Why Does Your Stomach Growl? What Those Rumbling Noises Really Are
People have linked stomach noises with hunger for centuries. The real story is a bit wider than that.
What the noise is
Harvard Health explains that loud rumbling or gurgling from the abdomen, often called stomach growling, has a medical name: borborygmi. It may reflect the normal actions of the stomach and intestines moving food along, a process called peristalsis. Harvard Health adds that the exact source of bowel sounds is uncertain, but they are thought to occur as gas moves around, pushed by the muscular contractions of the intestinal walls.
MedlinePlus compares it to plumbing. Bowel sounds are made by the intestines pushing food through, and because the intestines are hollow, the sounds echo through the abdomen much like sounds from water pipes.
Where the air comes from
Harvard Health notes that it is normal to have some air in the digestive tract. Some is swallowed, and some is produced by bacteria in the intestines and by digestion itself. Burping or passing gas helps keep pressure inside the gut low and prevents painful stretching.
It is not only about hunger
According to MedlinePlus, louder than usual sounds can be heard after eating or with diarrhea, because intestinal activity increases. Sounds are quieter during sleep, which is also normal.
When to pay attention
MedlinePlus says most of the sounds in your stomach and intestines come from normal digestion and are no cause for concern. Doctors look at sounds together with other symptoms such as gas, nausea, vomiting and whether you are passing stools. If noises come with other abnormal symptoms, check in with a health care provider. This is general information, not medical advice.
Sources
- Harvard Health Publishing, Stomach growling and other digestive noise (May 4, 2026): https://www.health.harvard.edu/digestive-health/stomach-growling-and-other-digestive-noise
- MedlinePlus, Abdominal sounds: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003137.htm
Facts checked: October 11, 2026.