The Fart That Changed the World: From TV to Science with Julie Thompson

From the viral moment on The Traitors to the biology of the "silent but deadly," this episode is an unashamed deep dive into flatulence. Drs Siobhan and Sheena are joined by Julie Thompson, Lead Dietitian at Guts UK Charity, to break the stigma around passing wind. We discuss what normal gas looks like, why fiber makes us farty (and why that's a good thing!), and the truth about the Low FODMAP diet for IBS sufferers. Plus, we answer the important questions: Do spiders fart? And do charcoal underpants actually work?

Featured Guest:

Julie Thompson is a Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian with over 16 years of experience supporting people with digestive diseases. She has a particular interest in disorders of gut-brain interaction, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

A leading voice in her field, Julie contributed to the British Dietetic Association’s (BDA) dietary guidelines for IBS and has delivered the BDA’s Low FODMAP diet training to dietitians across the UK. She currently serves as the Information Manager at the charity Guts UK and sits on the BSG Gut Microbiota for Health Expert Panel.

References and resources:

• Guts UK Charity: https://gutscharity.org.uk/
• Book: Fartology by Stefan Gates
• Book: Does It Fart? by Nick Caruso & Dani Rabaiotti
• The Physics of Farts: Ancalle, D., et al. (2021). "Physics of flatulence." The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
• What is a "Normal" Amount of Gas? Modesto, A., et al. (2021). "Meta-Analysis of the Composition of Human Intestinal Gases." Digestive Diseases and Sciences.
• Microbes & Metabolism: Rowland, I., et al. (2018). "Gut microbiota functions: metabolism of nutrients and other food components." European Journal of Nutrition. (See the excellent section on intestinal gas & microbes!)
• Carb Intolerance: Fernández-Bañares, F. (2022). "Carbohydrate Maldigestion and Intolerance." Nutrients.
• The "Bean Study": Winham, D., & Hutchins, A. (2011). "Perceptions of flatulence from bean consumption among adults in 3 feeding studies." Nutrition Journal. (Evidence that the gas often goes away after a few weeks!)
• Symptoms in the UK: Thomson, C., Garcia, A., & Edwards, C. (2021). "Digestive symptoms, diet and demographics in UK adults." Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.
• Global Gas Survey: Palsson, O.S., et al. (2025). "Gas-Related Symptoms in the General Population: Prevalence, Impact and Associated Factors." Neurogastroenterology & Motility.

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer:

The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.