Are you the type of person who gets “hangry” — angry when you’re hungry? New medical research may help explain why.

A spate of new studies suggests the phenomenon is tied to the processes that happen inside your body when it needs food, Medical Xpress reports.

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in foods you eat are digested into simple sugars (such as glucose), amino acids, and free fatty acids that fuel various physiological functions.

But when levels of these nutrients fall in your bloodstream — such as during a long period between meals — your brain perceives this as a life-threatening situation and can result in increased releases of stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline.

That in turn can lead to difficulty concentration, agitation, and anger.

Another reason hunger is linked to anger is that both are controlled by common genes.