Any biological or medical reasons why people fart?

Question

Do people fart more when they get older?

Answer 1

Farts are a byproduct of digestion! Farts are perfectly normal.

And as a person grows older, farting does become more pronounced. This is because the digestion process becomes less efficient as we age and farting is part of it.

As we age our bodies don't absorb nutrition as well as when we were younger. The farts are the result of the undigested food fermenting and making gas.

A little fermentation is okay, but if it happens too often over a long period of time you become malnourished even though you might be eating good foods.

That is why taking supplements like Beano before meals with beans, and Lactaid with dairy is important for older folks and those with bean sensitivity and lactose insensitivity.

Papaya enzyme also helps digestion and ease "farts". A nutritional supplements store has other digestion aids that can make digestion more efficient and reduce the frequency.

Answer 2

http://www.medicinenet.com/intestinal_gas_belching_bloating_flatulence/page5.htm
This is a very informative site on flatulence.

For older people, there could be many reasons for more flatulence. One is that some of them cannot chew their food completely due to dentures or medical problems, some have digestive issues or are taking medications that can cause digestive problems.
Another reason could be that they just have some trouble holding it in in public - where we would notice it more, giving some the impression that they fart more, when it may not be the case.

There are TONS of other reasons, but these are the ones that came to my mind first.

Answer 3

Many times, people fart due to the food that they have eaten. Bean and other legumes are notorious for making people fart, hence the rhymes.

Allergies to food or drink can also make people fart, due to enzyme responses and gas build-ups. Milk in lactose-intolerant people is a common cause of flatulence. Beer also makes me fart sometimes.

Also, if you eat fast, or otherwise gulp down lots of air into your digestive system, it usually comes out as a belch, a fart or both.

Answer 4

Has nothing to do with age or gender. It has everything to do with what we eat. Everyone's system is different and breaks down food differently. Some cannot handle beans as well as others, some have no effect others have a bad effect. MSG also reacts differently in others and causes gas in most. It is usually a sign of an impending trip to the washroom. Guys tend to show off their small explosions whereas girls tend to be more polite and seek out the nearest washroom. Many foods beginning with "B" cause gas. Beans, bananas, brussel sprouts etc.

Answer 5

Haven't you ever watched Nickelodeon? They have fart commercials that explain this all.

Answer 6

I believe its the food that we eat but we all do it. it should not be held in for too long or we can blow up! :)