Sulfur Burps And Diarrhea

However, if you’re experiencing excessive sulfur burps that are bothersome or severe enough to have an impact on your daily activities more than three days a week, it’s a good idea to check with a healthcare provider. They will ask about your medical history, symptoms, and sulfur burp patterns, and they may want to test for an underlying gastrointestinal health condition.

What Causes Sulfur Burps—and How Can You Get Rid of Them?

Cristina Mutchler is a Peabody award-winning journalist, specializing in health and wellness content for over a decade.

Published on February 22, 2024
Medically reviewed by

Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS, FACG, is a board-certified gastroenterologist and member of the Digestive Health Associates of Texas Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

bymuratdeniz / Getty Images

Sulfur burps are burps that have a foul, rotten egg smell. They happen when there’s a buildup of hydrogen sulfide gas in the digestive system, usually as a result of eating foods high in sulfur, taking certain medications, or experiencing a digestive disorder.

While sulfur burps typically aren’t a cause for concern, it’s possible to alleviate this bothersome symptom with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, dietary changes, and lifestyle tweaks.

Sulfur Burps Symptoms

Because burping is a part of the digestive process, it often comes along with other digestive-related symptoms. In addition to burps that smell like sulfur, you may also notice:

Causes of Sulfur Burps

When you burp, gas is brought up from the stomach and out through the mouth. This happens when there’s an excessive amount of air that’s lingering in the digestive tract.

With sulfur burps specifically, the foul smell is created by hydrogen sulfide gas, which is a chemical that’s created through the digestive process. There are several different reasons why this might occur.

Diet

Certain foods and drinks commonly contribute to sulfur burps. This is particularly true for foods that naturally contain a higher amount of sulfur. Foods high in sugar, starch, and fiber can also be a trigger.

Some of the common foods that can cause sulfur burps include:

Protein-rich foods like chicken, beef, or fish
Dairy products like whole milk and cheese
Eggs
Vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and onions
Beans
Artificial sweeteners
Soft drinks and other carbonated beverages

Medications

Medications that impact the digestive system can prompt sulfur burps. This can happen in a couple of different ways.

For example, drugs that slow down the digestive process often cause food to linger in the stomach for a longer amount of time—making it more likely that hydrogen sulfide gas gets released as bacteria break down the food. This can include painkillers like opioids, and type 2 diabetes treatment drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic).

Other medications can disrupt the balance of good and bad natural bacteria in the gut, which provides an environment for hydrogen sulfide gas to live and thrive. These medications can include antibiotics (especially repeated use) and drugs used to treat diabetes, like metformin (Riomet).

Health Conditions

Certain health conditions can trigger sulfur burping.

In gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the esophagus (a tube connecting the stomach to the throat) doesn’t function properly, allowing stomach acid and gas to move back up through the digestive tract and out of the mouth. Another gastrointestinal condition known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also causes excess gas in the digestive tract.

Burping is a common symptom of both of these conditions—and sulfur burping may be even more likely to occur if there’s enough hydrogen sulfide present in the digestive system.

Bacterial Infections

The natural mix of bacteria in the gut (known as the gut microbiome) helps break down foods during the digestion process—and this bacteria also produces the sulfur compound hydrogen sulfide.

Infections of certain bacteria (like the H. pylori bacteria) or other microbe (like the Giardia parasite) can trigger an excess production of hydrogen sulfide, and lead to sulfur burps and bad breath.

How To Get Rid of Sulfur Burps

The best ways to get rid of sulfur burps will depend on whether there’s an underlying health condition or not. Treating that condition can help clear up any sulfur burp episodes.

Typically, however, your healthcare provider might first recommend trying medication or certain dietary changes to address smelly burps.

Over-the-counter (OTC) antacids and anti-gas medications can help reduce gastrointestinal symptoms. For example, Gas-X (simethicone) can help excess gas pass through your digestive system more quickly. Pepto-Bismol (subsalicylate) treats upset stomach symptoms that might come along with sulfur burping. Proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec (omeprazole) can also be useful for people who experience sulfur burps related to GERD.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that help keep the gut bacterial environment healthy—and they may be particularly helpful for managing the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas, which prompts sulfur burps. Research has shown taking probiotic supplements or consuming probiotic-rich foods like yogurt or sauerkraut can help improve burping and other digestive symptoms.

