Can Probiotics Help with Bloating? Doctors Explain

We’ve all been there. You finish a meal and suddenly feel like you’ve swallowed a balloon. Your stomach feels tight, uncomfortable and noticeably larger than it was just an hour ago. Bloating affects up to 13% of us regularly, turning everyday activities into uncomfortable experiences.

With the growing buzz around gut health, you may wonder if probiotics could be the answer to your bloating woes. You can get probiotics from foods, like yogurt and kefir, or from supplements. But can they help, and which ones are best? 

To get the real scoop, we spoke to doctors to help understand exactly what probiotics can (and can’t) do for bloating. What we discovered might surprise you and give you hope for finally finding relief.

Help Restore Balance to Your Gut 

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria. Some can support your health, while others may work against you. When this delicate ecosystem gets out of whack, things can become especially problematic for your digestive system. 

Enter probiotics. “Certain probiotic strains can help restore balance to the gut microbiome, particularly when there’s an overgrowth of gas-producing bacteria,” says Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., MSCI. “By supporting a healthier balance of microbes, probiotics may reduce excessive fermentation in the gut, which is one of the main drivers of bloating.”

Think of probiotics as reinforcements for your existing good bacteria. When you have more of these beneficial bacteria on board, there’s less space for gas-producing bacteria to take over and cause that uncomfortable balloon feeling.

Consider the results of one study that looked at the impact of taking a daily probiotic pill—containing a mix of seven bacterial strains—on bloating. After two weeks, volunteers who took the probiotic supplement experienced significantly less bloating compared to those who didn’t take any probiotics. The results were so impressive that 42% of the probiotic group reported no bloating, while only 12% of the placebo group had the same results. In case you’re wondering, the probiotics in the mixed supplement were Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum and Streptococcus thermophilus. We’re not suggesting you try them all at once, but consuming a couple of them might be worth a try. 

May Prevent Constipation

One of the most overlooked causes of bloating is actually constipation. “Constipation occurs when fecal matter sits in the colon for too long, slowing down the digestive process, which can intensify bloating,” says Brynna Connor, M.D. This creates a perfect storm for bloating, discomfort and that heavy feeling in your stomach.

“Slow movement through the gut, manifested with constipation, is the most common cause of bloating in my experience as a gastroenterologist,” says Bulsiewicz. “A probiotic may help to support intestinal regularity, and when you address constipation you will find that bloating improves as well.” 

What makes them so effective? “Our microbes play an essential role in maintaining and supporting our gut rhythm and motility,” says Bulsiewicz. They are believed to do this by communicating with your nervous system to keep things moving along at the right pace. For instance, beneficial bacteria produce compounds called short-chain fatty acids that help maintain the muscle contractions needed for healthy bowel movements.,

When you add probiotics to your routine, you’re essentially training your gut to maintain better rhythm and flow. This means less time for food to sit and ferment, which may translate to less gas production and bloating. 

Can Improve Digestion and Absorption

Sometimes, digestive issues occur because your body isn’t properly digesting or absorbing certain foods. This may lead to gas, bloating, diarrhea and cramping., For some people, this may be particularly common when they consume certain complex carbohydrates, fiber or dairy products.

Probiotics may help enhance your digestive capacity by producing enzymes that help break down some foods more effectively, especially dairy. For example, certain Lactobacillus strains help produce lactase, the enzyme that helps us digest lactose, the sugar in dairy products.

When your digestive system works better, you’re more likely to absorb nutrients more efficiently. That, in turn, may leave less undigested material to ferment in the colon, translating to less gas production and bloating.

May Help Manage Food Sensitivities

Food sensitivities, such as gluten sensitivity or FODMAP intolerance, can be major contributors to bloating. Unfortunately, an imbalanced gut microbiome often makes these sensitivities worse. In fact, when your gut lacks certain beneficial bacteria, you may even become more reactive to foods that never bothered you before.

Probiotics may help modulate your gut’s response to certain foods, potentially reducing sensitivity-related bloating. For instance, research has found that certain Bifidobacterium strains may help improve tolerance to gluten-containing foods. 

There’s also encouraging news for people who are sensitive to FODMAPs. One four-week study found that taking a daily probiotic supplement helped alleviate FODMAP-induced bloating. When volunteers with FODMAP intolerance took a daily supplement containing a mix of seven probiotic strains for two to four weeks, they experienced improvements in bloating, abdominal pain and bowel habits. These results were even more pronounced when the supplement was combined with a low-FODMAP diet.

Other Strategies to Manage Bloating

While probiotics can be a powerful tool for managing bloating, they work best as part of a comprehensive approach, including these strategies:

• Eat mindfully: Chewing thoroughly and eating slowly gives your digestive enzymes time to work properly. This reduces the amount of undigested food that reaches your colon, where it can ferment and cause gas.
• Move your body: Regular physical activity stimulates digestion and helps trapped gas move through your system. Gentle movement, like yoga and walking, works for most people. Depending on your digestive system, intense exercise, like running, may ease or intensify bloating. So, you may need to experiment to find the type of exercise that works best for you. 
• Manage stress: Chronic stress disrupts digestion and can worsen bloating. Try stress-reduction techniques like deep breathing, meditation or yoga to keep your gut calm and happy.
• Identify your triggers: Dietitians are big fans of food diaries for lots of reasons, including pinpointing digestive triggers. So, take a few minutes to write down what you eat every day. It can work wonders for helping to identify which foods consistently cause bloating. 

Our Expert Take

Probiotics may help manage symptoms of bloating in various ways. They may do this by helping to restore the balance of good gut bacteria, preventing constipation, improving digestion and absorption of food, and helping alleviate food sensitivities. 

However, they’re not a magic bullet. “While probiotics may help some people, they’re not a universal fix,” says Bulsiewicz. “Bloating is a complex symptom with many possible causes—from diet and stress to hormonal shifts and food intolerances, not to mention the role of the gut microbiome and motility.” 

In addition to having realistic expectations, be patient. “It should be noted that it’s not uncommon for people to experience small amounts of bloating when they first introduce probiotics into their diet,” says Connor. “However, this is usually temporary as part of the body’s adjustment period.”

If bloating persists despite trying probiotics and lifestyle modifications, don’t go it alone. Speak with your health care provider, who can help determine if an underlying condition like SIBO, inflammatory bowel disease or food allergies is at the root of your discomfort.