by Caroline Breeze

Created on: October 19, 2009

Hunger and indigestion can often cause the stomach to growl.

The feeling of the growling stomach is also the result of the movement of air and other gases within the liquid and solid particles transiting through the intestines. An analogy would be for example the slurping sounds one could make sucking a nearly finished drink through a straw or simply when the tip of the straw is brought to the surface of the drink and one sucks in air along with the drink. Another analogy would be the noise made by the pipes when one opens a tap while the water is cut off or when pulling the plug to a sink full of water. So when air moves through liquid, it can cause certain sounds.

Your stomach and intestines are sort of like your body's internal pipes. Food you eat and liquids you drink go into the stomach and then transit through the intestines during the digestive process as a kind of paste that varies more or less in density. Now, where the air comes from causing the stomach to growl has several explanations.

Gases are naturally released during this digestive process and most of it is normally reabsorbed through the small intestine. Whatever doesn't get absorbed is released through the passing of gas or burping.

Very often, what triggers the stomach growl is hunger. When the stomach receives a stimulus that tells it that it is time to begin digestion, it will begin all of the mechanisms relative to the digestive process. If there is no food to digest then the movement of the stomach muscles, air and gastric secretions create the noise.

If a person is accustomed to eating a set times, this person's stomach will be conditioned to begin the digestion process at those times whether or not there is food, which can cause the stomach to growl. Hunger can also be triggered by a sensory perception of very appetizing food whether it's the case of one seeing a very appealing dish that makes one want to eat it or it could be the smell of something very appetizing; think for example of the strong smell of ginger in the entrances of pastry shops or flavored freshly ground coffee (for coffee lovers) in a caf, or the smell of fresh out of the oven bread near a traditional bakery. Seeing and watching another person eat can also trigger the sensation of hunger leading to a growling stomach.

People also swallow air either purposely but often unknowingly during the course of the day. The following can cause one to swallow air: drinking, eating, smoking, swallowing one's saliva, chewing gum, sucking candy, drinking carbonated drinks, eating too quickly,

Other things that cause the stomach to growl include, poor digestion, parasites (which can be detected through a stool test), and possibly diseases such as IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome),

If the growling is accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, pain, heartburn, vomiting diarrhea or constipation, or other irregular or unusual sensations, it may be signs of more serious diseases and consulting a doctor would be a wise move.

Certain foods will also cause gas in the digestive process which can cause the stomach to growl and among them are beans, eggs, broccoli, dairy products, etc.

Learn more about this author, Caroline Breeze.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.