Farts, Poop, and Other Unmentionables (Part 3): Food Intolerances in Flight Crew

Welcome back to the blog series on GI distress! I have to say, no matter what profession, this topic stinks (hahahaha), and if you’re a pilot, flight attendant, or air traffic controller this gets complicated fast. Nobody wants to be stuck in a cockpit with a fart, or be the one who produced it - both are uncomfortable. And there is nothing worse than needing a bathroom and not having access to one 😐. With that being said, let’s chat about another potential cause of GI issues - food intolerances.

Keep in mind there are many, many factors involved when it comes to gut health and GI distress including how your body digests (or doesn’t) certain foods. In this episode, we’re going to talk about the gas producing and stomach churning effects of carbohydrate intolerance - specifically lactose and fructose.

Food Intolerance vs. Food Allergy: What's the Difference?

It’s important to start with a definition of food intolerance because it often gets discussed alongside food allergies, but they are very different. Food allergies are an allergic reaction and produce an immune system reaction that can be deadly; whereas, an intolerance is the body's inability (physiologically) to fully digest parts of your food. Generally intolerances do not result in death, but can make things pretty miserable.

Lactose Intolerance: Why Dairy Can Cause Gas and Bloating

Intolerances can be caused by a number of factors but when it comes to lactose intolerance, it’s because the body no longer produces or doesn’t produce enough of the enzyme lactase. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and contains two sugar molecules combined by a bond and we need the enzyme lactase to break that bond. Without adequate amounts of lactase (the enzyme) the sugars do not digest and continue through the GI tract where they eventually enter the colon and the bacteria ferments the sugar. This is where the problems bloom. When the sugars ferment, the result is gas production leading to farts, burps, cramping, and bloating. Some people might experience constipation or diarrhea as a result of their intolerance to lactose (the sugar).

There are several genetic factors involved with the poor production of lactase and if you’re suspicious you have lactose intolerance, work with Flight Crew Nutrition to do a DNA test, or lab work… or the easiest way to test - stop consuming dairy and see if your symptoms subside! Depending on the severity of your symptoms you may or may not need to completely eliminate dairy products as they have varying amounts of lactose. For example, hard cheeses, like cheddar, have very little lactose and yogurts may be easier to digest because they already have some fermentation processing that reduces the lactose amount.

Fructose Intolerance: When Sugary Drinks Upset Your Gut

Fructose is another sugar that can be poorly digested (check out the fructose blog post) and malabsorption of high amounts of fructose is more common than people might realize. The problem with fructose intolerance is different from lactose in that the absorption of fructose is slower than other sugars and it has a unique pathway to get from the small intestine to our livers. The end result is more fructose in the digestive tract that can lead to increased fermentation and the sugar will cause extra water to enter the gut leading to diarrhea. With normal intakes of fructose, most people do not have issues, but with access to high fructose foods like energy drinks, sodas, etc. you can easily exceed your body's ability to absorb the fructose.

How Do You Know If You Have a Problem?

• You have a problem if you’re uncomfortable with the amount of gas, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, or constipation you experience.
• You can complete a lab test (the hydrogen breath test) to explore the amount and type of gasses you breath out after eating food.
• You can do a genetic test.  Although genetic testing is not a diagnostic tool for intolerances, it gives you extra clues as to what might be the underlying issue of your problems.

What to Do About Gas, Bloating, and Food Intolerance

You can start by experimenting with reducing or removing foods that seem to go hand in hand with your symptoms. Work with Flight Crew Nutrition to have a professional assess and explore your concerns and make evidence-based recommendations to manage your GI distress. It’s what we do, and we LOVE it! Gut related issues are often complicated and it helps to have someone look at the full picture of your lifestyle and diet to make the most effective changes.