Hormonal changes during your period can slow digestion, causing increased gas. Shifts in estrogen and progesterone may lead to gas buildup, while prostaglandins can make your bowels contract more, resulting in gas or diarrhea. Diet changes and shifts in gut bacteria may also contribute. Cravings for salty or sweet foods can play a part as well. Read on for tips to better manage these symptoms.
Although it might be an uncomfortable topic, experiencing increased gas during your period is perfectly normal. Hormonal fluctuations play a significant role in this phenomenon, directly influencing your digestive health. As your period approaches, rising estrogen interacts with your stomach and small intestine, which can slow digestion and lead to gas or constipation.
Progesterone, another key hormone, also affects digestion speed. Before your period, higher progesterone levels slow digestion, causing gas to build up. Once your period begins and progesterone drops, digestion speeds up, sometimes resulting in diarrhea.
These hormonal changes can affect your entire digestive system. Prostaglandins, which help the uterus contract, can enter the bloodstream and cause bowel muscles to contract, leading to more gas or diarrhea. The increased activity in your colon caused by prostaglandins often results in both extra gas and looser stools.
Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen may help reduce prostaglandin levels and ease these symptoms.
Slower digestion from elevated progesterone allows food to linger in your gut, giving bacteria more time to create gas. This can cause constipation, with trapped stool allowing gas to build up. Additionally, relaxed digestive tract muscles during this time make bloating and gas more common. Gas tends to accumulate as food moves more slowly through your system. Hormonal changes during this period can also exacerbate existing gastrointestinal issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), making symptoms more pronounced. Birth control pills may help alleviate bloating during menstruation, offering some relief from these uncomfortable symptoms.
Shifts in gut bacteria during your menstrual cycle can also change the odor of your gas. These changes can increase fermentation in the colon, producing more sulfur compounds and making gas smellier. Longer stool transit time lets bacteria ferment waste even more, resulting in stronger odors.
Diet and lifestyle choices also play a part in gas production. Cravings for salty, sugary, or processed foods during your period may worsen bloating and gas. Eating foods known to cause gas, like beans or carbonated drinks, can intensify discomfort. Gut bacteria changes during periods contribute to the smell of flatulence.
Limiting salty foods and drinking plenty of water can help ease digestion and reduce bloating. If gas and bloating are severe or ongoing, it could signal issues like IBS or endometriosis, and you should talk to a healthcare provider.
Conclusion
During your period, it’s normal to have more gas because hormonal shifts can slow digestion and cause bloating. Eating smaller, frequent meals may help, and you might want to limit foods like beans and carbonated drinks that can increase gas. Staying hydrated and moving your body regularly can also ease bloating. These changes are a common part of the menstrual cycle, so you’re not alone.
