When we are hungry, our stomachs seem to protest with gurgling sounds, and even those around us can hear it. Stomach rumbling, or the condition known as “borborygmos” (Greek for roaring), is a natural part of being human that we all experience. But what actually causes these strange sounds? Four key explanations for this question There is We will mention them below.
Smooth muscles cover most of the digestive tract. These muscles can contract and relax to help move food in the right direction. If you imagine a set of tubes that the meal has to pass through like a sausage casing, you need a pushing motion to push the solids forward, and that’s what your muscles do. The scientific word for this pushing motion is peristalsis, which occurs regularly to keep food moving.
In addition to pushing food forward, these muscle contractions can propel gas and liquid, so you can imagine all kinds of sounds that the combination of all three makes. The gurgling sounds caused by muscle contractions are not limited to the stomach, and most of the sounds you hear are coming from the lower intestines.
Empty stomach
Part of the reason why our stomachs rumble loudly when we’re hungry is because our stomachs are empty at this time. Food is a good silencer, so when your food pipe is empty, even if it’s not doing anything different than normal, its muscle activity becomes noisier.
Hormonal feedback
Hormones help us track our need for nutrition in the form of ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin tells us we are hungry, while leptin tells us we are full. Animal studies have shown that ghrelin may increase gastric motility and emptying, and a human study has suggested that ghrelin accelerates bowel movements. Therefore, when we are hungry, ghrelin may increase the muscle movements that cause the stomach to growl.
Does your stomach only growl when you’re hungry? No! There are many things that need to be cleared from the intestines, including mucus, gas, and fluids, so the stomach is constantly working to move materials through the intestines and remove waste. Gas accumulation can be very painful, and in cases of intestinal obstruction and twisting, emergency surgery may be required.
The content of this article is written for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any questions about your condition, be sure to seek advice from your healthcare provider.
