Stomach bloating affects millions of people daily, causing discomfort, embarrassment, and concern about underlying health issues. If you’ve been wondering what causes stomach bloating and why it seems to happen so frequently, you’re not alone. At Balance Chaos, located at 845 15th St Suite 103 in San Diego, CA 92101, we help clients identify the root causes of chronic bloating through comprehensive functional medicine approaches.
Understanding what triggers your bloating isn’t just about comfort—it’s a crucial window into your digestive health, nutrient absorption, and overall wellness. Let’s explore the most common causes of stomach bloating and why addressing this symptom matters more than you might think.
Understanding What Causes Stomach Bloating
What causes stomach bloating? The answer involves multiple interconnected factors affecting your digestive system. Bloating occurs when your gastrointestinal tract becomes filled with air or gas, or when digestive processes slow down, causing a sensation of fullness, tightness, or visible abdominal distension.
While occasional bloating after large meals is normal, persistent or severe bloating signals that something in your digestive process needs attention.
The sensation of bloating can stem from excess gas production by gut bacteria fermenting undigested food, swallowed air during eating or drinking, fluid retention, constipation slowing digestive transit, inflammation in the intestinal lining, or food sensitivities triggering immune responses.
Identifying your specific triggers requires careful observation and often professional testing to uncover hidden imbalances.
Dietary Triggers: Foods That Commonly Cause Stomach Bloating
Diet plays a central role in answering what causes stomach bloating for most people. Certain foods are notorious bloating triggers, though individual responses vary significantly based on your unique digestive capacity and microbiome composition.
High-FODMAP foods are among the most common culprits. FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) are short-chain carbohydrates that some people struggle to digest. These include:
- Onions, garlic, and shallots
- Wheat, rye, and barley products
- Dairy products containing lactose
- Legumes like beans, lentils, and chickpeas
- Certain fruits including apples, pears, and stone fruits
- Sugar alcohols found in sugar-free products
Carbonated beverages introduce gas directly into your digestive system, while high-sodium foods cause water retention that mimics bloating. Artificial sweeteners, particularly sorbitol and mannitol, ferment in the gut and produce excess gas. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts contain raffinose, a complex sugar that produces gas during digestion.
At Balance Chaos in San Diego, our dietitians help clients identify their specific food triggers through elimination protocols and testing, creating personalized nutrition plans that minimize bloating without unnecessary restriction.
Gut Microbiome Imbalances and Bacterial Overgrowth
Your gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria living in your intestines—significantly influences whether you experience bloating. When beneficial bacteria are depleted and harmful or opportunistic bacteria overgrow, fermentation increases dramatically, producing excessive gas and bloating.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is one of the most common yet underdiagnosed causes of chronic bloating. In SIBO, bacteria that normally live in the colon migrate upward into the small intestine, where they ferment food prematurely. This causes severe bloating within 30-90 minutes after eating, along with gas, abdominal pain, and alternating constipation and diarrhea.
Candida overgrowth, a fungal imbalance, produces fermentation byproducts that cause bloating, sugar cravings, and brain fog. Dysbiosis—general microbiome imbalance—reduces your ability to digest certain foods efficiently, leading to increased fermentation and gas production.
Testing for these conditions through breath tests or comprehensive stool analysis helps identify specific imbalances. Understanding what causes stomach bloating often requires looking at your microbiome health, not just your food choices.
Digestive Enzyme Deficiencies and Low Stomach Acid
Proper digestion requires adequate digestive enzymes and stomach acid to break down food completely. When these are insufficient, food particles remain partially digested, becoming fuel for bacterial fermentation that produces gas and bloating.
Low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) is surprisingly common, especially as we age or experience chronic stress. Insufficient stomach acid impairs protein digestion and mineral absorption while allowing bacteria to survive passage through the stomach. Many people mistakenly believe they have too much stomach acid when experiencing reflux, when the actual problem is too little.
Pancreatic enzyme insufficiency means your pancreas doesn’t produce enough lipase, protease, and amylase to digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates properly. Bile acid insufficiency affects fat digestion, causing bloating, loose stools, and fat malabsorption.
Certain medical conditions affect enzyme production, including celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, chronic pancreatitis, and cystic fibrosis. Age, stress, and medications like PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) also reduce digestive secretions, contributing to bloating.
Food Sensitivities and Intolerances
Unlike food allergies that cause immediate immune reactions, food sensitivities and intolerances produce delayed symptoms including bloating, making them difficult to identify without systematic testing or elimination protocols.
Lactose intolerance affects a significant portion of the population who lack sufficient lactase enzyme to digest milk sugar. Undigested lactose ferments in the colon, producing gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Gluten sensitivity (non-celiac gluten sensitivity) triggers inflammation and bloating even without the intestinal damage seen in celiac disease.
Histamine intolerance occurs when your body can’t break down histamine properly, leading to bloating along with headaches, flushing, and digestive upset after eating aged cheeses, fermented foods, wine, or leftover meats. Fructose malabsorption causes bloating from fruits, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup.
IgG food sensitivity testing can reveal delayed immune reactions to common foods like eggs, dairy, gluten, soy, and corn. At Balance Chaos, we use comprehensive testing to identify your specific triggers, creating targeted elimination plans followed by strategic reintroduction protocols.
