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Aug 12, 2023

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Dietitians and gastroenterologists help decode this new crop of teas, pills, and potions that claim to debloat.

Marketed as Beat the Bloat capsules, Tight Tummy pills, and Bloat Banishers, you can find anti-bloat supplements pretty much everywhere, including the drugstore or pharmacy aisle at a superstore. If you’ve ever searched for or talked about anything tangentially related to gas or bloating, then you might have also scrolled by an ad for these supplements on social media.

Already a nearly $164 billion industry, the supplement market as a whole is anticipated to grow by 9 percent every year from 2023 to 2030, according to estimates in a market analysis by Grandview Research. That, in tandem with the fact that a growing proportion of people are interested in all things gut health, means that we’ll continue to see more and more anti-bloat supplement options available.

But what are these, and are they effective—or even safe? We spoke to experts to bring you the info you need.

First of all, bloating happens to pretty much everyone. "Bloating is extremely common, and there are many potential causes of bloating," confirms Will Bulsiewicz, MD, a Charleston, South Carolina-based gastroenterologist and the author of The Fiber Fueled Cookbook. "It's usually the result of intestinal gas," something the average American experiences about 14 times per day, according to estimates by Johns Hopkins Medicine experts.

Anything that causes a feeling of discomfort where the belly feels full and tight could be defined as bloating, Bulsiewicz says, and "a mild amount of bloating or indigestion is common, and not necessarily something to fret about."

Bloating is most often caused by one of five things, or a combination of them:

Only about half of bloated people struggle with belly distention, or a larger-than-usual abdomen, during bloating, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports.

Bloating can also manifest as swelling of the hands and feet or general discomfort around your midsection, adds Cynthia Sass, MPH, MA, RD, CSSD, a board-certified sports dietitian in private practice in Los Angeles who has consulted for five pro sports teams and works with athletes privately.

Whether you call them anti-bloat supplements, beat-the-bloat supplements, or have some other slick term, these are generally sold as pills, gummies, teas, detoxes, or cleanses designed to be taken before or with meals.

Each supplement may have a different blend of ingredients, explains Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, a Miami-based board-certified sports dietitian. They often include digestive enzymes, herbs, probiotics, teas, or a mix of those ingredients, and they’re meant to send messages to the body to pee or they may have laxative-like properties.

"Essentially, these are supposed to help you digest and break down meals better," Ehsani says. "Some have digestive enzymes that will help you digest protein, fat, or even milk sugar like lactase, which may aid in digestion and reduce bloating. Others have ginger, peppermint, or fennel seeds, which are all-natural remedies for helping tame bloating."

The short answer: It's too early to say. "It's difficult to speak broadly about anti-bloat supplements because they have widely varied ingredient profiles," Bulsiewicz says, and because there is no clinical research to back up the label claims, he suggests exercising caution.

Unlike prescription and over-the-counter medication, which must conduct testing to prove safety and efficacy before undergoing review (and potentially gaining approval to enter the market) by the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA.

"So there is no way to know if what the label is claiming is in them, is actually in them and in safe amounts," Ehsani warns.

It's true some of these ingredients may have been tested, and certain anti-bloat supplements have conducted in-house testing. That said, the best and most trust-worthy research is done by an independent university or medical center, Sass explains, and ideally would be published in a peer-reviewed journal, a sign of research quality and a way to add to the scientific field of knowledge.

At present, the onus is on the user—or their doctor or dietitian if you talk with an expert before taking these. Ehsani, Sass, and Bulsiewicz highly recommend you do speak with a professional if you decide to try an anti-bloat supplement. Otherwise, they suggest you dive into the ingredient list and any existing, peer-reviewed research about every ingredient included in the formula (which sounds like a lot because it can take some work and time to make sure you get a good product).

"Unfortunately, I cannot say that they are proven to work unless they have research to support their product or their individual ingredients at the dose that they are delivering. This is rarely true in the supplements that I have reviewed for bloating," Bulsiewicz says. "Could they work? Sure. But so could a placebo."

