the inability to directly measure internal lens changes, as the bright backgrounds used to mimic the outdoors made pupils too small for standard equipment.

Researchers believe that increasing indoor brightness during close-up work could be a simple, testable way to slow the global nearsightedness epidemic. (iStock)

“This is not a final answer,” Jose-Manuel Alonso, MD, PhD, SUNY distinguished professor and senior author of the study, said in the release.

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“But the study offers a testable hypothesis that reframes how visual habits, lighting and eye focusing interact.”

The study was published in the journal Cell Reports.

Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.