Welcome To Jerry's Digestion Website!
On this website, you will discover everything about digestion. From how the system works to the chemical breakdown of food, you will definitely increase your knowledge about digestion after going through my website. So sit back and enjoy the power of education!
- Jerry Lam
- Jerry Lam
FAQ
What is digestion?
Digestion is the breakdown of food molecules into smaller components so that the body can absorb and use the nutrients given by the food. In the human body, the nutrients is absorbed through the small intestines into the blood stream.
What are mechanical and chemical digestion?
Digestion is divided into two processes: mechanical and chemical. Mechanical digestion is the physical disintegration of large chunks of food into smaller bits in order for enzymes to access it. Chemical digestion is the process of enzymes and acids dissolving the food into small molecules for the body to use.Mechanical digestion is usually found in the oral cavity (mouth), while chemical digestion is mainly found in the stomach and in the duodenum (part of small intestines). Check out the Chemical Breakdown tab for more information about chemical digestion.
What other systems in the human body does the digestive system interact with?
The digestion system mainly interacts with the circulatory system and the endocrine system. The circulatory system helps distribute the nutrients throughout the body and it also transmit chemical signals from your endocrine system. The endocrine system produces hormones and enzymes that control many variables of the digestive system. Some examples are the speed of digestion, hunger, and absorption rate.
What are the main acids used in digestion?
Gastric acid is a digestive fluid found in the stomach. It is mainly composed of hydrochloric acid, with traces of potassium chloride and sodium chloride. Bile acid is also used in digestion and helps break down fat into fatty acids. It is composed of many acids, with 80% of the bile made up of variations of cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid.
What is the PH level of the stomach acid?
The pH level of the stomach varies from 1-2 to 4--5. During a high-protein meal, your protease enzymes react with the hydrochloric acid causing lower pH levels, which is around 1-2. However, certain enzymes and components will quickly increase the pH back to 3 or 4. After digestion, your stomach will return to its resting level at around 5 to 6.
What are intracellular and extracellular digestion?
Intracellular digestion is when food molecules are broken down inside the cells, with enzymes being present in the cytoplasm or lysosome. Extracellular digestion is when food molecules are broken down outside of the cells, usually occurring in the lumen of the guts or etc. Digestive enzymes are poured over the food particles in extracellular digestion since neither the cytoplasm nor lysosome are present.