PATIENT PRESENTATION MARKER

Strong-smelling wind

What this marker measures

The degree to which bother is experienced from wind that has a strong odour.

Health categories/Interpretations informed by this marker

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Clinical features
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‍● Lower GI symptoms: strong-smelling wind is a commonly-reported lower gastrointestinal symptom that can affect quality of life.
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Interpreting the result

PRESENT

Questionnaire responses indicate being bothered a lot by strong-smelling wind in the last 7 days.

PARTIALLY PRESENT

Questionnaire responses indicate being bothered a little by strong-smelling wind in the last 7 days.

NOT PRESENT

Questionnaire responses indicate not being bothered by strong-smelling wind in the last 7 days.

Patient management insights

DIETARY STRATEGIES

Consider reducing excess animal protein (with hydrogen sulphide-producing microbes Optimal): animal protein is a major substrate for protein putrefaction, which produces hydrogen sulphide and other volatile sulphur compounds, which may be associated with increased flatus odour.^1–4
GRADE D

Follow a varied plant-rich diet (with hydrogen sulphide-producing microbes Borderline high or High): a diet rich in plant foods may reduce levels of sulphate- and taurine-reducing bacteria.^3,5–7
GRADE D

Tips for patients discussion

"Your questionnaire responses show that strong-smelling wind has been bothering you. It's very common, and the smell mostly comes from sulphur gases made by gut microbes as they break down food. Depending on your other results, small changes like eating a little less meat or more plant foods may help, and we'll choose the option that best suits you."

Source references for all clinical associations, interpretation definitions, and patient management insights on this card.

1. Teigen, L. et al. Differential hydrogen sulfide production by a human cohort in response to animal- and plant-based diet interventions. Clin Nutr 41, 1153–1162 (2022).
2. Magee, E. A., Richardson, C. J., Hughes, R. & Cummings, J. H. Contribution of dietary protein to sulfide production in the large intestine: an in vitro and a controlled feeding study in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 72, 1488–1494 (2000).
3. David, L. A. et al. Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome. Nature 505, 559–563 (2014).
4. Moore, J. G., Jessop, L. D. & Osborne, D. N. Gas-chromatographic and mass-spectrometric analysis of the odor of human feces. Gastroenterology 93, 1321–1329 (1987).
5. Koponen, K. K. et al. Associations of healthy food choices with gut microbiota profiles. Am J Clin Nutr 114, 605–616 (2021).
6. Kellingray, L. et al. Consumption of a diet rich in Brassica vegetables is associated with a reduced abundance of sulphate-reducing bacteria: a randomised crossover study. Mol Nutr Food Res 61, 1600992 (2017).
7. Ruengsomwong, S. et al. Microbial community of healthy Thai vegetarians and non-vegetarians, their core gut microbiota, and pathogen risk. J Microbiol Biotechnol 26, 1723–1735 (2016).