The human digestive organs perform one of the most important functions of their physiology - they consume food, convert it to energy, secrete nutrients and remove waste products from the body. Note that all these functions are closely intertwined with the functioning of other organ systems that work in concert. For example, in the digestion process, the organs of the human circulatory system play a large role - the entire digestive system is richly supplied with them. After all, it is blood that receives the substances of food and carries them throughout the body.
The human digestive organs can be divided into two types - primary and secondary. The main ones are those that are directly related to the intake, digestion and removal of food from the body. Auxiliary include glands (salivary and pancreas), liver, gall bladder. These human digestive organs secrete such enzymes, without which the process of digestion would be impossible.
The structure of the human digestive system is extremely complicated, due to their functions. The digestive system begins with the oral cavity - here the primary mechanical processing of food with teeth and saliva is produced. Saliva is secreted by the parotid, sublingual and submandibular salivary glands. With the help of enzymes contained in saliva, food begins to be digested already in the oral cavity - the so-called initial hydrolysis process for the digestion of carbohydrates. Next, the food enters the throat, and from there into the esophagus. The esophagus is a long tube that connects at the entrance to the stomach with a pyloric muscle that prevents food from being thrown back into the esophagus. Usually this site is still poorly developed in babies, who often spit up a fountain during reflux.
Once in the stomach, food goes through the next stage of digestion. Here the hydrolysis of proteins and partially fats occurs. In order for the digestion process to take place qualitatively and fully, special digesting enzymes, such as hydrochloric acid, etc., are secreted from the walls of the stomach. In addition to the stomach, enzymes are secreted by the auxiliary gland - the pancreas. After the food has undergone the necessary processing in the stomach, it passes into the intestines.
The small intestine is another organ that digests food. The duodenum takes food directly from the stomach and it is here that the main part of the fat processed by enzymes of the gallbladder, the passage of which opens into the duodenum, is processed.
The small intestine delivers food further, all the time processing it with chyme - a special substance. The final stage of digestion of digestive substances occurs on the membranes of the cells of the small intestine - enterocytes. Here oligosaccharides, amino acids, monosaccharides, fatty acids are absorbed into the blood. The remnants of food that could not be digested pass into the large intestine. But splitting and absorption in the large intestine practically does not occur, but the food is largely freed from water. Gradually digested food turns into feces. At the time of approach to the pulp - a thick ring muscle that pushes feces out through the sphincter - the mass presses on the intestinal wall and causes a feeling of defecation.
The human digestive system is an amazing system, but at the same time the most vulnerable. Much depends on what kind of food is being digested. Unfortunately, residents of cities, due to their employment, often switch to fast foods, tasty (due to flavoring additives), but absolutely useless, and sometimes harmful food. Even the ancient Greeks - recognized sages - said: "We are what we eat," emphasizing the importance of food in human life. It’s worth considering ...