There are some things in life, like how Wi-Fi works or what makes a plane fly, that I just accept without much question.
Stomach rumbles were another such topic until recently. That was until Dr. Karan Raj ― a doctor who’s well-known for sharing his medical knowledge on TikTok ― set me straight.
In a recent video, he explained that the rumbles aren’t at all what most of us think ― in fact, they’re a fair bit grosser.
Ew. How?
First of all, it’s not your stomach that growls ― “it’s actually your intestines,” Dr. Raj revealed.
“Specifically, your small intestine.”
He shared that the sound, which is sometimes audible but always present, comes from your guts “contracting and squeezing digested food, called chyme, through your internal plumbing.”
He compared the process, which happens constantly, to squeezing the base of a toothpaste tube to get the last bit out.
“It happens 24/7,” the doctor pointed out. “Most of the time you can’t hear it unless you’re listening with a stethoscope” ― I guess it’s a bit like your pulse in that way.
But why do I hear it rumble when I’m hungry?
“The reason why people think [hearing a stomach rumble] means you’re hungry is because it’s typically a lot louder when your digestive system is empty,”Dr. Raj shared.
Essentially, the food you should have eaten dampens the sound ― without it, your constant stomach rumbles can reverberate a lot more.
“Other things which can make this sound even louder include excessive air swallowing, stress, fizzy drinks, feeling nervous, irritable bowel syndrome,” the doctor added, as all of these can make your gut contract more.
Some people were pretty grossed out by the news
”Thank you for making the experience worse,”one TikToker replied to the video.
“Did anyone ask?” joked another.
Sometimes, it seems ignorance really is bliss...