6 reasons why you have so much gas — from foods you eat to bacterial imbalances

• Having excessive gas could be a sign of IBS or IBD, conditions that affect your intestine.
• Eating beans, broccoli, onions, Brussels sprouts, and more could also cause gas and bloating.

Passing gas is a normal part of most people's daily lives. In fact, the average person does so about 13 to 21 times a day, though this can vary based on your diet and activity level.

Therefore, diagnosing excessive flatulence is difficult since it can vary widely from person to person and there's no standard for what's normal, says Dr. Kaunteya Reddy, medical director of gastroenterology at Redlands Community Hospital.

But generally speaking, passing gas more than 25 times a day could be considered excessive flatulence and be a sign of an underlying medical condition, Reddy says.

Here are six reasons why you may be experiencing excessive gas and what you can do about it.

1. Your diet

What you eat plays a major role in the development of gas and bloating, says Dr. Charles V. Welden IV, a gastroenterologist with Gastro Health.

Flatulence is a normal part of the digestive system. The bacteria in your gut create different gasses as they break down food. However, there are some foods and drinks that may trigger more gas and bloating than others, Welden says.

These include:

• Beans
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Cauliflower
• Onions
• Brussel sprouts
• Carbonated beverages
• Sorbitol, which is a sugar substitute found in some candies and gums

What to do: If you notice you feel more bloated and gassy after eating these foods (or any food), it can be helpful to keep a food diary of what you eat throughout the day to identify triggers, Welden says.

You can then take this information to your doctor and discuss what foods to avoid. Your doctor may also recommend a diet known as low FODMAP, which limits consumption of gas-producing foods, like beans, asparagus, and apples, that can aggravate the gut while encouraging the consumption of other kinds of foods that don't produce as much gas, like eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, rice, and strawberries.

2. Celiac disease

Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder triggered by eating gluten, which causes an immune reaction in the small intestine.

This immune reaction can damage the small intestine and cause malabsorption of certain nutrients, resulting in some uncomfortable symptoms, such as:

• Bloating
• Excessive flatulence
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• Weight loss

Foods that contain gluten include wheat products, like bread, pasta, pastries, and crackers. Some wheat alternatives, like rye and barley, also contain gluten.

Celiac disease is usually diagnosed with a combination of blood tests and an endoscopy, which involves placing a small camera in the small intestine so your doctor can analyze your digestive tract.

What to do: If you experience these symptoms after eating gluten, or if you experience diarrhea and digestive discomfort for more than two weeks, consult your doctor.

Most people can manage celiac disease by adhering to a gluten-free diet, says Dr. Chaim Ross, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health. Your doctor may suggest meeting with a dietitian to discuss how to cut gluten out of your diet and what to eat instead.

3. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

SIBO is a condition in which an excessive amount of bacteria grow in the small intestine, Welden says.

Some bacteria in the small intestine is normal but too much bacteria can lead to gas and discomfort including:

• Bloating
• Flatulence
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Unintentional weight loss

SIBO most commonly occurs as a complication of abdominal surgery, Welden says, though it can also be associated with other diseases, like Crohn's disease, that may slow down the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract, allowing bacteria to overgrow.

What to do: If you experience persistent diarrhea and abdominal pain along with weight loss, especially if you've recently had abdominal surgery, reach out to your doctor.

Diagnosis usually involves a series of tests to check for bacterial overgrowth. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic, like Rifaximin, taken for about 14 days,Welden says, though surgery may be required in some severe cases.

4. Lactose Intolerance

People with lactose intolerance are unable to properly digest the sugar, or lactose, in milk. As a result, they may experience uncomfortable symptoms after eating dairy, including:

• Bloating
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps

You may be at an increased risk for developing lactose intolerance if you have a gastrointestinal disease, like celiac or Crohn's disease. These conditions can damage the small intestine and reduce your levels of lactase — the enzyme that helps you digest lactose.

What to do: If you consistently experience abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, or diarrhea after eating dairy, consult with your doctor. There are three different types of lactose intolerance: primary, secondary, and developmental.

Treatment will depend on the type of lactose intolerance you have, but may include reducing or eliminating dairy products or treating an underlying condition, like celiac disease, that may be contributing to your symptoms. You can also try an over-the-counter medication like Lactase.

5. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndroms (IBS) is a condition that affects the large intestine or colon. Scientists are still trying to determine the exact causes of IBS, but it is considered to be a brain-gut disorder in which the brain and gut do not work together optimally, resulting in gut sensitivity.

Symptoms of IBS include:

• Bloating and gas
• Abdominal cramping
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain

Most people will experience bloating, gas, abdominal pain and diarrhea from time to time, but people with IBS experience these symptoms so frequently that the condition disrupts their daily lives, Welden says.

What to do: A diagnosis of IBS requires in-depth discussions about your medical history and the severity of your symptoms. You may also need to keep a food journal of your symptoms for several months to document how persistent they are.

It can take some time to reach a diagnosis of IBS, but once diagnosed, many people find they can reduce their symptoms by better managing their stress and avoiding foods that may cause gas and exacerbate IBS symptoms. Some foods to avoid if you have IBS may include:

• Artificial sweeteners
• Carbonated drinks
• Caffeine
• Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cabbage

6. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a condition that causes chronic inflammation, pain, and swelling in the intestines, which can result in excessive flatulence. There are a few different types of IBD. Two of the most common ones are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, Welden says.

Symptoms of IBD include:

• Weight loss
• Abdominal pain
• Bloating and gas
• Diarrhea
• Blood in stool

Diagnosis usually involves stool examination, blood work, and a colonoscopy, in which a camera is inserted into your colon so doctors can evaluate the digestive tract and look for signs of inflammation and damage.

What to do: If you experience extreme abdominal pain and diarrhea along with weight loss, consult your doctor.

Treatment for IBD can include anti-inflammatory medication or changing your diet to avoid foods that may be hard to digest, like spicy foods, alcohol, and dairy. In some cases surgery may be necessary to remove a section of your colon or insert a feeding tube.

Insider's takeaway

Passing gas up to about 25 times a day is pretty normal, but anything well beyond that could be a sign of an underlying medical condition, like celiac disease, lactose intolerance, or irritable bowel syndrome.

If feelings of bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort are interfering with your daily life, seek medical help, especially if these symptoms are accompanied by unexpected weight loss, blood in your stool, or frequent bouts of diarrhea and/or constipation.

In many cases, symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders that may be contributing to excessive gas can be managed with lifestyle changes, medication, surgery or a combination of these treatment options.