We fart twice as much as previously thought, scientists discover from new ‘smart underwear’
Let ’er rip? New tech reveals we pass gas far more than we thought
Passing gas might have some surprising upsides — research suggests it could even play a role in protecting against conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and postpartum depression. Still, as with many things, there can be too much of a “good” thing.
For years, scientists believed the average person passed gas about 14 times a day. But new research from the University of Maryland suggests that number is more than double.
Thanks to an unusual invention dubbed “Smart Underwear,” researchers have been able to measure flatulence far more accurately than ever before. The small wearable device discreetly snaps onto underwear and uses electrochemical sensors to monitor intestinal gas production and hydrogen levels in flatus continuously — except when the wearer is using the bathroom.
The results surprised even the researchers: people pass gas an average of 32 times per day.
Individual numbers varied widely. Some participants passed gas as few as four times daily, while others reached as many as 59. Previous estimates were much lower largely because they relied on self-reporting, imprecise testing methods, and people’s own interpretations of what counts as flatulence.
Back in 2000, gastroenterologist Dr. Michael Levitt — nicknamed the “King of Farts” — noted how difficult it was for doctors to objectively measure excessive gas with the tools available at the time.
“It is virtually impossible for the physician to objectively document the existence of excessive gas using currently available tests,” Levitt said.
Researchers hope this new technology will help establish what a “normal” range of gas production looks like, similar to how doctors use established benchmarks for cholesterol and blood pressure.
“We don’t actually know what normal flatus production looks like,” said Brantley Hall, an assistant professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics at UMD. “Without that baseline, it’s hard to know when someone’s gas production is truly excessive.”
Hall compared the device to a continuous glucose monitor, except instead of tracking blood sugar, it detects hydrogen levels in gas. Measuring hydrogen provides clues about how gut microbes ferment food and how active a person’s microbiome is throughout the day.
To expand their research, the team has launched the Human Flatus Atlas, a project aimed at mapping gas patterns among hundreds of participants. Researchers plan to group the data by diet and microbiome composition to better understand how these factors influence gas production.
They are currently seeking volunteers across the spectrum: people who eat high-fiber diets but pass little gas, those who pass gas frequently, and those who fall somewhere in between.
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