STOMACH GROWLING
December 30th 2006 09:54
The rumbles, gurgles and growls you sometimes hear from your abdomen typically are due to normal digestion. Hunger and appetite are controlled by a complex system of hormone-like substances primarily made by our digestive system. When we have not eaten for a while, these substances are released and cause a part of our brain called the ‘hypothalamus’ to "switch on" our desire to eat. A message is then sent to our stomach and intestines. This triggers muscle contractions and the release of acids and other digestive fluids as our body prepares for you to eat. The thought, sight or smell of food also can trigger this same response — growling, rumbling and gurgling, from our intestines.
Sometimes, stomach growling or rumbling can be a symptom of an underlying gastrointestinal disorder, for example, irritable bowel syndrome. But in such cases, excessive abdominal noise usually is accompanied by other symptoms such as bloating, cramping, diarrhea or excess gas.
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