AboutSarah A. Allen Expertise I am a nutritionist with a bachelors degree in dietetics and am currently working on my masters degree. I have four years working experience in clinical and community nutrition. I can answer most of your general questions relating to medical conditions (pregnancy, food allergies, eating disorders, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimers, etc). **Please remember only a medical professional with access to your medical chart can give you personalized medical advice.** I can also answer questions about vegetarianism, weight loss/gain, sports nutrition, and fad diets.
Experience Work Experience: 4 years in clinical nutrition at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, 1 year community nutrition at Eastern Illinois University
Organizations American Dietetic Association, Illinois Dietetic Association, Eastern Illinois Dietetic Association
Education/Credentials B.S. in dietetics from Eastern Illinois University; currently working on my master's degree in the same area, also at Eastern Illinois University.
Awards and Honors EIU Senior of the Year-Dietetics
Question Hi
My husband has found he has much less gas and bloating,indigestion if he cuts back on beef and pork.
Last night after going a week without any (he was eating chicken fish,pasta,etc) he had one pork chop and had gas all night and the next day.
Is this normal?
He is 50. I have heard that as you get older you cant digest as well.
He was always a big meat eater and got heartburn, gas, etc. as he got older which I though was normal.
Maybe older guys need to cut out/back on the meat?
His buddies that are big meat eaters all have big bellies.
Thanks!
Answer Hi Vanessa! It is normal to pass gas around 15 times per day, they are often small releases and don't smell and are completely healthy. (Most people don't even notice how often they release gas.) However, excess gas, bloating, and indigestion are not normal, even as you get older. I only found one study about meat and flatulence and it found beef did not cause flatulence. Gas is usually created by the breakdown of carbohydrates, which are not in meat unless they are added as a breading. The sulfur in meats can make flatulence smell worse and perhaps be more noticable. A more likely cause of flatulence with fatty meats is the fat itself. Bicarbonate is released in the intestines to neutralize stomach acid and react with fat, a result of which is carbon dioxide. However, persistent gas and bloating are often the first symptoms of a more serious problem such as colorectal cancer, gallstones, pancreatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. If cutting back on the meat helps, I would definitely recommend it even if science has no distinct link between the two. I also recommend he discuss the matter with his doctor.
