Women Are More Likely To Report Bloat, According To Research

It's long felt that this symptom disproportionately affects women; and a study confirms just that—showing that women are more than twice as likely as men to report feeling bloated. 

The researchers don't have any explanation for this, but as Brennan Spiegel, M.D., MSHS, a senior author of the study, explained: Other studies have also found that women report more bloating than men, and researchers have proposed various hypotheses for why this may be occurring. As he explained, these are mostly centered around the many "hormonal, metabolic, psychosocial, lifestyle, and dietary differences between men and women." 

The researchers stress the need for doctors to proactively ask patients about bloat instead of waiting for them to mention it to mitigate any embarrassment.   

As we continue to learn more about bloating, we can lean on the tools we have at our disposal right now, which include things like: 

According to Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., CDN, cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, can be hard work for your body to digest, which can lead to gas and bloating as they ferment in the digestive tract. "Keeping them off the menu for a few days can help if you're looking to de-bloat for an event," she explains. 

Gut bacterial imbalances can contribute to bloating and weight gain. Luckily, a probiotic supplement can help inoculate the gut with beneficial bacteria, like the strain Bifidobacterium lactis HN01, which can support digestion and regularity. If you're looking for a probiotic supplement, here are some of the best ones you can buy. 

Thanks to the gut-brain connection, stress can affect digestion in a big way. The effects of stress can be unexpected; for some, it may cause digestion to slow down, causing bloating, constipation, and reflux. For others, it may cause diarrhea, pain, or even vomiting. For others, it causes them to lose their appetite completely. The bottom line? Try to take your meals in a relaxing setting, and carve out enough time to eat with ease. 

A study showed that women are more than twice as likely as men to experience bloat and that many people who experience bloat are trying to self-manage their symptoms instead of talking to their doctor. The take-home? Let's all start normalizing bloat so more people can get relief.