In 2018, someone posted a screenshot of a Google search result in the r/theydidthemath subreddit regarding the calorie-burning potential of passing gas. Evidently, Google said that one fart burns approximately 67 calories and that farting 52 times in one day can burn one pound of fat.
“I’m speechless,” wrote the original poster. “Is this even accurately quantifiable? I know we’ll all lose sleep until this mystery is solved.”
It’s tough to tell whether this DUDE was trolling or if he was genuinely curious whether ripping ass could double as a cardio session. Nevertheless, he started a raging debate that tallied 374 comments.
“Are you f***ing insane?” one person replied. “That's about the same amount of calories it takes to walk half a mile. There's so much wrong with this post I don't even know how to fully address it.”
To which another user replied: “Obviously you aren’t putting enough effort into your farts. They should leave you physically exhausted.”
As flatulence connoisseurs, we naturally become curious: Can you really fart your way to a six-pack? Or have the internet overlords duped us? Spoiler alert: You might not want to cancel that gym membership just yet.
Does Farting Burn Calories?
No, farting doesn’t burn calories. In order to burn calories, you need to put your muscles to work. But your muscles actually relax when you fart—the pressure in your bowels pushes the intestinal gas out of your butt without any effort on your part.
The only way it (might) be possible for farting to burn calories is if you strain to push them out. But the amount of calories burned would be minuscule—likely less than a single calorie. To put it in perspective, even vigorous activities like running or weightlifting burn only a few calories per minute, and the brief, minor exertion of straining to fart doesn’t compare.
Here's a breakdown of the factors involved:
- Muscle Contraction: Straining involves using your abdominal and pelvic muscles. However, the intensity and duration are too short to have a significant caloric impact.
- Duration: Straining to fart usually lasts only a few seconds. Even if you were to do this repeatedly, the cumulative time spent would still be too short to burn any measurable amount of calories.
- Energy Expenditure: To burn one calorie, an average person needs to engage in an activity requiring approximately 4.184 joules of energy. Straining to fart doesn’t come close to this level of exertion.
Farting is a natural, healthy part of the digestive process. Not to mention it can help you feel less bloated when you let one rip. But it won’t do you any favors when you step on the scale.
How Did the Rumor About Farts Burning Calories Start?
In November 2015, Internet users started rumbling about Google returning a suspicious search result to those who asked whether farting burned calories:
The source that Google cited for this information was a Facebook page called "F A C T" which offered no evidence to back this claim. In fact, the only source provided by "F A C T" was Google itself.
Upon further investigation, it appears that the claim about a single fart burning 67 calories has been floating around the Internet since at least 2009 when an Internet troll responded to a question on ChaCha (the now-defunct search engine):
The amount of calories burned by farting would depend on how long the fart lasts and how much energy you use to do it. Some people believe you can burn up to 67 calories by releasing gas.
Snopes published a thorough debunking of the rumor in November 2015.
Why Does Farting Make You Feel Lighter?
While breaking wind won’t shed any pounds, it can definitely make you feel like you did—especially if you’ve been bloated.
Intestinal gas comes from many sources: eating high-fiber foods, drinking bubbly beverages, swallowing air, chewing gum, the list goes on. When too much gas gets trapped in your GI tract, you might feel bloated and notice your abdomen poking out more than normal. When you finally rip a righteous fart and release the buildup, you might feel lighter (and even look it).
Don’t Burn Your B-Hole with Toilet Paper
Sorry to burst your bubble if you thought a few toots would get you shredded. We can confirm that the rumor of farts burning calories is just that—a rumor. And while we’re on the topic of things burning, let’s not forget dry toilet paper scorches your chocolate starfish. Instead of sanding down your sensitive sides, soothe ‘em with DUDE Wipes, infused with aloe and vitamin E.
Say deuces to Cottonelle and hello to the cleanest crack you’ve ever had.
