Gas-X vs Beano during pregnancy

How do the options compare?

Each option is compared on mechanism, when it has to be taken relative to a meal, whether it is absorbed into the body, the published dosing, and what randomized evidence exists.

• Simethicone is a silicone compound that works as a non-systemic surfactant, decreasing the surface tension of gas bubbles in the gastrointestinal tract. Adult dosing is 40 to 125 mg orally four times daily as needed after meals and at bedtime, with a maximum daily dose of 500 mg. 1
• Simethicone is not absorbed orally and is excreted in the feces, and StatPearls states that because it is not absorbed systemically it is safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Reported adverse effects are mild diarrhea and nausea. 1
• Alpha-galactosidase has randomized evidence in a non-pregnant population. In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 52 patients aged 4 to 17 dosed at the beginning of each meal three times a day for 2 weeks, it reduced global distress (p=0.02), days with moderate to severe bloating (p=0.03) and the proportion with flatulence (p=0.02), with no adverse events reported. 2
• Gas enters the digestive tract when you swallow air and when bacteria in the large intestine break down undigested carbohydrates. People pass gas an average of 8 to 14 times a day, up to 25 times a day is considered normal, and people typically belch up to 30 times a day. 3
• Diet is the lever underneath both products. NIDDK suggests eating less of the foods that increase gas symptoms, naming cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens and kale, legumes including beans, peas and lentils, foods high in fiber, fructose or lactose, and sugar-free candies and gums with sweeteners whose names end in ol. 4

Which option makes sense?

Beano is a before-the-meal decision and Gas-X is an after-the-fact one. Simethicone has the stronger pregnancy logic because nothing is absorbed. Neither replaces adjusting the foods and the swallowed air that generate the gas in the first place.

Disclosure: Pregnancy Smart makes supplements that overlap with some options above. This comparison describes the evidence, not our own product; where our formulation is relevant it is named.