Do Probiotics Make You Fart a Lot with Smell?

Farting can be so embarrassing, especially if it happens in public, in a confined smell, and everyone knows it was you who did it. Ooooops.  This makes me a bit curious whether probiotics can make you fart and if they did, will it smell bad? Also, how fast can probiotics make you fart? 

Well, studies have shown that some probiotics can actually cause farting while others help alleviate flatulence. The odor of your fart can also vary, depending on the condition of your tummy and other factors.

How can you tell which probiotics make you fart? Will it happen to all who take these probiotics?

Let’s dive in.

Does Probiotics Make You Fart?

You must be thinking, “I don’t want to be taking any probiotics only to be faced with embarrassing gas a few minutes later.”

Yeah, I get it. Nobody wants that kind of embarrassment. 

The bad news is that there really are probiotics that can make you extra gassy. 

A 2018 study published in the journal Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology showed that probiotic use, particularly with Lactobacillus bacteria species, can lead to a condition called D-lactic acidosis.

This condition might lead to gas and bloating. In the study, the symptoms improved after stopping probiotics and using antibiotics.

The good news is that the condition doesn’t appear to be a general side effect for all probiotics. Still, it can happen with other strains, not just Lactobacillus.

So, why does it happen with some probiotics?

Why Does Probiotics Make Me Fart? 

Probiotics contain bacteria or other microorganisms that are important in our gut system because they help in food digestion.

The introduction of new bacterial strains into your system could have different effects on your body.

• Faster Digestion, More Gas

First, the abundance of new strains could provide your gut with lots of new workers to digest the food more quickly. The downside to that is that the digestion process produces gas – and the faster your micro workers work inside your gut, the faster you produce gas.

I bet you get the idea.

One way to reduce gassiness is to reduce your probiotic intake. If you’ve been taking two tablets a day, try to stick to one for the next couple of days.

• Temporary Microbiome Imbalance

Second, probiotic supplements can cause a temporary imbalance in your microbiome, a 2010 study explained in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy.

Yes, the bacteria in your supplements belong in your gut, but the changes in their levels in your microbiome can trigger a temporary imbalance. The bad news for you is that even if the bacteria are good, the imbalance can lead to excessive gas.

The good news is that as things begin to level off and your system begins to accept the new bacteria as part of the normal microbiome, you might feel better soon.

Now that we know it could happen, your next worried thought is likely about whether that’s a good or bad thing. Let’s dissect that question.

• Lactose Intolerance

If you have lactose intolerance, it’s a good idea to avoid probiotics that contain milk or are based on daily products. That’s because people with lactose intolerance can’t digest lactose, a sugar in milk. According to Mayo Clinic, this can lead to gas, bloating, and diarrhea a few minutes or hours after taking a lactose-containing food, drink, or supplement.

Is Farting from Probiotics a Good Thing?

If you experience farting from probiotic use, that can actually be a good thing because it’s a sign that the supplement is working. As crazy as it might sound to you, the excess gas might actually be due to the Herx Reaction. 

It happens when dying microorganisms release toxins and various chemicals because they were defeated by your probiotics. It’s like their last-ditch effort to fight.

Thankfully, your probiotics might already be winning at this point in time. The Herx Reaction is a detox reaction.

Take note that this might also lead to flu-like symptoms, dizziness, sweating, and even fever or chills. If you’re worried, be sure to consult your doctor.

How Long after Probiotics Will I Fart?

Although it only takes a couple of hours for your probiotics to reach your gut, their effects might only be obvious after one or two weeks.

Still, some people reported that they experienced excessive farting just hours after probiotic intake.

Most people won’t experience this for more than a week or two. If the condition persists with regular probiotic intake, seek help from a certified gastroenterologist or your doctor because this could be a sign of an underlying medical condition in your gastrointestinal tract.

Do I Fart A Lot or Less After Taking Probiotics? (mechanism involved)

You’re more likely to fart a lot than less when taking probiotics that contain Lactobacillus strains.

That’s because Lactobacillus bacteria digest and ferment food with gas by-products, explains a 2021 study in the Frontiers of Nutrition journal.

These bacteria process undigested carbohydrates into SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) using a fermentation process. It is through this process that gas is produced.

