i'd be interested to hear a scientific explanation.
2006-08-18 07:41:13 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Alcohol stimulates appetite. That has been known for 1000s of years.
2006-08-18 07:46:59 · answer #1 · answered by a_delphic_oracle 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All these other answers suck... here's why:
(Before I begin, there's a moral of the story at the bottom of this answer. It contains enough info to suggest an answer, but if you want to read interesting medical garbage, please continue.)
A person's "hunger" or desire for food stems from secretions made by the hypothalamus, which is located near the top of your spine, in the back of your head. It rests right next to the pituitary gland. Hypothalamic control is present in many different bodily processes such as urine excretion, human growth hormone production, etc.
When you drink alcohol, you pee more, right? Well that's because alcohol (ethanol) acts as an ADH-inhibitor. (Antidiuretic hormone inhibitor). So the more you drink, the less ADH is released by the pituitary/hypothalamus. Note that the pituitary releases ADH, but both glands work so closely together, that I will essentially refer to them as one.
That fact that you're peeing more doesn't neccessarily effect your hunger, but it's the hypothalamic stimulation that makes you crave food. By affecting the hypothalamus with electrical pulses, it is possible to make some crave food or absolutely not want to eat (leading to eventual starvation).
Moral of the story (I hate you if you skipped my big words. It's like watching a porno and cutting straight to the money shot without watching the movie): You drink. Hypothalamus and Pituitary control hunger. By stimulating hypothalamus, you control mental crave for food. Neuroprothetics kick ***.
2006-08-18 15:20:07 · answer #2 · answered by CWRUnerd 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The alcohol irritates your stomache. The higher the concentration of the alcohol, the more irritating it is. The feeling is very similar to hunger pangs. Eating something helps to dilute the alcohol, reducing the irritation. But so would a glass of water or even just a little time.
2006-08-18 14:48:14 · answer #3 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Alcohol dulls your senses and supresses your "hunger" sense in your brain. That's why they also tell you to eat before you drink, so you don't end up eating things like deep fried stuff that's bad for you.
2006-08-18 14:48:41 · answer #4 · answered by zippythejessi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does vary from person to person, but alcohol aggrivates the stomach and may alter how you body uses stomach acids etc, leading to this.
2006-08-18 14:47:43 · answer #5 · answered by Elliot K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because
Thats the way it is
2006-08-18 14:47:33 · answer #6 · answered by workinman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