What happens when you overeat? (2024)

Sometimes it’s taste, sometimes it's habit, or maybe it’s stress. But chances are, at some point, you have over-eaten.

“It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to send a signal to the stomach to let you know that you’re full. Overeating occurs when you continue to eat beyond this point of fullness,” says Erma Levy, a research dietitian at MD Anderson.

Overeating can lead to unwanted weight gain, and carrying excess weight can increase your cancer risk.

But it’s not just about the unwanted calories. Overeating affects your body in a variety of ways. We spoke to Levy to learn more about the effects of overeating. Here’s what she had to say.

So, what happens to your body when you overeat?

  • Overeating causes the stomach to expand beyond its normal size to adjust to the large amount of food. The expanded stomach pushes against other organs, making you uncomfortable. This discomfort can take the form of feeling tired, sluggish or drowsy. Your clothes also may feel tight, too.
  • Eating too much food requires your organs to work harder. They secrete extra hormones and enzymes to break the food down.
  • To break down food, the stomach produces hydrochloric acid. If you overeat, this acid may back up into the esophagus resulting in heartburn. Consuming too much food that is high in fat, like pizza and cheeseburgers, may make you more susceptible to heartburn.
  • Your stomach may also produce gas, leaving you with an uncomfortable full feeling.
  • Your metabolism may speed up as it tries to burn off those extra calories. You may experience a temporary feeling of being hot, sweaty or even dizzy.

What are the long-term effects of overeating?
When you eat, your body uses some of the calories you consume for energy. The rest are stored as fat. Consuming more calories than you burn may cause you to become overweight or obese. This increases your risk for cancer and other chronic health problems.

Overeating -- especially unhealthy foods -- can take its toll on your digestive system. Digestive enzymes are only available in limited quantity, so the larger the amount of food you eat, the longer it takes to digest. If you overeat frequently, over time, this slowed digestive process means the food you eat will remain in the stomach for a longer period of time and be more likely to turn into fat.

Overeating can even impact your sleep. Your circadian clock, which controls your sleep cycles, causes your sleep and hunger hormone levels to rise and fall throughout the day. Overeating can upset this rhythm, making it hard for you to sleep through the night.

What are some ways to stop overeating?

What happens when you overeat? (2024)

FAQs

Can you damage your stomach by overeating? ›

If vomiting isn't happening, all that food and fluid still has to go somewhere. The increasing volume of stuff in the gut puts pressure on the stomach's walls, so much so that the tissue weakens and tears, sending the stomach contents into the body and causing infection and pain, Vreeman says.

What happens if you ate too much stomach too full? ›

Take it easy. If you ate too much – to the point of being overly full – avoid doing any strenuous physical activity, Kim said. “However, some simple stretching exercises, a light walk, some simple household chores aren't bad ideas,” she said.

What happens to your intestines when you overeat? ›

Overeating Can Increase Your Risk of Developing Colon Cancer

When guanylin levels decrease in the intestines, it sets the stage for tumor formation in the colon. Scientists also found that people who are morbidly obese have approximately 80 percent less guanylin compared to lean people.

How to aid digestion after overeating? ›

Here are 6 tips for helping your digestive system:
  1. Relax. Don't beat yourself up over one binge session. ...
  2. Don't take a nap. As tempting as it may be, don't lie down or go to sleep. ...
  3. Take a walk. ...
  4. Sip some water. ...
  5. Avoid carbonated drinks. ...
  6. Take some probiotics.

How much can the stomach hold when it's full? ›

How much can your stomach hold? As an adult, your stomach has a capacity of about 2.5 ounces when empty and relaxed. It can expand to hold about 1 quart of food.

Can overeating permanently stretch your stomach? ›

As an adult, your stomach can expand to hold about 1 quart of food. When you stretch your stomach with a lot of food, it doesn't stay that way or stretch out. It simply goes back to its previous size once it digests your food. Your stomach is constantly expanding and shrinking to accommodate your food.

