Bloating: What Is It, When Is It Normal, and When Should You Be Concerned?

We all know bloating is an uncomfortable sensation where your stomach feels full, tight, or swollen. Many people experience it occasionally, but it can also be a symptom of underlying health issues. While it's often considered 'normal', especially in the ultra processed foods world, it's never pleasant and shouldn't be normalised as something we have to endure.
In this article, we’ll break down what bloating actually is, when it’s considered normal, and when it might be a sign of something more serious.

1. What Is Bloating?

Bloating occurs when the abdomen feels swollen, often due to gas, water retention, or digestive processes. It can cause discomfort, feelings of heaviness, and even a visible increase in the size of your stomach. Bloating is typically related to how the digestive system handles food and gas, but it can also stem from other conditions.

2. Is Bloating Normal?

In most cases, bloating is a normal response to everyday activities like eating, drinking, and digesting food. It can be caused by several harmless factors:

• Swallowing Air: This can happen when you eat or drink too quickly, talk while eating, chew gum, or drink carbonated beverages. That lunch you're rushing through might be ruining your afternoon!
• Gassy Foods: Foods like beans, lentils, broccoli, and onions are known to produce more gas during digestion, leading to bloating.
• Greasy or Fatty Foods: High-fat meals take longer to digest, which can slow down the emptying of the stomach and make you feel bloated.
• Sugary Foods: Certain sugars, like fructose (found in fruit!) or artificial sweeteners (like in my beloved Coke Zero), can be poorly absorbed by some people, resulting in gas and bloating.
• Lactose: People who are lactose intolerant struggle to digest the sugar called 'lactose' found in dairy, which can lead to gas, bloating, and discomfort.

In these cases, bloating is usually temporary and subsides once the body has processed the food or gas has been expelled.

3. When Is Bloating Not Normal?

While occasional bloating is typically not a cause for concern, chronic or severe bloating may indicate an underlying health issue. If bloating is frequent, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms, it’s important to seek medical advice. Some potential causes include:

• Food Intolerances: Conditions like lactose intolerance, gluten sensitivity, or fructose malabsorption can cause excessive bloating. These intolerances lead to improper digestion and excessive gas.
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): IBS queens know it is a common digestive disorder that often causes bloating along with abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea. Bloating may be a key symptom for many IBS sufferers.
• Endometriosis: Bloating can sometimes be linked to endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This can cause chronic bloating, especially around menstruation.
• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO): SIBO occurs when there’s an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. This can lead to malabsorption of food and significant bloating.
• Gastroparesis: This condition slows the emptying of the stomach, causing bloating, nausea, and even vomiting after eating. This is also a well-known and serious side effects of taking semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy)!
• Serious Conditions: In rare cases, chronic bloating can be a symptom of more serious issues like ovarian cancer, liver disease, or gastrointestinal obstructions. If you are concerned, seek advice from your GP.

4. How Can We Diagnose the Cause of Bloating?

If your bloating is persistent or severe, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional. Diagnosing the underlying cause may involve:

• Food Diaries: Keeping track of what you eat and drink can help identify if certain foods are triggering your bloating.

• Elimination Diets: These diets help pinpoint intolerances by removing potential triggers like lactose, gluten, or sugar alcohols for a period and then gradually reintroducing them.

• Medical Testing: For more complex cases, your doctor may recommend tests such as breath tests (for lactose intolerance or SIBO), blood tests, stool tests, or imaging (like an ultrasound or CT scan) to assess digestive or reproductive health.

Conclusion: Is Bloating a Problem for You?

Bloating is a normal part of digestion for most people and is often related to the foods we eat or our eating habits. However, if bloating becomes a regular or severe issue, it may indicate an underlying condition that requires medical attention. Keeping an eye on your symptoms, diet, and overall health can help you determine when to seek help and find relief.

In short, occasional bloating is nothing to worry about, but chronic bloating deserves a closer look!