All women have experienced bloating, but how do you know when bloating is toxic and a sign of a bad disease rather than just your period or some food that you ate? Doctor Oz discussed 3 causes of toxic bloating including Diverticulitis, Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth and Ovarian Cancer.
To understand about bloating, Doctor Oz first explained what happens every time we eat. Many people think that the acids in their stomach are the main part of the digestive process, but the majority of digestion occurs in the small intestine. You have special enzymes in your small intestine that aid in your digestion of fats, proteins and sugars. Anything that isn’t digested in the small intestine gets passed on to the large intestine or colon. As the bacteria in your large intestine digest the leftover bits, they produce gas which makes your stomach feel bloated and makes cramps. This means that if you eat a lot of ingredients that your body has difficulty digesting, like sorbitol or fructose, then your small intestine can’t digest it and your large intestine’s bacteria come into play and make your more bloated. This type of bloating does not feel good (you feel bloated) nor does it help our pants to fit properly, but it is not toxic or deadly. Dr. Robynne Chutkan, a Gastroenterologist, said that you can also get bloating from a lack of excercise: “if you arent moving, neither are your bowels” which can cause bloating. The following are Dr. Oz’s list of much more dangerous, toxic bloating causes.
Dr. Oz’s 3 Causes of Toxic Bloating
Toxic Bloating Cause 1: Diverticulitis
Sometimes when we go to the bathroom (and have a bowel movement), our large intestine’s lining gets pushed into forming little pockets or pouches, and this is what Diverticulosis is. Diverticulosis is dangerous because if you get feces in these pockets in your large intestine’s lining, then you can get an infection which in turn can cause Diverticulitis.
Signs of Diverticulosis
– Difficulty going to the bathroom for a bowel movement
– When you do have a bowel movement, it is in the form of small pellet shaped feces
– Cramping in the bottom left section of your abdomen
– Bloating
Signs of Diverticulitis
– Very severe pain
– Bloating for several weeks in a row
– Blood in your stool
– Constipation
Toxic Bloating Cause 2: Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth
When your small intestine is healthy, like mentioned above, it helps you to absorb and extract the nutrients from what you eat. The nutrient absorption process in the small intestine happens through villi (which look like tiny little fingers that stick out). Bacteria is normally not in your small intestine, but if it somehow makes its way into your small intestine, then the bacteria can destroy your small intestine’s villi. This in turns means that your food won’t get digested in your small intestine, and instead it will be digested by bacteria which will make you bloated and give you lots of cramping. Your doctor can test for Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth through breath tests or by testing the liquid in your small intestine… unfortunately, many doctor’s aren’t familiar with Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth, so you may have to specifically bring this up with your doctor. This is why is is so important to be an educated patient and to listen to Dr. Oz’s advice!
Signs of Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth
– Fatigue
– Bloating (especially after you eat)
Toxic Bloating Cause 3: Ovarian Cancer
Doctor Oz gave a shocking statistic: 1 in 40 cases of bloating turn out to be Ovarian Cancer. It used to be that Ovarian Cancer was called the silent killer, but now we have heard several times on Dr. Oz’s show that Ovarian Cancer is the cancer that whispers… you have to pay close attention to catch Ovarian Cancer early, and the number one sign for catching Ovarian Cancer early is bloating.
Signs of Ovarian Cancer
– Major changes in your menstrual cycle
– Bloating that does not go away
– Bleeding after your menopause (postmenopausal bleeding)
– Rectal bleeding
– Frequent urination
chelsea hopkins says
DR OZ PLEASE ADDRESS MY ISSUE, I HAVE PCOS IM NOW 49YRS OLD GOING THROUGH MENOPAUSE, MY STOMACH HAS ALWAYS BLOATED, BUT INCREDIBLY WORSE SINCE I NO LONGER HAVE MY PERIOD, IF I WILL DRINK SEVERAL BEERS MY STOMACH SEEMS TO LOOK A LOT SMALLER. KNOWING THAT THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE, BUT IT SEEMS TO HELP. HAVENT DRINK ALCOHOL IN 3 MONTHS BUT SINCE I DID MY DAUGHTER SAID MOM YOUR STOMACH LOOKS LIKE YOUVE LOST WEIGHT. I ALSO TAKE 80MG LASIX AND 40 MG MAXIDE, NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY I CANNOT HELP THE BLOATING, USE GAS X FREQUENTLY, NOTHING SEEMS TO MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE OTHER THAN DRINKING IT DOES HELP THE BLOAT. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE. I ALSO TAKE 5X500MG METFORMIN PER DAY. AT MY WITTS END. THANK YOU SO MUCH DR OZ YOURE THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO TV. GOD BLESS
Denise says
I have diverticulitis and get a lot of bloating. Does diverticulitis make your stomach hard. Often, I feel a sensation across my stomach like big rubberband is pressing on me.
Angela Kendall says
Help!!! I’e had diverticulitis for years w/ no relief. Constant upper stomach pain ,constipation and can only eat once a day. I take lax. every night,if I forget will not go for a least a wk. All I want is to feel good.
Sara Lofgreen says
I have been told I have diverticulitis about 2years age my concern is back in 2010 I had pre cancer cell on my right ovary I am 55 years old when I eat nothing seems to bother me I have no bleeding and I have drank pop most of my life never bothered me about 3 months ago my lower back stated hurting with going to the bathroom more with both areas my main concern is I don’t want to have ovarian cancer and it not get treated because everyone just thinks it diverticulitis please help if you can