Most excess stomach gas clears up with simple changes to how you eat, what you eat, and how you move. Passing gas up to 20 times a day is normal, so the goal isn’t to eliminate gas entirely but to reduce the discomfort, bloating, and pressure that come with too much of it. The strategies below range from things you can do right now to longer-term dietary shifts that address the root cause.
Quick Physical Relief
When gas is trapped and uncomfortable, movement helps it travel through your digestive tract. A short walk is the simplest option. Even 10 to 15 minutes of gentle walking activates the muscles in your abdomen and encourages gas to move toward the exit.
Certain yoga poses work particularly well because they compress or stretch the abdomen. Wind-Relieving Pose is the most direct: lie on your back, pull both knees toward your chest, and hold for several breaths. The pressure against your lower abdomen helps push trapped gas out. Child’s Pose, where you kneel and fold forward with your arms extended, gently compresses your belly and relaxes the lower back. Happy Baby Pose (lying on your back, knees bent out to the sides, feet facing the ceiling) stretches the inner groin and flattens your lower back against the floor, which can release gas that feels stuck deep in your gut.
The “I Love U” Abdominal Massage
You can manually guide gas through your colon using a technique called the “I Love U” massage. It follows the natural path of your large intestine and takes just a few minutes. Use moderate pressure with your fingertips, always moving from right to left.
- The “I”: Stroke from your left ribcage straight down to your left hipbone. Repeat 10 times.
- The “L”: Stroke from your right ribcage across to the left, then down to your left hipbone. Repeat 10 times.
- The “U”: Start at your right hipbone, stroke up to your right ribcage, across to the left ribcage, and down to the left hipbone. Repeat 10 times.
Finish with one to two minutes of clockwise circular massage around your belly button. Doing this once daily, ideally in the shower with soap or using lotion on your fingertips, can make a noticeable difference over time.
Swallowed Air Is a Common Culprit
A surprising amount of stomach gas comes not from digestion but from air you swallow without realizing it. The Cleveland Clinic identifies several everyday habits that increase swallowed air: eating too fast, talking while eating, chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, drinking through straws, and consuming carbonated beverages. Smoking also contributes.
The fix is straightforward. Chew your food slowly and make sure you’ve swallowed one bite before taking the next. Sip from a glass instead of using a straw. Save conversation for after the meal rather than between bites. These changes feel minor, but for people whose gas is primarily in the upper stomach (causing frequent burping), they can cut the problem significantly.
Foods That Produce the Most Gas
Gas from food happens when certain carbohydrates reach your colon undigested. Your gut bacteria ferment them, and the byproduct is gas. This is completely normal biology, but some foods produce far more gas than others.
The biggest offenders are high-FODMAP foods, a category that includes beans, lentils, onions, garlic, wheat, certain fruits (apples, pears, watermelon), and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Research published in the journal Gut found that when both healthy people and those with digestive symptoms ate high-FODMAP meals, both groups experienced more gas and more abdominal discomfort. The difference is that people with sensitive guts feel it more intensely.
You don’t need to avoid all these foods permanently. Start by keeping a simple food diary for a week or two, noting what you ate and when gas became bothersome. Patterns usually emerge quickly. Once you identify your personal triggers, you can reduce portions of those specific foods rather than overhauling your entire diet.
Over-the-Counter Options That Work
Simethicone is the most widely available gas relief medication, sold under brand names you’ll find at any pharmacy. It works by merging small gas bubbles in your gut into larger ones, making it easier for trapped air to pass through your system. It doesn’t prevent gas from forming, but it relieves the pressure and bloating from gas that’s already there. It’s generally safe and acts quickly.
If your gas comes specifically from beans, root vegetables, or high-fiber foods, a digestive enzyme supplement containing alpha-galactosidase (the active ingredient in Beano) can help. It breaks down the non-absorbable fiber in these foods before it reaches your intestines, where bacteria would otherwise ferment it into gas. The key is timing: you need to take it before or at the start of the meal, not after symptoms have already begun.
For people who get gas from dairy, a lactase supplement taken before consuming milk, cheese, or ice cream works on the same principle, breaking down lactose before it can ferment.
Peppermint Oil for Ongoing Symptoms
Peppermint oil relaxes the smooth muscle in your digestive tract, which can help gas move through more easily instead of getting trapped. A 2022 review of 10 studies involving over 1,000 participants found that peppermint oil improved overall digestive symptoms and reduced abdominal pain compared to placebo. The American College of Gastroenterology now recommends it for relief of IBS symptoms.
Enteric-coated capsules are the better choice over regular peppermint oil, because the coating prevents the capsule from dissolving in your stomach (which can cause acid reflux) and delivers the oil to your intestines where it’s needed most. Peppermint tea offers milder relief and works well for occasional discomfort.
Probiotics for Long-Term Balance
If excess gas is a recurring problem rather than an occasional one, probiotics may help by shifting the balance of bacteria in your gut. Not all strains are equally useful for gas. The strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (often labeled LGG) has clinical evidence showing significant reduction in bloating, gas, and overall abdominal discomfort.
Probiotics aren’t an instant fix. Most people need several weeks of consistent daily use before noticing a difference. They work best as part of a broader approach that includes dietary changes, not as a standalone solution.
Signs That Gas May Signal Something Else
Occasional gas, even when uncomfortable, is rarely a sign of anything serious. But gas that’s accompanied by other symptoms deserves attention. Persistent abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, fever, bloody stools, or a sudden change in your gas patterns can indicate digestive conditions like celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease. If your symptoms suddenly shift or come with any of these additional signs, it’s worth getting checked out rather than continuing to manage things on your own.