There are also natural ingredients that support digestion. Peppermint, ginger, and chamomile in tea form may be a good place to start, as they can help relax muscles around the digestive tract and promote healthy digestion.

When To See a Healthcare Provider

Burping is considered to be a natural process that helps prevent gas from building up in the digestive tract. It’s normal to burp anywhere from 25 to 30 times per day.

However, if you’re experiencing excessive sulfur burps that are bothersome or severe enough to have an impact on your daily activities more than three days a week, it’s a good idea to check with a healthcare provider. They will ask about your medical history, symptoms, and sulfur burp patterns, and they may want to test for an underlying gastrointestinal health condition.

If needed, the provider can offer a treatment plan. For example, if there is a bacterial infection in the digestive tract, a healthcare provider can prescribe an antibiotic to clear the infection. Prescription-strength medications for conditions like GERD are also available.

In some cases, psychosocial therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy may be added to help supplement a digestive condition treatment plan. Though they wouldn’t provide immediate relief for sulfur and other types of burping, these treatments have been shown to help improve quality of life for people with gastrointestinal disorders like IBS.

How To Prevent Sulfur Burps

You may be able to prevent sulfur burps with dietary and lifestyle changes. Experts often recommend the following tips to help avoid belching:

Cut back on sulfur-filled foods that contribute to the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the digestive system
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of waterto support digestion and flush out sulfur
Avoid carbonated drinks and chewing gum, as they can trigger gas and burping
Eat smaller, more frequent meals slowly so excess air isn’t taken in and swallowed
Limit sugary foods and artificial sweeteners, which encourage bacteria in the digestive tract
Get regular exercise to promote healthy digestive system movement

A Quick Review

Sulfur burps are burps that smell like rotten eggs. They’re triggered when there’s too much hydrogen sulfide in your digestive system, which can happen with certain food choices, medications, and health conditions. Occasional sulfur burps can usually be treated with OTC medications and dietary and lifestyle tweaks, while frequent sulfur burping may require a consultation with a healthcare provider to rule out any underlying digestive disorders.

Giardiasis

You can get giardiasis through direct contact with infected people or animals, or from swallowing contaminated water, food or drinks.

There are lots of ways you can catch it, such as:

drinking water that’s contaminated by the poo of infected people or animals
eating food that’s been washed in contaminated water or handled by someone with giardiasis
water getting in your mouth while swimming in places like lakes, rivers or swimming pools
touching surfaces that have been touched by an infected person
having sex with someone infected with giardiasis – especially unprotected anal and oral sex

Symptoms of giardiasis

The main symptoms of giardiasis are:

smelly diarrhoea
tummy pain or cramps
farting (flatulence)
smelly burps – they may smell like eggs
bloating
weight loss

You can have giardiasis and spread it to others without having any symptoms.

Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

you have had diarrhoea for more than 7 days
you have bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from your bottom

Tell anyone you speak to if you have recently travelled abroad.

Treatment for giardiasis

A GP may send off a sample of your poo for tests to check if you have giardiasis.

It’s treated with antibiotics. Your symptoms should stop in about a week, but they can sometimes last longer.

Sometimes the people you live with may also need to be tested and treated.

Important

Go back to a GP if you still have symptoms a week after starting treatment.

They might give you more antibiotics or refer you to a specialist for treatment.

How to avoid spreading giardiasis

There are things you can do if you have giardiasis to avoid spreading it.

Don’t

Important

You’re most infectious from when your symptoms start until 2 days after they have passed. Stay off school or work until your symptoms have stopped for 2 days.

How to look after yourself if you have giardiasis

To look after yourself while you have giardiasis:

drink lots of fluids to avoid dehydration, such as water and squash – if you’re well hydrated, your pee should be light yellow or clear
do not drink alcohol while you’re taking antibiotics – alcohol can react with the main antibiotics used to treat giardiasis

If your baby has giardiasis, give them breast or bottle feeds as usual.

A pharmacist can help if you’re dehydrated

Speak to a pharmacist if you have signs of dehydration, such as peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee.

They may recommend using sachets that you mix with water to help you stay hydrated, called oral rehydration solutions.

Page last reviewed: 21 August 2023
Next review due: 21 August 2026

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Sulfur Burps And Diarrhea

Sulfur Burps And Diarrhea

What Causes Sulfur Burps—and How Can You Get Rid of Them?

Sulfur Burps Symptoms

Causes of Sulfur Burps