Sulfur Burps and GLP-1s: What’s Causing That Smell and How to Fix

File it under "you know someone is true friend when," category, but when the infamous sulphur burps of a GLP-1 diet hit me, I had to know how "bad" they were.

I asked my bestie, "Come here, can you smell that?" And I burped in her face the way only a BFF can. We're not friends anymore. Just kidding, but yes, those sulfur burps aren't just grossing you out. Anyone within a few inches of you will experience the same side effects of drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide, if only secondhand.

I then went in search of solutions. Things like "don't eat many eggs" seemed to conflict with "eat eggs for the needed protein!" Suddenly, the controversy about egg prices wasn't the biggest headline.

How could I get rid of those darned sulfur burps? Here's what I found using my investigative journalism skills.

First, What Are Sulfur Burps and How Do They Happen?

If you've ever had a burp that smelled and tasted suspiciously like rotten eggs, you've encountered sulfur burps. They're exactly what they sound like — belches that release hydrogen sulfide gas, a byproduct of your gut bacteria breaking down certain foods.

Sulfur burps usually happen when food isn't moving quickly through your stomach and intestines.

When that food sits too long, it becomes a playground for gut bacteria.
They ferment the leftovers, especially foods high in sulfur, like eggs, red meat, and cruciferous vegetables
This process produces hydrogen sulfide as waste.
When gas needs an escape route, the esophagus is much closer than the intestine, which is why they are sulfur burps and not sulfur flatulence.

That awful smell? It's basically sulfur in gas form, making a not-so-graceful exit. In normal digestion, some gas is expected. But when something slows down your digestive system, like certain medications or food choices, sulfur burps can crank up in intensity.

New to GLP-1 Sulfur Burps?

If you still don't really get how annoying-to-disgusting these GLP-1 side effects can be, let's touch on what hydrogen sulfide is.

hy·dro·gen sul·fide /ˈhīdrəjən ˈsəlˌfīd/ A colorless poisonous gas with a smell of rotten eggs, made by the action of acids on sulfides.

Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs, and it shows up in everything from natural hot springs to sewer systems. In high enough concentrations, it’s actually toxic — but in everyday life, it’s just really good at making things smell awful.

It’s nasty, strong, and once you know it, you can't unknow it — exactly why sulfur burps can feel so dramatic. At the same time, the small amounts produced in the digestive tract and released through burping are not harmful to health for most people, even GLP-1 users who experience it more.

How GLP-1 Drugs and Diets Exacerbate Sulfur Burps

GLP-1 receptor agonists — medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound — slow down the rate at which your stomach empties. It's a big reason they help with weight loss: you feel fuller longer.

However, that slowdown also means food sits around in your gut longer, giving bacteria even more time to break it down and release hydrogen sulfide gas.

GLP-1s can also mess a little with your gut microbiome, possibly favoring bacteria that produce more sulfur gases. On top of that, typical side effects like nausea, diarrhea, or irregular digestion can throw your gut out of balance, opening the door for even more gas production.

If you've noticed sulfur burps getting worse after starting a GLP-1, you're not imagining it. But can you control them or eliminate them?

Can You Minimize Sulfur Burps?

Thankfully, you don't have to overhaul your whole diet to get some relief. It's more about adjusting rather than eliminating.

Know the Sulfur Burps Trigger Foods

A lot of the foods that can trigger sulfur burps are actually healthy and often part of hitting your protein and nutrient goals on a GLP-1 diet. It's not junk food causing the problem here.

The trick isn’t cutting these foods out completely. It’s about moderation.

Eggs (one of the highest sulfur-containing foods)
Red meat (beef, lamb, pork)
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, especially if lactose intolerance is also an issue)
Garlic
Onions
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Asparagus
Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas — also cause general gas)
Fish (especially oily fish like salmon and tuna, which naturally contain sulfur compounds)
Processed meats (like sausages and deli meats, because of sulfur-based preservatives)

You probably don’t want to be stacking omelets three times a day just to hit your protein target. Swapping in lower-sulfur options like chicken, fish, and softer vegetables can help balance things out without blowing up your nutrition plan.

It also helps to keep a food diary and note side effects. I found that a particular brand of yummy cheese crackers caused the absolute worst sulfur burps for me the next day.

Smaller, More Frequent Meals

Tweaking how you eat can make a big difference, too. Even if you’re already eating smaller portions, which is typical on a GLP-1, spacing meals out a little more often can help.

With digestion moving at a slower pace, even a normal-sized meal can feel heavy and linger longer than you’d expect. Smaller, more frequent meals keep your system from getting overloaded and minimize the chance for food to sit, ferment, and trigger sulfur burps.

It’s not just what you eat — it’s how you eat. Slowing down, chewing your food thoroughly, and giving your body time to process each bite helps lighten the load on your digestive system.

When digestion is slower, it’s usually better to aim for four to six small meals or snacks a day rather than sticking to just two or three bigger ones.

Think protein-focused mini meals — about one-half to three-quarters of a cup of food at a time, depending on what your body can comfortably handle.
You’re not trying to "graze" all day, but you are giving your digestive system smaller jobs to work through instead of overwhelming it.
Spacing meals about 2–3 hours apart can keep your stomach gently moving food along without letting it sit and ferment, which can cut way down on sulfur burps and overall discomfort.

How Hydration Helps Stop Sulfur Burps

Staying hydrated sounds basic, but when you're on a GLP-1, it becomes a lot more important, especially if you're trying to cut down on sulfur burps.

