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{{SignSymptom infobox |Name =Flatulence |Image =The Papal Belvedere.jpg |cause for concern. In the field of mountaineering, high altitude flatus expulsion was llus plantarum]] reduce flatulence in human intestinal tract.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). The enzymes alpha-galactosidase, lactase, amylase, lipase, protease, cellulase, glucoamylase, invertase, malt diastase, pectinase, and bromelain are available, either individually or in combination blends, in commercial products.

The antibiotic rifaximin, often used to treat diarrhea caused by the microorganism E. coli, may reduce both the production of intestinal gas and the frequency of flatus events.

While not affecting the production of the gases themselves, surfactants (agents which lower surface tension) can reduce the disagreeable sensations associated with flatulence, by aiding the dissolution of the gases into liquid and solid fecal matter. Preparations containing simethicone reportedly operate by promoting the coalescence of smaller bubbles into larger ones more easily passed from the body, either by burping or flatulence. Such preparations do not decrease the total amount of gas generated in or passed from the colon, but make the bubbles larger and thereby allowing them to be passed more easily.

Often it may be helpful to ingest small quantities of acidic liquids with meals, such as lemon juice or vinegar, to stimulate the production of gastric hydrochloric acid. In turn, acid ingestion may increase normal gastric enzyme and acid production, facilitating normal digestion and perhaps limiting intestinal gas production. Ingestion of bromelain- or papain-containing supplements (such as raw pineapple or papaya, respectively,) may be helpful.

Odor from flatulence, caused by the intestinal bacteria called microflora in the bowel, can be treated by taking bismuth subgallate, available over-the-counter as Devrom. Bismuth subgallate is commonly used by individuals who have had ostomy surgery, bariatric surgery, fecal incontinence and irritable bowel syndrome.

Post-release

In 1998, Chester "Buck" Weimer of Pueblo, Colorado received a patent for the first undergarment that contained a replaceable charcoal filter. The undergarments are air-tight and provide a pocketed escape hole in which a charcoal filter can be inserted. In 2001 Mr Weimer received the Ig Nobel Prize for Biology for his invention.

A similar product was released in 2002, but rather than an entire undergarment, consumers are able to purchase an insert similar to a pantiliner that contains activated charcoal. The inventors, Myra and Brian Conant of Mililani, Hawaii still claim on their website to have discovered the undergarment product in 2002 (eight years after Chester Weimer filed for a patent for his product), but state that their tests "concluded" that they should release an insert instead.

Health effects

As a normal body function, the action of flatulence is an important signal of bowel activity, and hence is often documented by nursing staff following surgical or other treatment of patients. However, symptoms of excessive flatulence can indicate the presence of irritable bowel syndrome or some other organic disease. In particular, the sudden occurrence of excessive flatulence together with the onset of new symptoms provide reason for seeking further medical examination.

Flatulence is not poisonous; it is a natural component of various intestinal contents. However, discomfort may develop from the build-up of gas pressure if an attempt is made to refrain from releasing them. In theory, pathological distension of the bowel, leading to constipation, could result if a person holds in flatulence.

Not all flatus is released from the body via the anus. When the partial pressure of any gas component of the intestinal lumen is higher than its partial pressure in the blood, that component enters into the bloodstream of the intestinal wall by the process of diffusion. As the blood passes through the lungs, this gas can diffuse back out of the blood and be exhaled. If a person holds in flatus during daytime, it will often be released during sleep involuntarily when the body is relaxed. Some flatus can become trapped within the feces during its compaction and will exit the body, still contained within the fecal matter, during the process of defecation.

Society and culture

In many cultures, human flatulence in public is regarded as embarrassing but, depending on context, can also be considered humorous. People will often strain to hold in the passing of gas when in polite company, or position themselves to conceal the noise and scent. In other cultures, it may be no more embarrassing than coughing.

While the act of passing flatus in said cultures is generally considered to be an unfortunate occurrence in public settings, flatulence may, in casual circumstances and especially among children, be used as either a humorous supplement to a joke ("pull my finger"), or as a comic activity in and of itself. The social acceptability of flatulence-based humor in entertainment and the mass media varies over the course of time and between cultures. The French guard in Monty Python and the Holy Grail says, "I fart in your general direction." This quote has been printed on several posters, t-shirts, and hats.

In 2008, a farting application for the iPhone raked in nearly $10,000 in one day. There are 6 different farting applications for the Palm Pre.

Environmental impact

Flatulence is often blamed as a significant source of greenhouse gases, owing to the erroneous belief that the methane released by livestock is in the flatus. While livestock account for around 20% of global methane emissions, 90–95% of that is released by exhaling or burping. Only 1–2% of global methane emissions come from livestock flatus.

Since New Zealand produces large amounts of agricultural product it is in the unique position of having high methane emissions from livestock compared to other greenhouse gas sources. The New Zealand government is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol and therefore, attempts are being made to reduce greenhouse emissions. To achieve this an agricultural emissions research levy was proposed, which promptly became known as a "fart tax" or "flatulence tax". It encountered opposition from farmers, farming lobby groups and opposition politicians.

