Tag: Protein farts

The average person passes gas 13 to 21 times a day, a natural part of the digestive process. While the occasional toot is normal, some people report a significant increase in smelly flatulence after boosting their protein intake, leading to the common question: is protein gas a real thing?

Fact: The human gut produces 0.2 to 1.5 liters of gas daily as a normal byproduct of bacterial activity. When consuming a large amount of protein, such as a meal with 30 grams of protein, the subsequent gas can be particularly noticeable, a direct result of how gut bacteria process any undigested protein.

While the benefits of protein for muscle repair are well-known, many people notice an unpleasant change in their body odor after increasing their intake. A protein shake can indeed make you smell, though the cause is often an indirect result of how your body processes excess protein and not the supplement itself. This phenomenon is most commonly associated with an ammonia-like scent in sweat and foul-smelling gas.

The average person passes gas 12 to 25 times a day, but for those who have increased their protein intake, the question of 'Does protein make you gassy?' is a common and often pungent reality. While protein is an essential macronutrient, the gas and bloating that can accompany a high-protein diet are a side effect that many people experience.