The dangerous reason why holding in a fart is bad for you, according to NHS doctor

It is estimated that humans let out gas between 13 and 21 times a day, with every fart having the ability to travel for about 10 feet per second. Although a natural and necessary occurrence, there are times and places where you can’t just let one rip; you’ll have to suck it back in until it is safe to let it out. But, according to medical experts, doing that could be detrimental to health, according to The Sun.

Free yourself

Farting is your body’s way of ridding itself of excess inside your digestive system. This is the same gas that causes burping and can build up faster if you smoke, use a straw, or eat hard-to-digest foods. According to Healthline, stress, constipation and certain medical conditions can cause your digestive system to process excess gas.

An NHS doctor, Dr Karan Raj warned his 4.2 million followers on TikTok about the dangers of holding in a fart which has a volume enough to fill up a medium-sized balloon.

If you hold in a fart too long it can be reabsorbed into your blood circulation and breathed out when you exhale.

He explained that could cause bad breath.

Could it cause severe health issues?

In the 1970s, experts had cause to believe that holding in farts could be linked with the development of diverticulitis – inflammation or swelling of pouches that form along the digestive tract which can cause serious infection if left untreated – Healthline wrote in an article. However, more research is needed to back this theory.

Dr Faraz, another doctor who uses TikTok to educate his followers on health issues said:

If you hold in a fart you can cause yourself heartburn, bloating and pain. The gas could come out as a smelly burp and make your breath stink. Imagine doing a burp that smells like a fart.

Read more:

⋙ Fart facts: Here's what your farts say about your health

⋙ Flatulence: Eat these foods to have nicer smelling farts

⋙ What are vaginal farts and why are they so common during sex?