Digestive System

What is the role of the digestive system?

The role of the digestive system is to turn the food that you eat into energy. Also, it turns excess food into feces using digestive enzymes, such as bile, to break down food into smaller particles.

What organs comprise the digestive system?

The digestive system involves many organs in your body and they have to work together to complete digestion. Each organ has its unique role in the digestion process. The organs that comprise the digestive system are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, large intestine, rectum, and anus. We’ll now be going more in-depth in these various organs.

Mouth:

When you chew food, your teeth break down your food into smaller pieces and particles. Your mouth also contains saliva that moistens food so it can easily enter your esophagus.

Esophagus:

Next, food enters your esophagus when you swallow it. The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Its muscle contracts, pushing food through your esophagus and toward your stomach. The esophagus also prevents food from going the opposite way. This is called peristalsis, which is when a muscle involuntarily constricts and relaxes, pushing its contents forward. In this case, food is pushed toward your stomach.

Stomach:

Food then collects in your stomach, which acts like a “bowl” or “container.” Stomach enzymes break down your food into a liquid/paste. Because these enzymes are very acidic, our stomach is made of strong muscular walls that prevent the enzymes from burning it. From there, food moves to your small intestine.

Small Intestine:

The small intestine absorbs most of the nutrients that your body obtains into your bloodstream, where it is sent to the rest of your body. Like the stomach, the small intestine creates enzymes to break down the remaining food particles even further. Also, the small intestine contains enzymes from the liver and pancreas, including bile and insulin.

Liver:

In addition to secreting bile, which breaks down fat into fatty acids, the liver detoxifies nutrients absorbed by the small intestine. It helps breaks down potentially harmful substances that are toxic to the body, including alcohol and drugs, and converts these substances into useful states. For example, the liver converts excess glucose into glycogen, which can be converted into glucose for energy when needed.

Gallbladder:

The gallbladder helps store any excess bile produced by the liver and when needed, releases it into the small intestine.

Pancreas:

The pancreas secretes insulin, which helps metabolize sugar. Also, it secretes digestive enzymes that help break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the small intestine.

Large intestine:

The large intestine, which is made up of the cecum and colon, then absorbs any water and salt from any material left over that hasn’t been digested as food. Any leftover waste moves to the rectum.

Rectum:

The rectum is a tube where leftover waste is stored until it is defecated through the anus.

Sources:

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works#:~:text=bile%2C%20and%20enzymes-,Mouth.,down%20starches%20in%20your%20food.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7041-the-structure-and-function-of-the-digestive-system

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/liver-anatomy-and-functions#:~:text=Functions%20of%20the%20liver,intestines%20passes%20through%20the%20liver.

https://www.chp.edu/our-services/transplant/intestine/education/about-small-large-intestines#:~:text=The%20small%20intestine%20carries%20out,and%20pancreas%20to%20do%20this.

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002237.htm#:~:text=Bile%20is%20a%20fluid%20that,body%20by%20the%20digestive%20tract.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saliva#:~:text=The%20digestive%20functions%20of%20saliva,the%20mouth%20into%20the%20esophagus.&text=Salivary%20glands%20also%20secrete%20salivary,lipase)%20to%20begin%20fat%20digestion.