Internal bacteria changing as you get older?

[Danny McG]

Does this happen?

I've noticed for a couple of years now that when I break wind it doesn't smell a bit, instead it absolutely reeks to high heaven.

My niece (a nurse who covers an old people's home) was in ours recently when I let rip. I was in the middle of apologising when she interrupted "ooh, that's a proper old man fart!"

This led me to wondering if gut bacteria changes with age, I've basically had the same diet for years so nothing from that.

 

[Alex The G and T]

I guess I'm not old yet.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

There was a kid who used to sit in front of us in Maths and he had the absolute worst smelling farts I've ever smelt. If the gut aging thing is true, I dread to think what his farts are like now.

From personal experience, I suspect it is true.

 

[Elckerlyc]

If that's the case I'm only occasionally old.

 

[mosaix]

Fortunately, as you get older, your sense of smell deteriorates.

Self defence mechanism?

 

[HareBrain]

Gut bacteria can change for all sorts of reasons. Antibiotics can greatly deplete them, for example.

But also, what most people don't realise is that stomach acids decrease in effectiveness as you age -- I've read by 10% every decade or so. If the food isn't being broken down properly in the stomach, it can't be digested properly in the intestines. I don't know if this would change the type of gas, but it might. I've also noticed some relatives of mine suffering intolerances to certain foods as they age (e.g. garlic, peppers) and I think that might be for this reason.

 

[Dave]

stomach acids decrease in effectiveness as you age -- I've read by 10% every decade or so.

That explains why suddenly I can no longer eat raw onion or peppers.

(It doesn't cause a smell to be produced, it just... well, actually, let's not go there. I think they call it IBS in polite circles.)

 

[HareBrain]

That explains why suddenly I can no longer eat raw onion or peppers.

Yes, these two plus garlic are what one of my sisters can no longer stomach. I don't know what they contain that makes this the case.

Stomach acid decline is reversible BTW, at least to some extent. I did this a few years ago when I was getting heartburn from e.g. red wine.

 

[Montero]

re school boy smelly farts - I remember being in the presence those but they went away as they reached the end of the teens - suspect it was the hormonal surges of the teens that upset things.

@HareBrain that's interesting on stomach acid - how do you reverse it?

 

[mosaix]

For me, heartburn can be reduced by avoiding foods that contain preservative. That means, in general, processed foods that need to preservatives to extend their shelf life.

Interestingly, I watched a New Scientist online lecture a few months back that stated that, statistically, the best way to increase your longevity was to cut preservatives from your diet. This advice was as a result of collecting statistics world wide over a period of decades.

 

[Oochillyo]

hey everyone how are you

I need to brush up on my knowledge in this area bit of a strange area to think about but so far what I have read from others in this forum sounds right.

Diet like if you eat a lot of eggs, what are eggs made of urgh I think starches and things like that plus eggs make it bad smell haha, plus babies always smell really bad when you know and thats cause their gut bacteria is new, at lower levels compared to older kids cause they need to establish thier own gut bacteria and in large numbers, everyone gut bacteria is unique and you can change it with diet yes,

Also Scientists think your gut and brain communicate with each other for instance if you eat some junk food you build up bacteria in your gut that loves greasy junk food yummy and so they send signals to your brain I want more junk food and you do and then you grow more of this bacteria and hey oh you might have a problem, but if you eat some nice green healthy things more bacteria that likes them will grow and they greasy ones will die and you can have the same affect where you want more green stuff as your gut is literally telling your brain more green stuff.

Scientists think this could explain why some people get overweight and cant stop, plus your genetics can contribute to your bad diet and being more likely to put on weight which can be hard to overcome.

Finally there is a procure bit gross but actually used by Doctors where they stick a pipe or whatever where the Sun dont Shine haha take your poo basically and put it into someone else, this is to create large numbers of good bacteria if someone is lacking them, the poo is taken from a healthy person with lots of those yummy green gut bacteria to try and boost numbers and gut health in the other person and it really works the person may stop having any gut problems and is more likely to lose weight if the person was at a healthy weight, but vise versa if you get someone who is overweight and get thier poo (Medical thing remember) in you then you are more likely to gain weight.

Honestly gut bacteria is very powerful, important to your health and physiological health and there is still lots to learn, also I am not certain I think its this but if you get lots of gut pain it can be a sign of developing dementia later in life, there is new research on that so search it up haha cause I am not an expert on that.

Here is a video from Kurzgesagt very good learning channel and very funny about some of the things I mentioned -

Regards - Declan Sargent

 

[HareBrain]

that's interesting on stomach acid - how do you reverse it?

What seemed to work for me was taking a supplement for about a month (containing ox bile IIRC) and improving my diet. This advice came from a nutritionist. The idea was that the better your food is absorbed and the more nutrition you get from it, the more stomach acids are created. The supplement was needed to kick-start the virtuous cycle.

the best way to increase your longevity was to cut preservatives from your diet.

Ironic.