Why does my mood change when I'm hungry?

We all know the effect of hunger. It's not about health, it's okay to feel hungry if your health is good, it's about the psychological state. We all saw someone who abstained from food for the whole day and is in a bad mood. Perhaps you yourself lived this experience, and you were in an unbearable mood, because of lunchtime and you have not eaten yet, because of a business meeting that lasted for a long time. In this article, we explain the reason for this change in mood when the body is deprived of food for a while, and why the body plays these games on us.

The body needs glucose:

When we starve, feelings such as fatigue, confusion or anger arise. This phenomenon is due to the presence of sugar, specifically glucose, in the blood. Once its level drops, our body triggers a series of responses to restore it. But what role exactly does glucose play and why is it so important? This type of sugar is the main source of energy for the cells that make up all our organs. The brain, for example, relies almost exclusively on sugar intake. Without it, the 100 billion neurons that make it up will not be able to function optimally. If the brain doesn't get enough glucose, we feel weak, tired, sleepy, poor coordination, possibly irritability, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and a tendency to make mistakes. This is often observed in students who have not eaten their morning breakfast. In extreme cases (especially cases of severe hypoglycemia in diabetics), when sugar intake is not enough for very long periods, we can fall into a coma.

Cortisol, the engine of agitation:

The above symptoms are some of the symptoms that indicate to us that we need to eat to restore blood sugar levels. This serves as a fast route for different nutrients to reach their destination: cells scattered throughout the body. In this case, a series of physiological reactions occur. At the molecular level, different hormones are released. One of them, ghrelin, is produced and passed into the circulation through stomach cells. This natural substance stimulates appetite and ensures that the body gets energy through eating. Ignoring the circumstances that explain why we don't eat, in parallel and indirectly, ghrelin stimulates the production of the stress-induced cortisol-related hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. Cortisol promotes a process called sugar synthesis, to increase sugar levels. It depends on the production of glucose from the breakdown of fatty acids and proteins stored in the liver. This process quickly provides energy to the body. The presence of cortisol in the blood during starvation affects brain function and acts as a kind of puppeteer. It alters the levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with positive emotions and stress perception. The result of these effects combined: when we feel hungry, we feel more angry or irritable than usual.

By the way, humans aren't the only ones who react in this way. In a behavioral study of some species of fish, such as zebrafish, researchers found that these animals also become aggressive when hungry.

Behavior shaped by evolution:

As we've seen, our mood is the result of many biochemical reactions, and there's a hormone at the center of this story that we haven't talked about yet. Maybe mention you at one point or another in your life, especially in relation to difficult sports. It's adrenaline.

Like cortisol, adrenaline is produced by the adrenal glands and is associated with stressful situations. It is known for its role in the "fight or flight" response that makes a person face a threat, or flee from it when exposed to it. In cases of hunger, both adrenaline and cortisol affect our mood, making us more irritable and irritable. It is believed that there is an explanation regarding the development of this behavioral pattern: when ancient humans relied on hunting and gathering fruits, in order to survive due to lack of food - and therefore to compete with competitors for these resources - they benefited from this aggressiveness. Today, although we no longer compete for food in the same way, knowing how the body responds to hunger can help us manage our emotions. If you notice that you're starting to feel irritable or irritable, remember that these may be the effects of abstinence (intentional or unintentional) from food. Preparing a healthy snack will not only keep you energized, but will also keep your mood more balanced.

What are the solutions?

If you're prone to extreme hunger, follow these steps to control or prevent it:

1- Eat several small meals throughout the day, or make sure breakfast, lunch and dinner are satisfying and nutritious.

2- Avoid unhealthy foods, which can cause another drop in blood sugar, after triggering a rush of sugar at first.

3- Foods rich in nutrients and fiber are the best and make you feel full for longer.

4- Keep healthy snacks at your fingertips. A few snacks on hand in your wallet, car, or office can provide you with peace of mind if you're worried about the onset of extreme hunger while you're away from home.

5- Exercise regularly.

6- Get plenty of sleep.

7- Maintain body moisture.

The end:

By following these tips, your body will thank you, your family will thank you, your friends will thank you too, and maybe the other drivers on the way will thank you. Remember, if you see someone in a bad mood, don't judge them harshly, it could just be because of hunger.