Water helps keep your digestive system moving, which means food doesn’t just sit there fermenting and creating gas. It also supports a healthy gut environment, flushing out excess sulfur and keeping the balance of bacteria in check.

Dehydration can slow digestion even more, making an already sluggish system work harder and giving sulfur-producing bacteria more time to do their thing. Plus, when you’re dehydrated, you're more prone to bloating, constipation, and general digestive discomfort — all of which can stack up to make belching worse.

The fix is simple: sip water consistently throughout the day, not just chugging a bunch at once. Think of it like keeping things flowing gently, so your gut doesn’t get bogged down and start producing more gas than it should.

Meal Planning and Nutrition Shopping to Reduce Sulfur Burp Risk

There's no line on a nutrition label that says "Warning: sulfur gas incoming." But you can spot a few clues if you know what to look for. Here's what to check:

High protein content—If a food is very high in protein (especially animal protein like whey, casein, or meat-based products), it can break down into sulfur gases during digestion. Look for foods with 20+ grams of protein per serving — those are more likely to cause issues if digestion is slowed. (You don't need to avoid protein, but it’s something to be aware of.)
Ingredients list: sulfur-containing foods—The nutrition panel won't say "sulfur," but the ingredients list might show foods known to be high in sulfur compounds. If you see a lot of eggs, milk, garlic, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or meat concentrates, that product could be a burp trigger.
Sugar alcohols (like sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol)—These aren’t sulfur producers themselves, but they ferment very easily in the gut and can worsen gas in general. You’ll see them listed under "sugar alcohols" on the label, especially in low-carb, keto, or "diet" products.
Sulfites (preservatives)—Sometimes food labels will mention "sulfites" (especially on dried fruit, wine, processed meats). Sulfites aren't the same as hydrogen sulfide, but some sensitive people react to them with more gas, nausea, or sulfur burps.

A Day of Eating Low Sulfur Burp-Inducing Foods

If you're trying to limit or eliminate sulfur burps without blowing up your GLP-1 nutrition goals, it helps to plan your day intentionally — not just meal-by-meal, but ingredient-by-ingredient.

Limit high-sulfur foods to one serving (about 3–4 oz) per day, and prioritize lean, low-sulfur proteins (like chicken, turkey, white fish) and low-sulfur veggies (like zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers) the rest of the time.

Build an entire day that avoids high-sulfur foods almost completely if you’re in damage control mode (like after a particularly bad sulfur burp day). Here’s a sample day:

Breakfast: Greek yogurt with berries and a sprinkle of chia seeds
Snack: Handful of almonds or a small protein shake (plant-based if whey is causing issues)
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with cucumber, lettuce, and tomato salad (olive oil dressing)
Snack: Baby carrots and hummus
Dinner: Baked cod with roasted zucchini and quinoa

You’re still hitting good protein and fiber numbers, but without stacking up all the sulfur triggers.

Will Probiotics or Digestive Enzymes Help with Sulfur Burps?

If sulfur burps are becoming a regular part of your life on a GLP-1, you might be wondering if probiotics or digestive enzymes could help. The short answer is: yes — and they won't undo the benefits of your medication.

First, digestive enzymes work by helping your body break down food more efficiently while it’s sitting in your gut. GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro slow digestion on purpose — that’s part of how they keep you feeling full longer and help with blood sugar control. I was worried that taking digestive enzymes might "cancel out" this effect, but they don’t.

Enzymes simply make the breakdown process cleaner and easier while the food is in there, cutting down on the amount of fermentation (and sulfur gas) happening in your gut.

In fact, studies show that digestive enzymes can actually enhance the benefits of GLP-1s by improving nutrient absorption without interfering with delayed gastric emptying. Some research even found that pancreatic enzymes helped slow digestion even further while boosting the glucose-lowering effect.

Probiotics help bring a little more harmony to your gut environment. By supporting a healthier balance of gut bacteria, they can push out some of the sulfur-producing microbes that love to stir up trouble when digestion slows down.

Our Favorite Probiotics and Digestive Enzyme Products to Reduce Sulfur Burps

Could Sulfur Burps be a Health Issue?

Most of the time, sulfur burps are just an unpleasant — and honestly annoying — side effect of slower digestion, especially if you're taking a GLP-1 medication.

But there are times when they can be a sign of something more serious, and it’s important to know when it’s not just "normal." You should check in with your doctor if sulfur burps are happening along with any of the following:

Severe or persistent nausea
Vomiting that doesn’t improve
Ongoing diarrhea or signs of dehydration
Stomach pain, cramping, or bloating that’s getting worse
Fever or chills

If you’re feeling overall worse instead of better as time goes on — or if the burping and gut issues are starting to mess with your ability to stay nourished and hydrated — it’s absolutely worth calling your healthcare provider.

GLP-1 side effects should settle down over time, not spiral into bigger problems.

The Bottom Line on GLP-1 Belching

Sulfur burps and extra belching are pretty standard when you’re on a GLP-1 medication, thanks to slower digestion and food hanging around longer in your gut.

Gulping food too fast adds extra air into your gut, which only makes burping worse. Skipping the straw, cutting back on carbonated drinks, and simply being a little more mindful during meals can make a real difference in how you feel afterward.

Using the steps we've discussed, you can eliminate "sulfur bombs" and reduce the sneaky ones that slip through.

Other simple tricks like chewing food thoroughly, avoiding carbonated drinks and straws, and adding natural digestion aids like peppermint, ginger, or fennel can help cut down on burping, too.

And, you're welcome for letting you know that other people can smell them. Don't try this at home!