Bloating while fasting: Common causes and tips to reduce

Feeling bloated while fasting isn’t rare or abnormal. In most cases, it happens due to slowed digestion, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, changes in the gut microbiome, incorrect fast breaking, or simply consuming products that cause bloating. Finding relief is possible by using these tips:

• Staying hydrated
• Replenishing electrolytes
• Avoiding bloating-stimulating foods and beverages
• Using natural remedies
• Exercising
• Breaking a fast gently

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Yet, in some cases, persistent bloating can be caused by underlying health conditions, which is why it’s important to seek medical advice if you notice disturbing symptoms like severe pain or nausea.

These days, fasting, whether intermittent, extended, or partial, is a trendy approach to dieting and weight loss, especially among people who struggle to lose weight on a simple deficit or have underlying issues, such as insulin sensitivity. Numerous studies confirm that when done right, fasting can bring a wealth of benefits including healthy weight loss, balanced blood sugar level, heart health, and better brain function. Yet, it can be also associated with certain challenges and discomforting consequences, one of which is feeling bloated while fasting.

Understanding the Mechanism of Bloating

Bloating is a condition in which your tummy feels fuller than usual, typically due to excess gas. The main symptoms of bloating include:

• Fuller and bigger belly
• Rumbling or other noises in the tummy
• The feeling of “gassiness” and discomfort
• Mild to strong pain in the abdominal area
• More frequent farting

The causes of bloating might vary depending on individual factors and lifestyle. Often, it’s caused by consuming certain foods and drinks, for example, soda. However, it may also be a cause of digestion issues, such as:

• Food intolerance
• Constipation
• Coeliac disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Additionally, bloating (especially in females) might be a result of a hormonal imbalance.

Does Fasting Cause Bloating?

If you notice bloating during intermittent fasting, it might feel frustrating. Yet, the first thing you should know is that it can be a natural response of your body to changes in your diet and overall eating pattern.

Some of the main points that link intermittent fasting and gas include:

Digestion Slow Down

In a natural state, your gut produces a lot of acid to break down food. When you start fasting, you give your gut more time to "rest" during the windows with no food, which may slow down your digestion so when you finally eat, it can cause discomfort or bloating.

Dehydration

Unless you’re drinking plenty of water, you may dehydrate your body during those fasting windows. Dehydration can lead to constipation and water retention, which result in bloating.

Electrolyte Imbalance

When you fast, your insulin levels drop a lot, leading to a fast loss of sodium and other electrolyte levels in your body. If you don’t replenish them, it can lead to a condition called hyponatremia (sodium deficiency), which can also trigger water retention and bloating.

Gut Microbiome Changes

Changing your eating schedule and your food choices can eventually lead to changes in your gut microbiota. Although it can lead to positive health consequences in the long run, at first, it can lead to increased production of gas, which is a normal response to dietary changes.

Incorrect Fast Breaking

If you’re feeling bloated after fasting, especially for a prolonged period, this might also be a result of an incorrect fast breaking. If you start eating very quickly after a fast and choose hard-to-digest foods, it can cause water retention and excessive gas.

Products That Can Cause Intermittent Fasting Gas

Apart from the natural response of your gut to dietary adjustments, facing bloating during fasting can be a result of consuming certain foods during your eating window. The main foods and drinks that can cause bloating include:

• Carbonated drinks - Sodas, kombucha, and even plain sparkling water all contain large amounts of carbon dioxide, which is a gas that gets trapped in your gut and can cause bloating.
• High-fiber foods - Although they are generally good for your health and weight loss, high-fiber products like lentils, cruciferous vegetables, whole grains, and beans boost the population of fiber-digesting gut bacteria, which produce gas as a byproduct.
• Artificial sweeteners - If you steer clear of sugar but consume artificial sweeteners found in diet sodas or sugar-free gums, you may also feel bloated during fasting because these sweeteners take longer to digest and, thus, can cause gas retention.
• Excess salt - While sodium deficiency can cause bloating, consuming too much salt can also result in it by causing water retention.
• Dairy products - Lactose intolerance is one of the most common intolerance types that result in bloating. So you can feel more gassy if you eat lots of dairy products while fasting.
• Fermented foods - Fermented foods like sauerkraut or yogurt are very beneficial for your gut health. Yet, when you start consuming them, they can first cause excess gas and bloating.