In Fresno, California, a system to harvest methane by-product from dairy cattle and convert it to usable bio-gas is being used, in a partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and BioEnergy Solutions, in which BioEnergy Solutions sells the methane harvested from cows to PG&E, who then converts the methane to usable bio-gas, which is very similar to natural gas.

In June 2009 Paul McCartney and other celebrities launched a "Meat Free Monday" campaign in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the world's livestock.

Farting at will

Historical comment on the ability to fart at will is observed as early as St. Augustine's The City of God (5th century AD). Augustine mentions men who "have such command of their bowels, that they can break wind continuously at will, so as to produce the effect of singing." The fact that mankind in general has lost this ability he attributes to the first sin of Adam and Eve and its consequences with respect to body control. Intentional passing of gas and its use as entertainment for others appears to have been somewhat well-known in pre-modern Europe, according to mentions of it in medieval and later literature, including Rabelais.

Le Pétomane ("The Fartiste") was a famous French performer in the 19th century who, as well as many professional farters before him, did flatulence impressions and held shows. The performer Mr. Methane carries on Le Pétomane's tradition today. Also, a 2002 film Thunderpants revolves around a boy named Patrick Smash who has an ongoing flatulence problem since he was a newborn baby. He eventually overcame his problems and fulfilled his dreams including being an astronaut.

See also

• Antiflatulent
• Flatulence humor
• Borborygmus
• Vaginal flatulence
• The Gas We Pass
• Fart lighting
• Le Petomane

References

Bibliography

• Allen, V. (2007) On Farting: Language and Laughter in the Middle Ages. Palgrave MacMillan. ISBN 978-0-312-23493-5.
• Bolin, T.D. & Stanton, R. (1997). Wind Breaks. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781864483215.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Dawson, Jim (1999). Who Cut the Cheese?: A Cultural History of the Fart. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 1-58008-011-1.
• Dawson, Jim (2006). Blame it on the Dog: A Modern History of the Fart. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 1-58008-751-5.
• Franklin, Benjamin (2003). Japikse, Carl (ed.). Fart Proudly ((Reprint) ed.). Frog Ltd/Blue Snake. ISBN 1-58394-079-0.
• Persels J. & Ganim, R. (2004) Fecal Matters in Early Modern Literature and Art: Studies in Scatology. (Chap. 1: The Honorable Art of Farting in Continental Renaissance). ISBN 0754641163
• von Schmausen, D. (2002). Official Rules, New World Odor International Freestyle Farting Championship. LULU. ISBN 978-1-4357-0919-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |ISBN-status= ignored (help)

Notes

1. Cite error: The named reference McGee was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
2. Di Stefano M (2000). "Non-absorbable antibiotics for managing intestinal gas production and gas-related symptoms". Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 14 (8): 1001–8. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2036.2000.00808.x. PMID 10930893. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
3. ^ Brecević L, Bosan-Kilibarda I, Strajnar F (1994). "Mechanism of antifoaming action of simethicone". J Appl Toxicol. 14 (3): 207–11. doi:10.1002/jat.2550140311. PMID 8083482.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
4. Turnbull G (2005). "The Ostomy Files:The Issue of Oral Medications and a Fecal Ostomy". Ostomy/Wound Management. 51: 14–16.
5. "Colostomy Guide". 2006-01-04. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
6. Weimer, Chester (1997-01-14). "Protective underwear with malodorous flatus filter". Retrieved 2007-07-27.
7. "The 2001 Ig Nobel Prize Winners". Retrieved 22 June 2010.
8. Conant, Brian J. (2001-11-06). "Flatulence deodorizer". Retrieved 2007-09-10. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
9. "Flat-D Innovations Inc.: About the American Inventor". Retrieved 2007-09-10.
10. Chen, Brian X. (December 24, 2008). "iPhone Fart App Rakes in $10,000 a Day". Wired News.
11. ABC Southern Queensland: "Could skippy stop cows farting and end global warming?" Friday, 3 February 2006. Example of error. Although the article doesn't specify whether the methane is released by flatulence or eructation, it appears the headline-writer assumes it's through flatulence.
12. Nowak, Rachel (September 24, 2004). "Burp vaccine cuts greenhouse gas". New Scientist.
13. "Bovine belching called udderly serious gas problem—Global warming concerns spur effort to cut methane." By Gary Polakovic. Los Angeles Times, Sunday, July 13, 2003.
14. "California converting cow dung into biogas." By Catherine Elsworth. Telegraph Media Group Limited, Friday, May 30, 2008.
15. "Sir Paul McCartney calls for meat-free Mondays to combat climate change — Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
16. The City of God Against the Pagans, ed and trans Philip Levine, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1966, XIV.24

External links

• The Farting Survey (fartsurvey.com) - a comprehensive, worldwide survey about farts and farting.
• The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, Gas
• Facts on Farts
• Dictionary of Fart Slang
• The Great Fart Survey (simple statistical analysis of flatulence in youths) produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation youth website, Rollercoaster)
• Flatulence Treatment
• CNN - Farmers let rip on flatulence tax
• The world's interactive fart community
• Airline to charge for farting

• Reflexes
• Flatulence
• Gastroenterology
• Methane
• Symptoms and signs: Digestive system and abdomen
• Medical signs