An important note: Your pancreas, stomach, intestine and mouth make their own digestive enzymes. That means you don't necessarily need a supplement to provide you with more, Ehsani says.

"Digestive enzymes may help, since gas buildup can be triggered by the interaction of bacteria and poorly-digested food in the gut. But keep in mind that this might not be the cause of your bloating," Sass adds.

If your bloating is triggered by hormones, stress, going several hours without eating, chewing gum, or sipping carbonated drinks through a straw, for example, the enzymes won't help because there is no food for them to help break down.

"I’m more confident in supplements if they are using ingredients at the clinically-proven dose based upon randomized controlled trials," Bulsiewicz concludes. "If there isn't research to show that it works then how can you feel confident that spending your money will give you a beneficial result? It's not impossible for these supplements to work without the studies, but at the end of the day, you have choices on how you spend your money and it seems smart to spend it on proven products."

Bulsiewicz says that it's better to tackle bloating from where it begins rather than try to slap a—potentially ineffective—Band-Aid on what's already wrong. Ideally, an individual would work with their doctor or dietitian to pinpoint the root cause(s) of bloating, then the medical professional can create a targeted strategy to address the trigger(s).

Retrace your steps to see if you can determine what may have set off your bloating, Sass continues. For example, did you skip a meal? Did you eat a particularly gassy food, like broccoli? Did you drink sparkling water or chew gum? Or perhaps this happens only after you eat yogurt or cheese, or after you devour a post-race brunch in record time?

"Understanding your body and your patterns is the first step. This can allow you to either change a habit or help you better time when to eat certain foods," Sass says.

In his experience as a gastroenterologist, the most common cause of bloating is constipation or inadequate emptying of the bowels, Bulsiewicz adds. Not everyone who has bloating is constipated; as mentioned, there are many other causes for bloating. "But this is to say that almost everyone who is constipated has bloating, and when you correct the constipation, it's amazing how the bloating will magically disappear," Bulsiewicz says.

To ease constipation or any possible cause of bloating without shelling out extra money on an anti-bloat supplement, try one of these savvy stomach-soothing strategies:

Try keeping a food journal for a week noting what, when, and how much you eat or drink. Any time you notice bloating afterwards, mark that in the log. Review at the end of the week and try to notice patterns.

Fiber is a non-digestible form of carbohydrate that promotes regularity, gut health, fullness, and more. About 95 percent of American adults don't consume enough fiber regularly, and most of us rack up about 15 grams per day, which is well below the 22 to 34 grams recommended by the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for American adults.

Slowly increase fiber intake over several weeks or months to get closer to these numbers without triggering excess gas (as gas is a byproduct of fiber being broken down by the gut).

Water helps usher fiber through your gut, which can aid in easing any constipation. Drinking still water, or better yet, peppermint tea can soothe indigestion, gas, or bloating.

Taking a walk after you eat is particularly helpful at relieving pent-up gas or easing bloating.

This supplemental form of good gut bacteria may help support good gut health; just be sure to seek out one with verification from a safety review organization. The Department of Defense's Operation Supplement Safety program suggests looking for the BSCG, NSF, USP and Informed Sport—four trusted groups that offer supplement safety verification.

Anti-bloat supplements may offer temporary relief, but there's not enough evidence at this time to confirm they deliver on their lofty promises—especially because there's such a wide range of ingredients in the supplements. Ideally, bloating would be prevented before it happens by addressing the root cause, the experts we spoke to agree.

"If you are having ongoing issues with bloating that are negatively affecting your quality of life, then it makes sense to take action, consult with a healthcare professional, and get it figured out. The most effective lifestyle shifts are the ones targeted to the specific issue that you have," Bulsiewicz says.

Karla Walsh is a Des Moines, Iowa-based freelance writer and level one sommelier who balances her love of food and drink with her passion for fitness. (Or tries to, at least!) Her writing has been published in Runner's World and Fitness Magazines, as well as on Shape.com, EatThis.com, WomensHealthMag.com, and more.

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