Fasting and Gas: Practical Tips for Eliminating Discomfort

Although facing bloating when fasting can be quite natural, this doesn’t mean that it’s not discomforting. Feeling your tummy more tight and bloated than usual can make you feel not very well during your days. Luckily, there are a few ways you can reduce the discomfort:

Stay Hydrated

Fasting, in any form, definitely puts some pressure and stress on your body. Respectively, maintaining optimal hydration levels becomes even more pivotal at this time. Proper hydration will help you support essential bodily functions, while also reducing water retention.

Replenish Electrolytes

Sodium and other electrolyte deficiencies during fasting can lead to a variety of side effects, including headaches, fatigue, low blood pressure, nausea, and many others. Additionally, these deficiencies can contribute to bloating. In order to mitigate all these negative symptoms, be sure to replenish essential electrolytes by consuming salt and other electrolyte supplements.

Avoid Foods and Drinks That Make Bloating Worse

When you switch to your eating windows, avoiding certain products can help support your gut health and minimize bloating. Namely, while fiber-rich and fermented foods are generally good for you, carbonated beverages, excess salt, and artificial sweeteners are among the main things that should be avoided. 

Implement Regular Physical Activity

Regular exercise can help you during fasting in a number of ways. Apart from helping you get toned and reach your body goals, physical activity can also support your gut health. To be more specific, exercise helps gas and stool movement inside your colon, thus, helping avoid bloating in the long run.

Additionally, certain exercises can provide instant bloating relief. For example, light stretching and walking can help deflate your bloat and release excess gas.

Try Natural Remedies

If you are feeling too bloated, you can try some natural remedies that can offer relief, such as:

• Peppermint tea
• Chamomile tea
• Anise
• Caraway
• Coriander
• Fennel
• Turmeric

If you want a medical remedy, you can try such over-the-counter solutions as pepto-bismol, activated charcoal, beano, and simethicone.

Break Your Fast Very Gently

In order to prevent bloating after fasting for a long time, it’s recommended to break your fast very gently and gradually. Don’t eat too much or have too large meals right away. Also, try to avoid hard-to-digest foods at first in order not to put too much pressure on your gut. Instead, try to choose easily digestible foods like simple carbs, lean proteins, and so on.

When to Seek Medical Advice

Although intermittent fasting bloating can be a fully normal body response, sometimes, it may also indicate a deeper problem. The possible medical causes behind persistent bloating include:

• Food intolerances
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Gut dysbiosis
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

Each of these medical conditions can cause additional negative symptoms along with bloating. Thus, they require timely and holistic treatment.

One way to tell if your bloating is caused by a medical condition rather than natural causes is to watch out for additional symptoms. For example, some cases when you should get concerned about bloating include:

• When your bloating shows very frequently.
• When it lasts for a day or more.
• When you experience severe cramps or pain while bloated.
• When you notice additional symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and others.
• When you notice a very significant water retention or sudden weight gain.

If you notice any of the aforementioned signals, it’s recommended to seek personalized medical advice to diagnose your medical condition (if any) and receive professional treatment. 

FAQ

Is it normal to be gassy during intermittent fasting?

While gas and bloating may occur as a natural response to changes, they can cause a lot of discomfort, which is why you shouldn’t leave it as is. Following best practices for reducing bloating can help you feel better.

How can fasting cause bloating?

It can result from consuming certain products, such as carbonated drinks, high-fiber foods, artificial sweeteners, excess salt, dairy products, or fermented foods. Additionally, bloating and gassiness may be caused by slower digestion, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, or changes in your gut microbiome. Additionally, gas and bloating while water fasting (in prolonged periods) can be caused by a banal lack of food.

Why does fasting make you bloated afterward?

If you are experiencing bloating and gas after fasting, it might be because of an incorrect fast breaking. Generally, it’s recommended to break a fast gradually, starting with fewer meals a day and healthier food choices. If you eat too much instantly or choose hard-to-digest food, it can result in discomfort and bloating.

Conclusion

Feeling bloated when fasting can be frustrating and discomforting. Yet, it might be a natural reaction of your body to inner changes. In many cases, bloating is caused by one of the following reasons:

• Dehydration
• Slowed down digestion
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Changes in the gut microbiome
• Incorrect fast breaking

Luckily, regardless of the cause, it’s easy to ease discomfort and get rid of bloating by following simple recommendations from this guide. However, it’s crucial to watch out for any disturbing signs and seek medical advice if bloating persists.