When you are hungry, your body is naturally telling you that it needs more food.
If you don’t eat for a few hours, you will feel hungry because your body requires food for energy. However, if your stomach rumbles constantly, even after a meal, something may be wrong.
Polyphagia is the medical term for this. It’s different than having an increased appetite after exercise or other physical activity. Extreme hunger isn’t something that should be taken lightly. It is important to see your doctor immediately you notice this.
You can get hungry for several reasons. Some of them are:
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1. Diabetes
Your body turns the sugar in food into fuel called glucose. But when you have diabetes, glucose can’t reach your cells. Your body pees it out instead and tells you to eat more. People who have type 1 diabetes, in particular, may eat large amounts of food and still lose weight.
In addition to a spike in your appetite, symptoms of diabetes may include:
- Extreme thirst
- The need to pee more often
- Weight loss you can’t explain
- Blurry vision
- Cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal
- Tingling or pain in your hands or feet
- Fatigue
2. Low Blood Sugar
Hypoglycemia is what you have when the glucose in your body drops to very low levels. It’s a common concern for people with diabetes, but other health problems can cause it, too. They include hepatitis, kidney disorders, neuroendocrine tumors in your pancreas (insulinomas), and problems with your adrenal or pituitary glands. In severe cases, people with hypoglycemia may seem drunk. They may slur their words and have trouble walking. Other symptoms can include:
- Anxiety
- Feeling like your heart is skipping a beat
- Pale skin
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Tingling around the mouth
3. Lack of Sleep
Not getting enough rest can affect the hormones in your body that control hunger. People who are sleep-deprived have a bigger appetite and find it harder to feel full. You’re also more likely to crave high-fat, high-calorie foods when you’re tired. Other effects of sleep deprivation include:
- A hard time staying alert
- Change in mood
- Clumsiness
- More accidents
- Trouble staying awake during the day
- Weight gain
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4. Stress
When you’re anxious or tense, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. This amps up your feeling of hunger.
Many people under stress also crave foods high in sugar, fat, or both. It may be your body’s attempt to “shut off” the part of your brain that causes you to worry.
Other symptoms include:
- Angry outbursts
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Sleep problems
- Upset stomach
5. Thyroid Problems
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. It makes hormones that control the rate at which every organ in your body works. If your thyroid is working too hard, you could have hyperthyroidism.
Besides an enlarged thyroid gland, other signs of the problem are:
- Fast pulse
- Feeling nervous
- More sweat than normal
- Muscle weakness
- Thirst even after drinking
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6. Medication
Some drugs can make you want to eat more than usual. Antihistamines, which treat allergies, are known for this, as are antidepressants called SSRIs, steroids, some diabetes medicines, and antipsychotic drugs.
If you’ve gained weight since you started medication, the medicine could be making you feel hungry. Talk to your doctor to find out what other drugs might work for you.
7. Pregnancy
Many moms-to-be notice a huge leap in appetite. This is your body’s way of making sure the baby gets enough nutrients to grow.
Most women gain between 4 and 6 pounds during the first 3 months (your doctor will call this the first trimester) and then 1 pound a week during the second and third.
Other signs that you might be pregnant are:
- A missed period
- The need to pee often
- Upset stomach
- Sore breasts or breasts that get bigger
8. Dehydration
Are you hungry or just thirsty? You can’t always tell the difference in the signals you get from your body.
Other signs of dehydration include:
- Dizziness
- Feeling tired
- Peeing less often or having dark-colored pee
9. How Much You Exercise
Your body burns calories for fuel when you work out. This leads to a boost in your metabolism, the process by which your body uses energy. In some people, that can set off an increase in hunger.
Culled from Web Md
