Given how flatulence can give us insight into gut health, it\u2019s surprising how little we know about the line between what\u2019s good and what\u2019s excessive, researchers say.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/anal-pain-woman-suffering-hemorrhoids-135273891.jpg\")
Researchers had participants log their farts in an app called \u201cChart Your Fart.\u201d staras \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Gone with the wind<\/p>\n
Scientists had to solve a problem: How do you count farts?<\/p>\n
This year, researchers at the University of Maryland created Smart Underwear<\/a>, a small device that snaps onto underwear and sensors track farts automatically.<\/p>\n There was also the option to insert something into the bum to measure gas getting built up. The problem there is people often hold it to release in a more socially acceptable place.<\/p>\n So, an Australian team came up with a solution: They call it \u201cChart Your Fart.\u201d<\/p>\n They gave participants an smart phone app where they could log their toots as soon after it\u2019s released as possible. The app was designed to be discrete so everyone around participants wouldn\u2019t be clued in to their flatulence habits.<\/p>\n All sorts of people joined the study, from ages 14 and up. The only people who weren\u2019t considered were those who recently made a major diet change, which could cause abnormal farting.<\/p>\n Who farts the most?<\/p>\n On average, people fart five times a day, the study showed. The median \u2014 meaning the middle number of a graph \u2014 was slightly lower (3.8 farts a day), which means there was a subset of very gassy people driving up the average.<\/p>\n This is true across demographics: men, women, young, old \u2014 a few folks passed gas significantly more than the rest in the group, making the average at least one higher a day than the median.<\/p>\n A vast majority (79.3%) recorded between two and seven farts a day.<\/p>\n Men recorded more farts than women: 5.2 vs. 4.8 a day, on average. The youngest (ages 14-25) recorded the least farts at 4.4 on average.<\/p>\n Ages 26-45 farted the most, with slightly more than 5 a day. But the next group, 46-65 was close at exactly 5 a day. Researchers said they didn\u2019t get enough data from folks ages 65 up.<\/p>\n Researchers also found when farts happen during the day: They gradually increase until a peak in the evening after dinner. There are small spikes at 6 to 8 a.m., after lunch at 2 to 4 p.m. and the last big one from 8 to 10p.m.<\/p>\n This largely correlates with when people are taking in energy and fiber through food. Farts follow after an hour or so.<\/p>\n Why farts matter<\/p>\n This study shows the average farts a day are much lower than previous research. Some say 14 to 23<\/a>, while the Smart Underwear device detected people farting from four to 59 times a day.<\/p>\n This is explained in part by the nature of the Australian study \u2014 you have to be awake to log your toots in the app, so it misses all nighttime flatulence.<\/p>\n![\"Four](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/selective-focus-accident-restaurant-135273918.jpg\")
Men fart slightly more than women, according to the study. mirkoni \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n