Why does my stomach rumble when I’m hungry?

Asked by Peter Bettings

The origin of stomach rumblings comes from muscle contractions and fluctuation. As food enters the gastrointestinal tract its walls squeeze the contents through the system at regular intervals to clear any potential buildup of food, gases and liquids. This fluctuation is known as the basic electrical rhythm (BER). The speed and force of the muscle fluctuations increases both in the presence of foodstuffs and also without them. In this latter case, the nerve receptors initiate a reflex generation of electrical activity, causing the muscles to contract and vibrate (ie rumble).