Digestive system

The digestive system consists of several organs that function together to break down the foods you eat into molecules your body can use for energy and nutrients. The digestive tract includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and anus. So-called "accessory" organs include the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder; food doesn't move through these organs, but they secrete hormones and chemicals that are essential to digestion. Here's what to know about your digestive system organs and functions. WIN-Initiative / Getty Images Digestion begins in your mouth. Your teeth grind the food you eat and mix it with saliva to form a kind of ball, known as a bolus. During the mixing, an enzyme called salivary amylase starts breaking down carbohydrates. Once the food is soft and relatively flexible, the tongue pushes it to the back of your mouth and into the esophagus. Toshiro Shimada / Getty Images Your stomach is a J-shaped muscular pouch, which receives food from your esophagus and sends it to your small intestine. Inside your The stomach is the main site for protein digestion and uses powerful enzymes, known as pepsins, as well as hydrochloric acid, to digest foods like meats, milk, and cheese. OpenStax College / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-3.0 The small intestine is an approximately 20-foot-long muscular tube, which is divided into three distinct parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. Each of the three parts plays a major role in digestion and absorption. Absorption is a ...

The largest parts of the digestive system include: • Esophagus: A hollow tubular organ in the neck and chest area that connects the mouth to the stomach. Muscles here propel food to the stomach. • Stomach: A large organ that holds and digests food through a cocktail of enzymes and acids. Food remains here for two to eight hours. • Liver: This organ helps filter toxins from the blood and produces bile, which helps break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. • Gallbladder: This sac-like organ stores bile produced by the liver and then releases it as necessary. • Pancreas: This organ produces insulin, which aids in the metabolism of sugars. • Small intestine: The small intestine receives food from the stomach and begins to break down the food while absorbing the majority of its nutrients. • Large intestine: This organ is filled with billions of harmless bacteria that turn food into feces while removing water and electrolytes for the body’s use. • Rectum: At the end of the large intestine, this small space is a temporary storage area for feces. • Anus: This is the external opening of the rectum, through which feces are expelled. The connection between all of these organs and their fluids requires a delicate balance that can easily be disrupted by numerous factors, including diet, stress, disease, and more. Common digestive problems include: • Indigestion • Diarrhea • Constipation • Acid reflux • Food poisoning • Flatulence • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Other problems are ...

5 of 7 Pancreas, liver and gallbladder In the upper section of your small intestine (duodenum), digestion continues as chyme from the stomach mixes with a variety of digestive juices from your pancreas, liver and gallbladder: • Pancreas. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes that help break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats. • Liver. The liver produces bile, a solution that helps you digest fats. • Gallbladder. The gallbladder stores bile. As fatty food enters the upper portion of your small intestine (the duodenum), the gallbladder squeezes bile into the small intestine through the bile ducts. • Your digestive system and how it works. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019. • Naish J, et al., eds. The alimentary system. In: Medical Sciences. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019. • The digestive system. International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. https://www.iffgd.org/manage-your-health/the-digestive-system.html?showall=1. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.

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The digestive organs in the abdomen work together to absorb nutrients and move food through the digestion process. They include the stomach, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, intestines, and urinary system. The digestion process is interdependent and a problem with one organ may disrupt the function of another. For example, Issues with the digestive organs can include pain, weight gain or loss, digestive problems, This article examines each of the digestive organs in the abdomen, how they work together, and common health problems. Share on Pinterest Yaja’ Mulcare The digestive organs in the abdomen do not work alone. They depend on organs in the mouth and chest, such as the esophagus and tongue, to help chew, move food, and perform primary digestive functions. The abdomen also includes the urinary system. The pelvis, the lower portion of the abdomen, contains reproductive structures. Food travels to the stomach from the esophagus. Once it arrives, the stomach helps digest food via contractions and chemical enzymes. The stomach has three layers: the oblique layer, the middle circular layer, and the external longitudinal layer, which breaks down food mechanically. Acids such as hydrochloric acid further digest food into a liquid substance called chyme. A network of cells — including parietal cells, chief cells, G-cells, mucous neck cells, and D-cells — help chemically digest food by secreting stomach acids. The stomach can also hold food until it moves further along the digestiv...