beef and pork

Question
Hi
My husband has found he has much less gas and bloating,indigestion if he cuts back on beef and pork.
Last night after going a week without any (he was eating chicken fish,pasta,etc) he had one pork chop and had gas all night and the next day.
Is this normal?
He is 50. I have heard that as you get older you cant digest as well.
He was always a big meat eater and got heartburn, gas, etc. as he got older which I though was normal.
Maybe older guys need to cut out/back on the meat?
His buddies that are big meat eaters all have big bellies.
Thanks!

Answer
Hi Vanessa!  It is normal to pass gas around 15 times per day, they are often small releases and don't smell and are completely healthy.  (Most people don't even notice how often they release gas.)  However, excess gas, bloating, and indigestion are not normal, even as you get older.  I only found one study about meat and flatulence and it found beef did not cause flatulence.  Gas is usually created by the breakdown of carbohydrates, which are not in meat unless they are added as a breading.  The sulfur in meats can make flatulence smell worse and perhaps be more noticable.  A more likely cause of flatulence with fatty meats is the fat itself.  Bicarbonate is released in the intestines to neutralize stomach acid and react with fat, a result of which is carbon dioxide.  However, persistent gas and bloating are often the first symptoms of a more serious problem such as colorectal cancer, gallstones, pancreatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease.  If cutting back on the meat helps, I would definitely recommend it even if science has no distinct link between the two.  I also recommend he discuss the matter with his doctor.

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