There are body sounds we barely notice, and then there are the ones that instantly make us aware of ourselves. One of the most universal—and occasionally embarrassing—is the sound of a growling stomach. That quiet moment in a classroom, a meeting, or a waiting room, when your abdomen decides to make itself heard. And the question immediately follows: am I hungry, or is something else going on?
The sounds produced by the stomach and intestines even have a medical name: borborygmi. They are the result of the normal movements of the digestive system. The digestive tract is never completely still. Even when we are not eating, the stomach and intestines continue to contract rhythmically, moving air, fluids, and leftover food particles forward. These movements—called peristalsis—create vibrations and gas bubbles that, when amplified by empty space inside the abdomen, become audible.
Contrary to popular belief, stomach growling does not happen only when you’re hungry. It happens constantly. We simply hear it more clearly when the stomach is relatively empty. When there is food inside, sounds are muffled. When there is more air and liquid than solid food, internal movement becomes easier to hear.
There is also a specific mechanism that occurs a few hours after eating called the migrating motor complex. Think of it as the digestive system’s “clean-up cycle.” At regular intervals, the brain and gut send signals that trigger stronger contractions, sweeping residual food and bacteria further along the tract. This process happens primarily when the stomach is empty and is one of the main reasons your abdomen may make noise even when you’re not truly hungry.
True hunger usually involves additional signals: a drop in blood sugar, the release of the hormone ghrelin, low energy, irritability, or difficulty concentrating. Stomach growling can accompany hunger, but it is not always a sign that your body urgently needs food. Sometimes it simply reflects an active digestive system.
Stress and anxiety strongly influence these sounds. The gut is directly connected to the nervous system through the brain–gut axis and the vagus nerve. During stress, intestinal movement can change. For some people it speeds up, for others it slows down. We also tend to swallow more air when anxious. All of this can make abdominal noises louder. That’s why your stomach may become especially vocal during exams, important meetings, or quiet moments when you most wish it wouldn’t.
Food and drinks also play a role. Carbonated beverages, eating too quickly, not chewing thoroughly, chewing gum, or talking while eating increase the amount of air swallowed. That air travels into the stomach and intestines, amplifying sounds. Foods high in fermentable fibers—such as beans, lentils, certain vegetables, and whole grains—can produce more intestinal gas and therefore more noise.
A common question follows: should we eat immediately when our stomach growls? Not necessarily. If the sounds appear a few hours after a meal without true hunger symptoms, they usually reflect normal digestive processes. Eating every time your stomach makes noise can lead to automatic, unnecessary snacking. On the other hand, if growling is accompanied by low energy, shakiness, irritability, or trouble focusing, your body may genuinely need fuel.
There’s also the question people often ask jokingly: can we control these sounds, or are they as unpredictable as other bodily noises we’d prefer not to produce in public? The short answer is no—borborygmi are not voluntary. There is no internal “mute button” you can press when a room suddenly goes silent. Like breathing or heart rate, intestinal movements are regulated automatically by the nervous system and digestive muscles. You can influence them indirectly through regular meals, mindful eating, and stress management, but you cannot consciously stop them in the moment. If your abdomen decides to speak at the worst possible time, it’s not a failure of self-control. It’s physiology.
In babies and young children, abdominal noises are extremely common and, in most cases, completely normal. A newborn’s digestive system is still developing, and intestinal transit is relatively rapid. Babies swallow air while feeding, and their intestinal contractions are strong and active. The result can be surprisingly loud sounds for such small bodies. Most of the time, these noises do not signal hunger or illness—just an active gut. They become concerning only if they are accompanied by persistent crying, significant abdominal swelling, vomiting, or poor weight gain.
In older children and teenagers, digestion tends to move quickly, and long gaps between meals can make the stomach more vocal. In adults, lifestyle factors—stress, irregular meals, caffeine on an empty stomach, and rushed eating—often amplify growling.
There are also subtle differences between women and men. In women, intestinal motility can be influenced by hormonal fluctuations, and visceral sensitivity is often higher. During certain phases of the menstrual cycle or periods of stress, abdominal sensations and sounds may feel more pronounced. In men, larger body size and different eating patterns may influence how long they tolerate fasting, but the underlying mechanisms remain the same.
In most cases, stomach growling is a sign of normal function. An active digestive system is generally a healthy one. In fact, a complete absence of bowel sounds for extended periods can be more concerning than hearing them.
However, if abdominal noises are persistent, unusually loud, and accompanied by significant pain, severe bloating, chronic diarrhea, or constipation, they may signal food intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome, or other digestive imbalances. In those cases, context matters far more than the sound itself.
Most of the time, when your stomach “speaks,” it isn’t sounding an alarm. It’s simply evidence that internal processes are continuing. Digestion is not silent. It is rhythmic, complex, and constantly active.
And hearing it once in a while doesn’t mean something is wrong. It just means your body is working.