How do you settle your stomach when you ate too much? ›

What should I do after overeating?
  1. Take a walk. Getting moderate exercise can help reduce gas and regulate your blood sugar.
  2. Stay hydrated. ...
  3. Herbal teas, like peppermint, chamomile and ginger can help with digestion and reduce gas.
  4. Taking an over-the-counter antacid may help relieve heartburn or indigestion.

How to empty your stomach after eating? ›

An easy stroll will help stimulate your digestion and even out your blood sugar levels. Or go for a leisurely bike ride instead. But don't overdo it. A real workout could send the blood to your legs instead of your stomach, which could slow digestion.

How long does it take to naturally shrink your stomach? ›

Is it possible to "shrink" your stomach? No. It is not possible to “shrink” your stomach from its baseline size, says Mayur Parepally, MD, a gastroenterologist at Endeavor Health.

Which disease is caused by overeating? ›

Compulsive overeating can lead to weight gain which can increase the risk for multiple physical and mental health concerns, including: Metabolic syndrome. Heart disease. Stroke.

Can you get sick by eating too much? ›

Indeed, this common habit may lead to bloating, gas, nausea, excess body fat, and a higher risk of several illnesses. Therefore, you should work to prevent overeating by reducing your portion sizes, eating fewer processed foods, and orienting your diet around whole foods.

How do you fix an overloaded digestive system? ›

Dietary guidelines
  1. Eat smaller meals more frequently. ...
  2. Avoid simple sugars, carbohydrates and milk products. ...
  3. Eat more protein and healthy fats to replace carbohydrates in your diet. ...
  4. Eat more dietary fiber to add bulk to your meal and slow down its transit time. ...
  5. Lie down on your back for 30 minutes after eating.

What drinks cool your stomach? ›

Drinks to have on an empty stomach in summer mornings to cool your body down
  • Coconut water. A natural source of electrolytes, coconut water is a refreshing and hydrating drink for summer mornings. ...
  • Lemon water. ...
  • Cucumber mint water. ...
  • Chaas. ...
  • Aloe vera juice. ...
  • Herbal tea. ...
  • Watermelon juice. ...
  • Green vegetable juice.
May 27, 2024

What to drink after overeating? ›

Do this right away to settle your stomach after overeating.
  • Drink water. This helps decrease the excess salt you might have ingested.
  • Try herbal tea. In particular, peppermint, chamomile and ginger tea can help reduce gas.
  • Take a walk or stroll. Gentle exercise — emphasis on gentle — helps stimulate digestion.
Apr 24, 2023

What are the symptoms of bad digestion? ›

The first sign of problems in the digestive tract often includes one or more of the following symptoms:
  • Bleeding.
  • Bloating.
  • Constipation.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Heartburn.
  • Incontinence.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Pain in the belly.
Oct 27, 2021

What happens when your stomach is too full after eating? ›

If you get a bloated stomach after eating, it may be a digestive issue. It might be as simple as eating too much too fast, or you could have a food intolerance or other condition that causes gas and digestive contents to build up. Your menstrual cycle is another common cause of temporary bloating.

Can eating too fast damage your stomach? ›

Some of the short term effects include excessive bloating, elevated blood pressure, increased blood sugar levels and decreased nutrients to the body. Long-term effects include increased chances for obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and gastritis.

What is a burst belly? ›

A burst abdomen is considered present, when intestine, omentum or other viscera's were seen in the abdominal wound following obstetric surgery. In our country no study found, but observational incidence in the tertiary hospital varies between 0.2-3%. It occurs mostly between the sixth and eight day after operation.

What happens if you damage your stomach? ›

Stomach lining reduction and damage can cause gastric ulcers to form. In this condition, ulcers form because the reduced stomach lining is no longer effective at protecting the stomach. The digestive juices begin to eat away at the stomach tissues, resulting in gastric ulcers.

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