If the stomach is empty, the first thing that happens is physical weakness. Due to this, one feels tired and low-energy while doing any work. But according to experts, the wiring of our brain is also disturbed on an empty stomach, which affects our ability to think and understand. Actually, the re-wiring of the brain, which is also called neuroplasticity, is affected by our food, which can cause mental problems. At the same time, feeling too hungry increases stress and depression.

effect of empty stomach

Reducing the calorie intake in the diet for weight loss has become a trend, but when you feel hungry, the amount of gut hormone ghrelin increases in the blood, which affects the brain. Its amount becomes normal after eating something. Having an empty stomach can increase the blood sugar level , which leads to lethargy and fatigue. An empty stomach increases the amount of stress hormone cortisol, which puts the body under stress and reduces the ability to think and understand.

connection between hunger and the brain

According to a research, the part of the brain that helps in decision making and increasing performance depends on the hunger hormone present in our gut. The hunger hormone ghrelin crosses the blood brain barrier and directly affects the activity of the brain. About 50% of dopamine and 95% of serotonin produced in the body are produced in the gut. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy and satisfied when we get some kind of satisfaction like the happiness we get from eating or sleeping.

That is why the brain stops thinking on an empty stomach

On the other hand, serotonin affects mood and strengthens sleep, memory and recall . But on an empty stomach, these two neurotransmitters are not formed, instead cortisol is formed, which causes stress in the whole body, which spoils the mood. The vagus nerve, which comes directly from the brain to the stomach and colon, transmits the signals of the gastrointestinal tract to the brain. When the stomach is empty, it sends responses of emotional stress, due to which the brain does not function properly. This is the reason why when we are nervous or anxious, we start feeling pain in the stomach. With so many connections, it is clear that the gut is directly connected to the brain. Therefore, when the stomach is empty, the brain stops thinking.