Gas & Bloating
Toronto Naturopathic Doctors
Regular abdominal bloating can be caused by a variety of factors. For some it is a digestion related concern, for others it is cause by a hormonal issue.
Some of the reasons for ‘digestion’ related bloating can include:
- Reactions to certain foods that then irritate the digestive tract
- Bacterial overgrowths in the small intestine
- Bacterial or yeast overgrowths in the large intestine
- Insufficient beneficial bacteria in the small intestine
- Insufficient enzyme secretion from the pancreas to breakdown food in the small intestine
- Insufficient stomach acid secretion in the stomach, impairing food breakdown
Some of the reasons for ‘hormone’ related bloating can include:
- Excess estrogen – associated with water retention, breast tenderness and bloating before menstrual cycles. Cycles are usually heavy.
- Insufficient progesterone – associated with bloating before menstrual cycles. Cycles are usually shorter with a long menstruation period.
- Ovarian or uterine cysts – structural growths can cause hard, persistent bloating and require an ultrasound for proper diagnosis