This is what a growling, grumbling or bubbling stomach tells you

You’ve plopped down on the sofa after dinner to relax and then you hear all kinds of strange noises coming from your stomach. Grumbling, growling, bubbling… What do these noises mean? There are many different things that might be causing this noise. That’s why it’s important to learn to recognise the kind of noise your stomach is making, where it comes from and what the reason behind it is. We’ll explain it all in this article!

Your stomach can make an awful lot of noise sometimes.

1. Gasses

The most common and obvious cause behind abdominal noises is the movement of abdominal and/or stomach gasses. Your digestive system (meaning your stomach and bowel) shrinks and expands. Because of this, the gasses that are in there become stuck, which causes them to make a sound. That’s the grumbling that you hear. The contents of your bowel, part of which is gas, is propelled forward by the small intestine and this movement can cause bubbling or grumbling noises. You’re basically passing wind, but inside your body.

2. Troubled tummy

Healthy, normal digestion shouldn’t make any sounds. Is your belly making strange noises after dinner every single day? Then it might very well be that you regularly eat something you’re actually allergic too, or that you have digestion problems. Take a good look at your diet and scratch what you think might be the culprit from your dishes. Your troubled tummy might also be a sign that you have a food allergy or gluten or lactose intolerance. Do you never have a noisy stomach, but you do now? You might have eaten something that has passed its expiration date, or you might have diarrhoea or the stomach flu.

3. Growling stomach

Did you eat and drink enough today? A growling stomach can be a clear sign of hunger. If you eat at regular times, your stomach starts to prepare beforehand by producing stomach juices and contracting certain muscles. Gobbling up your food can also cause a growling stomach. By not chewing on your food properly, a lot of air is trapped in your stomach, which can cause it to start growling.

4. Not enough fibres

If you have a fibre deficit in your diet, you get a bubbling stomach. This might be because your diet is too one-sided and you don’t eat enough fibres because of this. Excesses of fat, protein or carbs (sugar) can cause it as well.

Go to the next page to read about more causes behind a growling stomach and to find out about the solution!

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