Burping affects around 3% of people who take Mounjaro, making it one of the most common Mounjaro side effects.

These burps tend to have a distinctive, eggy taste. Often called ‘sulphur burps’ or ‘eggy burps’, you are more likely to experience them when your dose increases. 

They are not usually a concern, but they can be unpleasant, so it is natural you might want to get rid of them. So this article explains what causes eggy burps and what you can do to counteract them.

Eggy Burps on Mounjaro: What Causes Them?

Mounjaro slow down your digestive system and leave food sitting in your stomach for longer. This helps you feel full quicker and reduces your appetite.

During the digestive process, a gas called hydrogen sulphide is produced. The sulphur in this gas gives it the distinctive taste, which can smell like rotten eggs.

Normally, this part of the digestive process would happen lower down in your gut. However, on Mounjaro, digested food might be retained longer in the stomach, which can cause a build-up. Given the change in the nature of digestion happening in your gut, the accumulation of gas in your stomach causes you to burp.

Other Causes of Sulphur Burps

Sulphur burps can also be caused by a bacterial infection of the stomach called Helicobacter Pylori (h.pylor)i. This is more common in people who take proton pump inhibitors (PPI) antacid medications, such as omeprazole and lansoprazole, long-term.

Speak to your doctor if any of the following apply in relation to your sulphur burps:

  • You have been taking a PPI medication long-term, or you have taken one long-term in the past.
  • You experienced sulphur burps before taking Mounjaro.
  • Your sulphur burps do not go away or reduce when on a stable dose of Mounjaro, even with dietary changes.
  • You have other symptoms of h.pylori infection that started before taking Mounjaro. These include indigestion, nausea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) not alleviated by over-the-counter treatments. Severe symptoms that require immediate medical attention include vomiting blood or blood in your stools.

H.pylori infection can be treated with a course of antibiotics clinically suitable for you. 

Sulphur Burps and Diarrhoea on Mounjaro

Gastrointestinal (gut and stomach) side effects, including sulphur burps and diarrhoea, are the most common side effects on GLP-1 weight loss medications. So it is possible you will experience both side effects at the same time. Both diarrhoea and sulphur burps occur most frequently when your dose increases.

Experiencing sulphur burps alongside short-term diarrhoea may be unpleasant, but it is not usually a cause for concern. However, if these side effects are accompanied by cramping or severe abdominal pain, please inform your healthcare provider. They can give you advice and assess whether Mounjaro is suitable for you.

Diarrhoea can be a problem too as it can lead to dehydration. So make sure you drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, replace lost electrolytes and avoid alcohol while on Mounjaro. Antidiarrheal medications, such as loperamide, can help in the short-term. You can also consult your local pharmacist for more advice.

These side effects will typically subside as your body becomes used to higher levels of medication. However, if you are currently experiencing eggy burps, here’s how you can subdue them.

How to Get Rid of Sulphur Burps on Mounjaro

Here are a few things you can do to manage sulphur burps:

Reduce Your Sulphur Intake

Sulphur burps are caused by the production of hydrogen sulphide gas during the digestive process.

One way to reduce sulphur burps is to reduce the sulphur levels in the food you eat. However, it is important you do not try to remove all high sulphur foods from your diet because it still needs to be balanced and nutritious. 

Foods containing higher levels of sulphur include:

  • Meat, fish and poultry
  • Eggs and dairy products
  • Legumes, including beans and peas
  • Dried fruit
  • Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower
  • Certain vegetables such as asparagus, onions, spring onions, leeks and radishes
  • Grains and flour, including oats, wheat and pearl barley
  • Beer, cider and wine
  • Other foods such as coconut milk, tomato juice, ginger, curry powder, horseradish, mustard and marmite

Avoid fried foods, eat smaller meals and make sure you are getting plenty of fibre and hydration to help the flow of your digestive tract. Be mindful of any food intolerances you have too, because some foods might make burping worse.

Try Natural Remedies

You can also relieve sulphur burps with natural remedies. There are a number of natural supplements and teas, which are believed to aid digestion and soothe the gut. These include:

  • Green, Mint and Chamomile Tea: Green tea helps with digestion, while chamomile is a remedy for gas. Mint tea is commonly used to treat an upset stomach.
  • Ginger: As well as having anti-nausea properties, ginger helps speed up the digestive process. 
  • Cumin and Caraway: Caraway has been found to improve flatulence, indigestion and heartburn, while cumin improved symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including gas and bloating.
  • Turmeric: It’s used to reduce gas and has been found to improve symptoms of flatulence and heartburn.

Use Antacids

Over-the-counter antacids may also help to reduce sulphur burps. The best options include PPI drugs such as omeprazole and lansoprazole. 

These medications work by reducing the production of stomach acid, which can reduce the production of hydrogen sulphide in your stomach.

However, as mentioned, prolonged use of PPI drugs can have some serious side effects. If you buy omeprazole over the counter, do not take it for more than two weeks without consulting your healthcare provider.

Consider Simethicone

A medication called simethicone can also help reduce burping. 

Simethicone brings small gas bubbles together to form larger gas bubbles. This helps reduce how much you burp because it allows you to expel more gas in each burp. However, it will not affect the levels of hydrogen sulphide you produce.

Will Pepto-Bismol work?

Treatments such as Pepto-Bismol and Gaviscon are often recommended by other Mounjaro users on internet forums. These medicines work by providing a protective layer which shields your oesophagus (food pipe) from stomach acid. 

However, they are likely to be less beneficial than PPIs. In some cases, their high salt content can cause more problems, which can make diarrhoea worse.

Key Takeaways

  • Sulphur Burps Are a Common Side Effect of Mounjaro. They affect around 3% of people. You are more likely to experience them when increasing your dose.
  • Eggy Burps Are Caused by the Production of Hydrogen Sulphide Gas in the stomach when taking Mounjaro.
  • Sulphur Burps Can Be Unpleasant. But are not generally a cause for concern. Reducing the sulphur in your diet and over the counter PPI antacids may help to alleviate your symptoms.
  • Experiencing Diarrhoea and Sulphur Burps Together Is Not Unusual. They typically improve over time as your body adjusts. However, for a small number of patients, it’s possible these side effects will get worse, so monitor your bathroom habits, listen to your body and contact your healthcare provider with any concerns.
  • Stay Hydrated and Make Dietary Changes to Manage Discomfort. Avoid spicy foods and processed foods high in oil and fat.
  • Bacterial Infection Can Also Cause Eggy Burps. Know the signs and seek help from a healthcare professional if you have any of the symptoms listed above.

Clinically reviewed by: Mariam Al-Hajaj, GPhC reg: 2232929

References

Abbas, M.K., Zaidi, A.R.Z., Robert, C.A., Thiha, S. and Malik, B.H. (2019). The Safety of Long-term Daily Usage of a Proton Pump Inhibitor: A Literature Review. Cureus, [online] 11(9). doi:https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5563.

‌NHS (2021). Loperamide (including Imodium). [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/loperamide/.

‌NHS (2021). About omeprazole. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/omeprazole/about-omeprazole/.

NHS (2018). Lansoprazole: medicine to lower stomach acid. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/lansoprazole/.

nhs.uk. (2022). About simeticone. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/simeticone/about-simeticone/.