Important Points Digestion and absorption are two fundamental activities of the digestive system. Proteins, lipids, carbs, vitamins, and minerals are the sources of nutrition in diet. In the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, these complicated macromolecules must be broken down and absorbed. The digestive process is divided into three stages: digestion, absorption, and distribution.
Digestion begins in the mouth when we eat food. The teeth, tongue, and saliva help us to chew our meals so that the nutrients can be extracted from the food and absorbed by the stomach and intestines. Nutrition is the source of energy for our bodies and helps us to grow big and strong. There are two types of nutrition: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are defined as large molecules of nutrition such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that provide energy and support other functions of the body. Micronutrients are small molecules such as vitamins and minerals that but are also essential for health. They play a role in many different biological processes such as building healthy bones, muscles, and organs.
Absorption is the process by which the body absorbs nutrients from the digestive system. Absorbents are special cells or tissue that sit near the bottom of the intestinal wall and help nutrients move through the gut into the bloodstream. The small intestine is where most of the digestion and absorption takes place.
The digestive system breaks down the meals we eat into their most basic forms, such as glucose (sugars), amino acids (which make up protein), or fatty acids (that make up fats). The nutrients are delivered to each cell in the body once the broken-down food is absorbed into the circulation from the small intestine. Each body system has a specific role to play in processing and absorbing these nutrients.
The digestive system is made up of several organs including the mouth, nose, esophagus, stomach, intestines, pancreas, and liver. It works with other organ systems such as the immune system, endocrine system, and cardiovascular system to maintain homeostasis (the normal balance of chemicals in the body) and support healthy growth and development.
The digestive system functions like a furnace for the body. It processes the food we eat and uses the heat generated to help cells function properly. Without digestion, our food would pass through us without being fully broken down and absorbed by the body. This wouldn't be good because the nutrients required for healthy growth and maintenance of tissue cells would be missing from the equation.
Digestion begins with chewing the food we eat. The muscles of the jaw work together with the muscles of the neck, throat, and chest to break down and process the food mechanically. This allows the digestive system to begin its work immediately after eating.
We require food to provide energy, development, and repair to our bodies. These substances are then absorbed by specific cells and used by the body for fuel or stored for later use.
The digestive system performs many other important functions in addition to breaking down and absorbing nutrients. For example: it produces various enzymes that aid in digestion; it removes harmful substances from the body through the feces; and it responds to inflammation-causing agents present in foods by releasing more hormones that control pain and inflammation. The gastrointestinal tract is also the site of some diseases with significant medical consequences; see sections below on cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
In modern times, the digestive system is often seen as only a means of extracting useful materials from what we eat and then excreting those materials so they can be reused or eliminated. However, this function was important only to humans and some other species. Most animals eat whole foods without any need for further breakdown.
In fact, the digestive system is so important that without it humans could not live longer than three days.
The digestive or gastrointestinal system includes the digestive or gastrointestinal tract as well as a few organs outside of the gastrointestinal tract that aid in digestion. Among these organs are the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The digestive system is responsible for breaking down and digesting food into nutrients that the body can use. These nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Carbohydrates are stored in the body in the form of glycogen, while proteins are used for growth and repair of body tissues. Fat provides energy for running away from hungry lions.
The digestive system works with other organ systems to process and absorb nutrients. For example, when food enters the stomach it stimulates the gastric glands to produce hydrochloric acid, which helps break down protein and fat in the food. The remaining material moves into the small intestine where more acid is produced by special cells called enteroendocrine cells in order to break down carbohydrates. After being broken down, the nutrients are absorbed through cell membranes into the blood vessels and distributed throughout the body.
Some diseases and conditions affect the digestive system. For example, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition where the large intestine muscles don't work properly; this can lead to diarrhea, constipation, bloating, pain, and irregular stools. Another disease that affects the digestive system is celiac disease.
The digestive and circulatory systems both process and carry necessary nutrients that your cells require to sustain your body. Following a meal, your digestive system converts carbs into simple sugars such as glucose. Glucose is absorbed by the circulation and distributed throughout the body through the circulatory system. The hormones produced during digestion (such as insulin) help regulate how much of this food you eat and keep blood sugar levels steady.
The two systems also work together to remove waste from your body. Circulation carries nutrient-rich blood to muscles and organs so they can repair themselves after exercise. The lungs release carbon dioxide during breathing, which is then picked up by the liver and converted back into blood plasma for distribution to all body parts. The skin removes heat from our bodies and loses water when it's cold outside, both processes that must be maintained for normal bodily function.
Finally, the digestive and circulatory systems share some common vessels and organs. For example, the heart pumps blood through the arteries to reach every cell in the body, and the large veins return blood to the heart to be pumped again. The lungs are divided into two main sections: the respiratory system takes in air and lets out carbon dioxide, while the circulatory system carries oxygenated blood to all parts of the body and picks up metabolic waste products like carbon dioxide. The intestines are also part of the circulatory system because blood flows through them following the same routes through the body's tissues.
Digestion is the process through which nutrients in ingested food are converted into forms that can be absorbed by the gastrointestinal system. Mechanical and chemical digestion are required for proper digestion, which happens in the mouth cavity, stomach, and small intestine.
In the oral cavity, saliva contains enzymes that begin the digestion of foods. The tongue, teeth, and gums also contain enzymes that play a role in digestion. Food that isn't eaten completely is passed off as a waste product through defecation or urination.
In the stomach, acid and enzymes from the pancreas help break down and digest starches and proteins into sugars and amino acids, respectively. This allows the body to absorb the maximum amount of energy from the foods we eat. Enzymes are released into the intestines where they continue to break down the remaining portions of the meal.
The large intestine is where the bulk of digestion occurs. Here, bacteria in the gut produce substances called hormones that control many important functions throughout the body. For example, when bacteria in the large intestine detect certain chemicals in the brain they start producing serotonin. This helps explain why eating food that you enjoy can be so nourishing for your body!
Food digestion is necessary for healthy digestion and overall body function.
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