Learn More

The sensation described, making unbidden loud noises that tell others of its arrival, refers to the rumbling or growling sounds that often emanate from our abdomen. These noises are medically known as borborygmi, and they are a perfectly normal, albeit sometimes embarrassing, part of the digestive process. They are particularly noticeable when the stomach is empty, acting as a clear signal that the body requires nourishment.
These sounds are caused by muscular contractions, called peristalsis, which occur throughout the gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach and intestines. Even when there's no food to digest, these wave-like movements continue, mixing and pushing along liquids, digestive juices, and gas. When the stomach is full, the food acts as a muffler, dampening these sounds, but in an empty gut, the noises become much more audible.
The feeling itself is a fundamental biological drive, prompting us to consume food to provide our bodies with energy. Hormones play a crucial role in this process. For instance, ghrelin, often called the "hunger hormone," is primarily produced in the stomach and signals the brain when it's time to eat. When ghrelin levels rise, it stimulates appetite and can also increase the muscular movements that lead to those distinctive rumbling sounds. This intricate system ensures that our bodies receive the fuel they need to function.
More Easy Trivia Questions
You do not want me to be permanent. But to avoid me is a mistake. You can let me help you. But precious time it will take.
21Silky and soft we are, perfuming your lives. Take us to your love, but beware of our knives. What are we?
20There are 30 people cruising on a boat in the Thames. However, when they emerge from sailing beneath London Bridge, not a single person is on the boat. How?
20You can find me in the darkness, But never in the light. I make laughter lethal, And agreement into sight. You can find me in the soil, But never underground. A bunch of snakes together, Their voices do astound.
20One falls but never breaks; the other breaks but never falls. They are opposites. They cannot coexist, but neither would know where they end or begin without the other.
20Before I was taken I was used to take flight, and my partner's purpose was to help hide from sight. Brought together our function has been made anew, and now any scribe would be happy to have us in their retinue.