Digestion is the elementary process for every human being, which begins with food intake and ends with defecation. In between, food is broken down to obtain energy and substances important for cells. Digestive disorders range from heartburn and stomach pain to diarrhea and vomiting and should always be taken seriously.
What is digestion?
The chemical breakdown of food is done by digestive enzymes, which are found in the digestive tract. The term digestion refers to the physical breakdown as well as the chemical breakdown of food into its components. Only through digestion are the compounds in the food, such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates, made accessible to the body so that they can ultimately reach the individual cells through the bloodstream. The chemical breakdown of food is carried out by digestive enzymes, which are located in the digestive tract. Through the enzymatic splitting of food, energy is obtained on the one hand, and on the other hand, these molecules are used by the body’s cells to build up other substances that are important for the organism. A healthy digestive tract is essential for the human body to be supplied with sufficient nutrients. Through a balanced diet, everyone can contribute to their own intestinal health and thus ensure that the body is able to utilize the ingested food in the best possible way. In addition to obtaining energy and absorbing nutrients, digestion is also responsible for eliminating metabolic products that are no longer needed or even harmful.
Medical and health functions and tasks
Human digestion takes place in the digestive tract and is catalyzed by special digestive enzymes. The first station of digestion is the mouth. With the help of the lips, tongue and teeth, food is ingested and then mechanically broken down. If the food is sufficiently small, it is transported via the pharynx through the esophagus into the stomach. This transport is only possible because the food is previously provided with saliva and thus acquires lubricity. In humans, saliva is formed in the salivary glands and contains ptyalin, the first digestive enzyme with which ingested food comes into contact. Muscular contractions of the esophagus force the salivated food pulp into the stomach. The stomach collects the food pulp and has the shape of a tube or a sack, depending on how full it is. When food is in the stomach, special cells on the gastric mucosa produce gastric acid. This is hydrochloric acid with special enzymes that serve to break down proteins or unspecifically kill pathogens such as bacteria found in the food. The emptying of the stomach contents into the following small intestine takes place slowly and in portions. Before the food can enter the intestine further, the hydrochloric acid is neutralized. In the small intestine, the various food components are absorbed. The nutrients, which have been broken down into molecules, can now be absorbed into the blood via the villi of the small intestine. Before the food pulp is transported further into the large intestine, water is extracted. Movements of the smooth muscles cause the food to be transported further into the large intestine. The contents of the intestine are thickened there by dehydration. In humans, the large intestine ends in the rectum, which closes with the anus. This is where stool is deposited, as the final process of digestion.
Diseases, ailments and disorders
Under the term digestive disorders are summarized all those diseases that are associated with dysfunction of the digestive tract. One of the most common complaints related to digestion is diarrhea; this involves thin stools several times a day. Most often, pathogens that have entered the body are responsible for diarrhea. Constipation is also very common, with painful and hard stools. Diet often plays a significant role in the development of constipation; the intestines become sluggish over time if the diet contains too little fiber, which in turn leads to the stool not being passed often enough, causing it to thicken more and more. A typical digestive disorder is also vomiting, in which the contents of the stomach are emptied through the mouth due to pathogens or intolerable food.In addition to these complaints, there are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, which lead to severe, recurrent digestive disorders. Triggers for digestive disorders can be inflammation of the digestive organs, bacterial or viral infections, gallstones, chronic inflammatory diseases or cancer.
