WHY DO WE BURP ?
When you burp , you are expelling gas that has accumulated in your stomach or the upper part of your small intestine . Most of the gas in your stomach is swallowed air . We all swallow a little air , but if you talk a lot while you are eating or eat really quickly , you likely swallow more air .
The bubbles in fizzy drinks add carbon dioxide and this may also make you belch to release the gas . Very fizzy drinks will be more problematic , although for some people even sparkling water can lead to unsocial burping or an uncomfortable distended stomach . Conversely , for reasons that are not completely understood yet , other people find sparkling water helpful for digestion . It may be that the bubbles help to break down trapped pockets of gas , relieving the built-up tension .
Carbon dioxide is also produced in the small intestine and although some can be absorbed and released via the lungs , some may come back up into the stomach , leading to more burping . A very small number of people have a condition called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth ( SIBO ), which leads to higher-than-normal levels of bacteria and other microorganisms living the small intestine . It can cause excess gas production and is a common cause of bloating , particularly if it occurs in the hours immediately after eating when the food has made its way into the small intestine .
96 % of those suffering from IBS report bloating and abdominal distension .
© Dietitian Connection 13 Infuse | February 2022