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Re:Thinking with Adam GrantRe:Thinking with Adam Grant

Why your fart smells awful and how to cure it!

You’ve probably experienced a “gut feeling” before—that sense of uneasiness in your stomach that tells you something is off, but your brain hasn’t quite worked out what it is yet. But can you really trust what your gut tells you? In this episode, Adam is joined by Harvard gastroenterologist Trisha Pasricha to decode what’s really going on between your mind and your stomach. Trisha breaks down the science behind brain-gut communication and offers tips for when and how to listen to your gut when making decisions or assessing a new environment. She also seeks Adam’s advice on helping doctors empathize with patients’ pain and invites him to rethink his position on poop. Building on her book You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong, she explains what your bowel movements can tell you about your overall health, how to experience “poophoria,” and why you shouldn’t bring your smartphone to the bathroom. Join us in person at a TED conference: https://tedtalks.social/events Become a TED Member to support our mission: https://ted.com/membership Subscribe to a TED newsletter: https://ted.com/newsletters Follow our podcasts! Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts Fixable: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/fixable How to Be a Better Human: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/how-to-be-a-better-human ReThinking with Adam Grant: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/rethinking-with-adam-grant TED Talks Daily: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted-talks-daily TED Business: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted_business TED Health: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted-health TED Tech: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted-tech The TED Audio Collective is a collection of podcasts for the curious. The TED Audio Collective videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organiz...). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com.

Adam GranthostTrisha Pasrichaguest
Apr 9, 20260mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Most fart gas is odorless; sulfur smells, and bismuth helps

  1. About 99% of the gas people pass is odorless; the smell comes from a small sulfur-containing portion.
  2. Bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., Pepto-Bismol) can neutralize sulfur compounds and reduce fart odor.
  3. The speaker advises against taking odor-neutralizers daily, framing them as situational tools for confidence.
  4. Normalizing flatulence—about 10–20 times per day on average—can reduce embarrassment while focusing on targeted fixes.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Fart odor is mostly a sulfur problem, not “gas” in general.

The transcript emphasizes that nearly all released gas lacks odor; the pungency comes from a small fraction containing sulfur compounds.

Bismuth subsalicylate can reduce odor by neutralizing sulfur compounds.

Products like Pepto-Bismol are suggested as a simple intervention specifically aimed at the smelly component of flatulence.

Use odor-neutralizers strategically, not as a daily routine.

The recommendation is to avoid habitual use and instead reserve it for “high-risk” social situations where confidence matters.

Timing matters: consider taking it 1–2 days before a big event.

The advice is to start shortly ahead of time (e.g., before visiting in-laws or close-quarters work settings) to maximize odor control.

Normalize the behavior: frequent farting is common.

Knowing the typical range (10–20 times per day) can reduce shame and help people treat odor as a manageable issue rather than a personal flaw.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

A lot of people think it's an inevitability, but actually 99% of the gas that you release is odorless. It's only that 1% that contains sulfur that's the problem.

— Trisha Pasricha

It's the simplest solution. Bismuth subsalicylate, found in products like Pepto-Bismol, can neutralize the odor.

— Trisha Pasricha

Once you know that people on average fart 10 to 20 times per day, you might realize you're not so different from everyone else.

— Trisha Pasricha

But I think if you have, like, a high-risk social event, like you're visiting your in-laws for Thanksgiving... go ahead and take it like a day or two beforehand, and you actually will be able to neutralize it.

— Trisha Pasricha

You have to, you have to work a little bit harder about the sounds, but you can definitely get rid of the odor.

— Trisha Pasricha

Odorless vs. smelly components of gasSulfur compounds and flatulence odorBismuth subsalicylate / Pepto-Bismol as deodorizerSocial anxiety and embarrassment around gasTiming and short-term use before eventsAverage fart frequency (10–20/day)Odor vs. sound (separate problems)

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