Why your farts are smelling worse than usual and how to figure out the key culprit in your diet
Milk, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream; these could also make your wind smell a little like rotten eggs, particularly if you’re lactose intolerant.
About five to 15 per cent of people in Europe are lactose-intolerant, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Adrienne says: “Lactose requires an enzyme called lactase to be properly digested in the small intestine.
“If lactase levels are low, lactose passes into the colon undigested, where bacteria ferment it, producing gas and drawing in water, which can also cause bloating and diarrhoea.
“In someone with lactose intolerance, symptoms can occur anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours after consuming dairy.”
Adrienne says: “A doctor may suggest a hydrogen breath test, which measures hydrogen levels in the breath after consuming a lactose-containing drink.
“Elevated hydrogen can indicate malabsorption of lactose in the small intestine, as the lactose is then broken down by the gut bacteria in the large intestine, releasing hydrogen.”
You may also be asked to follow an elimination diet where you remove all lactose-containing foods, before slowly reintroducing them and tracking any symptoms.
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2026-04-14
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