You’ll be happy to know that taking probiotic supplements with the Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 strain can make you fart less. Awesome, right?

The 2021 study mentioned above explained that Bifidobacterium spp. are usually considered non-gas producers because they process food using the fructose-6-phosphate pathway, which doesn’t involve gas by-products.

Still, it makes me wonder whether probiotic-induced farts are going to smell bad or will have no scent at all. Here’s what I discovered in my research:

Do Probiotics Make Your Farts Smell? (How Bad?)

The answer is a big, resounding “No!” – and that sounds like a lot of good news to me. 

According to some users, although they noticed that they have excessive gas, the scent is actually less pungent than usual, and it might even improve and no longer smell with continued probiotic use.

What Are The Best Probiotics For Bloating And Gas?

Several studies show that the following probiotic strains are among the best for alleviating gas and bloating:

• Bacillus coagulans
• Bifidobacterium lactis HN019
• Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07
• Bifidobacterium infantis 35624
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856
• Lactobacillus plantarum LP299v
• Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM

In choosing your probiotic supplements, you can try to find products that contain these useful strains.

Probiotic Supplements I Recommend

Different probiotic supplements can have different effects on different people, but some products are truly superior to others.

Here are my top picks:

• Recommendation #1: YourBiology Gut+

YourBiology Gut+ is a probiotic supplement formulated to improve digestion and elimination but without causing IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms such as bloating, gas, or stomach upset as side effects.

This supplemental contains:

• Bifidobacterium lactis
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Lactobacillus plantarum
• Lactobacillus paracasei

As an added bonus, this probiotic can also boost your energy and focus, strengthen your immunity, improve your skin, and make you feel lighter.

• Recommendation #2: Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8

Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8 is another probiotic supplement that breaks down the food in your gut without causing gas, digestion discomfort, and IBS issues (well-documented side effects of probiotic use).

This probiotic contains:

• Lactobacillus plantarum
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Bifidobacterium bifidum
• Bifidobacterium longum
• Bifidobacterium breve
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Lactobacillus paracasei
• Lactobacillus casei
• Lactobacillus fermentum
• Saccharomyces boulardii

A probiotic designed for men, it features an added bonus of increasing muscle growth, supporting your mental well-being, boosting testosterone levels, and improving your focus.

• Recommendation #3: Nature’s Bounty Probiotic GX

Nature’s Bounty Probiotic GX is a probiotic specially formulated to alleviate occasional bloating, gassiness, and abdominal comfort.

It contains Lactobacillus plantarum 299V, a patent-pending strain studied by gastroenterologists.

FAQs

Do Probiotics Cause Bad Smelling Gas?

No. The good news is that although probiotics can cause gas, it’s likely to be less pungent and might not even smell at all.

Do Probiotics Cause Stinky Gas?

No. Foods that often cause stinky gas are those that contain high amounts of sulfur. When the gut bacteria in probiotics digest regular food, they don’t produce stinky gas as a by-product.

How Do You Know If Probiotics Are Working? (Hint: Might Involve Gas)

The funny thing about probiotics is that although they can help alleviate gas and flatulence, they can also cause gas at first. 

The excessive gas with probiotic intake can be due to several factors (discussed in-depth above):

• More “workers” to digest (but produce gas) quickly
• Temporary imbalance in your microbiome
• Lactose intolerance

Although the 2018 study I mentioned showed that stopping probiotics can help stop the excessive gas, I’d rather stick to continued intake until the symptoms go away. 

After all, most people who did experience gas from probiotics had their symptoms improve after a week or two of continued use.

Conclusion

So, do probiotics make you fart? The answer is yes. And no. Probiotics are living microorganisms that line your gut and help with digestion. When they enter the large intestine, they start to break down food and release gas as a by-product. This gas can cause bloating, cramping, and flatulence.

However, not everyone experiences these symptoms when taking probiotics.

In fact, some people report feeling better after taking them. If you’re experiencing uncomfortable and uneasy side effects from probiotics, try decreasing the dose or switching to a different product until you find one that works for you.

But most importantly, make sure you work closely with your medical advisor or a professional when starting a new supplement or changing to a new one.