7 Things Passing Wind Can Tell You About Your Health

Why wind happens

Gas builds up in the digestive tract in two ways: by swallowing air or as a by-product of gut bacteria breaking down foods. Having some gas is inevitable and perfectly normal, but having a lot of wind problems could be a sign of an underlying health issue. During digestion, chemicals called enzymes break down foods so they can be absorbed in the small intestine. During this process, some undigested sugars, starches and fibres reach the large intestine. There, they ferment as bacteria in the gut try to break them down. This produces gases, including carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, which are released as flatulence.