On Dr. Joseph Salhab’s TikTok page, bloating is a hot topic. The gastroenterologist, who often broadcasts from the front seat of his car and goes by “The Stomach Doc,” likely reaches more people on the social media platform than he’ll ever see in his Florida practice: Just one of his posts about the five breakfast foods that won’t cause bloating has been viewed 13 million times. For scope, it’d be as if Dr. Salhab, whose practice cares for patients in the cities of Davenport and Lake Wales, saw the entire population of his hometowns 358 times.
When you type the word bloated into TikTok, you’re met with more than 80 million posts. Many of them feature legging-clad women in side profile showing their noticeably distended bellies, some even joking about appearing pregnant: “My favorite game: being bloated in public and getting to cosplay being pregnant” reads one post with over two million likes. Brands have been watching, too: There’s been a rise in techniques, products, and supplements all promising to be the golden ticket to deflation.
Lymphatic drainage (the massage technique believed to sculpt and reduce swelling on the body and face) has racked up millions of views and birthed a wave of experts with followings (and waitlists) thanks to high-profile clients and dramatic before-and-after photos. Influencers tout the benefits of quick-fix diet hacks like dandelion root capsules or three-times-daily drink blends (apple cider vinegar, lemon, and cayenne pepper or mint, lemon, and baking soda are often namechecked) to swiftly flatten bellies before a wedding or big event. Then there are the endless bloating supplements promising one-and-done solutions. “Have your carbs and debloat, too,” claims one of Hulu’s Mormon Wives about HUM’s Flatter Me gummies. “Bloating? Don’t know her,” says a fitness influencer promoting shakes by Flat Tummy Co., a company that both Kim and Khloe Kardashian have sung the praises of in the past. “Fastest way to eliminate belly bloat and feel your best,” intones a voice-over on an Instagram post for Viome’s gut health tests. Try Ryze adaptogenic mushroom coffee because “you could be filled with gas and toxic buildup,” suggests another post.
But ask any medical professional, and they’ll say that one-size-fits-all solutions aren’t the way to actually treat bloating. It’s a symptom that has many causes and is more multi-factorial than breezy social media posts suggest. Bloating is also, despite the alarm-raising way it’s spoken about online, bloating is often very normal. “People have really lost track of what’s normal versus abnormal, because gas and bloating are extremely normal,” says Brian E. Lacy, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic. A survey study of nearly 89,000 US adults found that 14% (that’s 1 in 7) had symptoms of gas, bloating, or distension within the past week. “Bloating is a sensation (and that’s a key point because it’s a sensory phenomenon) of gassiness, while distension is a physical manifestation that patients report as their abdomen looking swollen or pregnant, or like a balloon or basketball,” says Dr. Lacy, distinguishing the two. But bloating naturally happens. It’s only when it becomes chronic that it’s a problem. “When it’s every time somebody eats, or they wake up bloated daily, or they always feel six months pregnant with bloat by the end of a day, then that would be more concerning,” says Heather Finley, a registered dietitian with a doctorate in clinical nutrition whose practice is focused exclusively on gut issues.
