5 Weird facts about farts you evner knew

Holding it in may cause major health repercussions

Farts are essentially a cocktail of various gases—mostly nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane (only a tiny portion of that actually smells). When your body naturally wants to push something out and you consciously won't allow it, it's not like all that flatulence disappears. Instead, the gas can erode parts of the intestinal wall, creating pockets called diverticula. And if the diverticula get infected, the painful condition diverticulitis may develop. Also, weak spots may develop along the colon which ain't no picnic.

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Naked farts could transmit germs

Typically, it's safe to assume bottoms are clothed while farting. That clothing acts as a filter, combing the wind any potentially passes bacteria—primarily streptococcus pyogenes , which can summon all sorts of upsetting health issues including actual skin-eating disease. But without that first line of clothing defense, there's no telling.

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Sniffing others' farts might prevent cancer

A recent study suggests small whiffs of hydrogen sulfide gas (present in human farts) could help prevent all sorts of scary stuff like arthritis, cancer, and heart disease. Although there's no concrete conclusions about this, it seems a viable defense when "Dutch oven"-ing a partner.

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Beer makes you fart more, too

A huge culprit in brewing up extra farts is simple: more swallowed air means more flatulence. That means an affinity for carbonated beverages like beer and gum might make make you a less-than-savory bedfellow (to some). At least this kind of fart usually doesn't stink. So if you're gearing up for a hot date, maybe opt instead for wine or something else less fizzy while sidled up to the bar with your cutie. Or—I don't know your life—pound beer and/or seltzer and test this new person out early on. Can they deal? If so, perhaps consider marriage.

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One guy tried to market farts from around the world

True, "exotic farts" may have a market somewhere, that market is apparently not online. Despite a Kickstarter campaign, fart in a jar did not meet its fundraising goals and therefore—hopefully—will never actually materialize.

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