Bloating isn’t just uncomfortable. It can weigh down your energy, confidence, and mood. While many people turn to quick fixes or restrictive diets in search of relief, content creator and NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan is urging people to try one simple yet often overlooked trick.
“If you want to reduce bloating, this one thing is free, easy-to-do, doesn’t involve supplements, and in many cases, is highly effective,” says Dr Rajan.
He notes in the caption, “Between meals, your gut switches on something called the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC), which is a wave-like motion that sweeps leftover food and bacteria down the small intestine. It’s like an internal housekeeper for your digestive system.”
But here’s the catch, he states, “But every time you snack, you hit pause on that cleaning cycle, which means no MMC = more stagnation = an increased potential for bloating & discomfort.” Rajan recommends spacing meals about 3 to 4 hours apart to allow the gut to complete this process and support digestion.
“This isn’t a one-size-fits-all fix or a magic bullet,” he clarifies, as bloating can happen for a variety of reasons; it could be related to IBS, food intolerances, SIBO, hormonal fluctuations, or something else entirely. “It’s always worth identifying the underlying cause for the bloating…but it’s a simple, low-effort habit to try if you feel like a walking balloon!” he mentions.
What exactly is the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC), and how critical is it for maintaining healthy digestion and reducing bloating?
Dr Pranav Honnavara Srinivasan, consultant surgical gastroenterologist at Fortis Hospitals, tells indianexpress.com, “The Migrating Motor Complex is a natural rhythmic wave of electrical and muscular activity that sweeps through the stomach and small intestine during periods of fasting. It typically activates every ninety to one hundred twenty minutes after eating has stopped and plays a crucial role in cleaning out residual food particles, bacteria, and secretions from the digestive tract.”
Think of it as the gut’s housekeeping system. “Without this cycle, leftover debris in the digestive tract can ferment or feed harmful bacteria, leading to symptoms like bloating, gas, and discomfort. Supporting the MMC is especially important in preventing bacterial overgrowth and maintaining gut motility,” Dr Srinivasan states.
Is there solid research showing that snacking frequently disrupts this process?
Dr Srinivasan notes, “Yes, there is growing evidence that frequent snacking can interfere with the activation of the Migrating Motor Complex. The MMC only kicks in during fasting states, which means every time you snack, even lightly, the cycle resets and is postponed. If this disruption happens repeatedly throughout the day, the gut’s natural clearing mechanism is impaired.”
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Over time, he mentions that this can lead to “sluggish digestion, increased bacterial load in the small intestine, and symptoms such as bloating, distention, and irregular bowel movements.” Clinical observations, especially in patients with IBS or SIBO, often show that structured meal timings with adequate fasting intervals help significantly in reducing symptoms. More large-scale studies are still emerging.
Can people with conditions like IBS or SIBO still benefit from spacing out meals?
People with IBS or SIBO can absolutely benefit from spacing out meals, Dr Srinivasan says, but the approach needs to be more tailored. In these conditions, the MMC function is often impaired to begin with, and supporting it becomes even more essential to symptom management. Structured meal times with gaps of three to four hours between eating sessions can help restore motility and reduce fermentation and gas buildup, which are common triggers for discomfort in these patients. However, the strategy must be balanced with the individual’s nutritional needs and symptom patterns.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.