Comparing Common Causes of Stomach Bloating
| Cause | Key Symptoms | Timing After Eating | Best Diagnostic Approach |
| SIBO | Severe bloating, belching, constipation | 30-90 minutes | Breath test (lactulose or glucose) |
| Food Sensitivities | Delayed bloating, fatigue, brain fog | 2-48 hours | IgG testing, elimination diet |
| Low Stomach Acid | Bloating, reflux, undigested food in stool | During and after meals | Heidelberg test, therapeutic trial |
| Lactose Intolerance | Gas, bloating, diarrhea after dairy | 30 minutes to 2 hours | Hydrogen breath test, elimination |
| High-FODMAP Foods | Gas, bloating, bowel changes | 2-6 hours | Low-FODMAP elimination diet |
Stress, Eating Habits, and Lifestyle Factors
Understanding what causes stomach bloating requires examining how you eat, not just what you eat. Eating too quickly prevents proper chewing, sending large food particles into your stomach that are harder to digest. Inadequate chewing also means less exposure to salivary enzymes that begin carbohydrate digestion.
Stress significantly impacts digestion through the gut-brain axis. When you’re stressed, your body diverts blood flow away from digestive organs, reduces enzyme and acid production, and alters gut motility. Many people notice their bloating worsens during high-stress periods, even without dietary changes.
Talking while eating, chewing gum, drinking through straws, and consuming carbonated beverages all increase the amount of air you swallow (aerophagia), contributing to bloating. Eating large meals overwhelms your digestive capacity, while eating too close to bedtime doesn’t allow adequate time for digestion before lying down.
Sedentary lifestyles slow intestinal motility, causing food to sit longer in your digestive tract and increasing fermentation. Regular movement and exercise stimulate peristalsis—the muscular contractions that move food through your intestines—reducing bloating and constipation.
Medical Conditions Associated with Chronic Bloating
Persistent bloating can indicate underlying medical conditions requiring professional diagnosis and treatment. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by chronic bloating along with abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis cause inflammation-related bloating along with more severe symptoms.
Gastroparesis—delayed stomach emptying—causes food to remain in your stomach longer than normal, producing fullness and bloating. Constipation from any cause leads to bloating as stool backs up in your colon. Ovarian issues including cysts, endometriosis, or ovarian cancer can cause abdominal bloating, particularly in women.
Celiac disease damages intestinal villi, impairing digestion and absorption while causing bloating and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Pancreatic insufficiency and bile duct obstruction affect digestive secretions necessary for proper breakdown of food.
If you experience persistent bloating accompanied by unintended weight loss, blood in stool, severe pain, difficulty swallowing, or worsening symptoms, seek medical evaluation promptly. At Balance Chaos, we provide comprehensive assessments to determine whether your bloating stems from functional digestive issues or requires additional medical investigation.
Why Addressing Bloating Matters for Your Overall Health
Chronic bloating isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s a signal that your digestive system isn’t functioning optimally. Poor digestion and nutrient malabsorption can lead to deficiencies in essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, affecting energy, immunity, mood, and long-term health.
Persistent inflammation in your gut contributes to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut), allowing partially digested food particles and toxins to enter your bloodstream. This triggers systemic inflammation linked to autoimmune conditions, skin problems, brain fog, and mood disorders.
Chronic bloating often indicates microbiome imbalance, which affects far more than digestion. Your gut microbiome influences immune function, neurotransmitter production, hormone metabolism, and protection against pathogens. Addressing bloating by restoring gut health creates positive ripple effects throughout your entire body.
Take Control of Your Digestive Health Today
Understanding what causes stomach bloating empowers you to take targeted action rather than simply accepting discomfort as normal. Whether your bloating stems from food triggers, microbiome imbalances, enzyme deficiencies, or lifestyle factors, identifying and addressing root causes creates lasting relief and improves your overall health.
You don’t have to live with constant bloating and digestive discomfort. With the right testing, personalized nutrition strategies, and therapeutic support, you can restore comfortable digestion and reclaim your quality of life.
Ready to identify what’s causing your bloating and find lasting solutions? Schedule a comprehensive digestive health consultation with Balance Chaos at our San Diego location at 845 15th St Suite 103, CA 92101, or call (702) 337-2606. Our functional medicine team will help you uncover the root causes of your bloating and create a personalized plan for digestive wellness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can stress alone cause stomach bloating?
A: Yes, stress directly impacts digestion by reducing digestive enzyme and acid production, altering gut motility, and changing gut bacteria composition. Many people experience significant bloating during stressful periods even without dietary changes. Managing stress through nervous system regulation often reduces bloating substantially.
Q: How do I know if my bloating is serious?
A: Seek medical attention if bloating is accompanied by severe pain, blood in stool, unintended weight loss, persistent vomiting, difficulty swallowing, or symptoms that progressively worsen. Sudden onset of severe bloating or bloating in women over 50 should also be evaluated to rule out serious conditions.
Q: What is the fastest way to relieve stomach bloating?
A: Short-term relief strategies include gentle movement or walking to stimulate digestion, peppermint tea to relax digestive muscles, abdominal massage in clockwise circles, avoiding carbonated drinks and gas-producing foods, and staying hydrated. However, lasting relief requires identifying and addressing root causes rather than just managing symptoms.
