Sulfur burps

Sulfur burps are exactly what they sound like: burps that smell of rotten eggs (hydrogen sulfide gas). They’re one of the more notorious — and more googled — GLP-1 side effects, unpleasant but usually harmless.

Why they happen

The leading explanation ties back to slowed gastric emptying. When food sits in your stomach longer, it has more time to interact with gut bacteria that produce sulfur-smelling gas — especially after sulfur-rich or high-fat meals. The medication doesn’t create the smell; it creates the conditions (slow, full stomach) that let it build up. Some people also get the classic pairing of sulfur burps followed by diarrhea.

What tends to help

Mostly the same playbook as nausea, since the root cause overlaps:

• Smaller, lower-fat meals — less material sitting and fermenting.
• Ease up on the usual sulfur-heavy triggers when they’re bothering you: eggs, red meat, garlic, onions, dairy, and some cruciferous vegetables.
• Don’t lie down on a full stomach.
• Over-the-counter remedies (like simethicone) help some people; ask your pharmacist.

When to mention it

On their own, sulfur burps are a nuisance, not an emergency. But burping paired with persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, or an inability to keep food down is a different signal — it can point toward gastroparesis or a dose that’s too aggressive, and it’s worth a call to your prescriber rather than just riding out.