The digestive system is daily exposed to pathological influences of exogenous factors, so gastrointestinal diseases occur in almost everyone. It is worth noting that the digestive system includes the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas. We invite you to consider gastrointestinal diseases in detail and understand their causes. We will also briefly outline methods for diagnosing and treating pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
The structure of the digestive system and the functions of each organ
Structure of the gastrointestinal tract
The gastrointestinal tract is a system for processing food and obtaining nutrients, vitamins and minerals from it, as well as removing residues. The average length of the digestive tract of an adult is 9 meters. The gastrointestinal tract begins in the mouth and ends in the anus. Main areas: oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine.
Diseases of the oral cavity are a separate topic and are treated by a dentist. This includes diseases of the teeth, oral mucosa, and salivary glands. The most common diseases of the pharynx are tumors, but the percentage of their detection is small.
Functions of the gastrointestinal tract
Each organ of the gastrointestinal tract performs its own function:
- The esophagus is responsible for delivering the crushed bolus of food to the stomach. Between the stomach and esophagus there is a special esophagogastric sphincter, problems with which are the cause of esophageal diseases.
- In the stomach, protein fractions of food are broken down under the action of gastric juice. The environment inside the stomach is acidic, while in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract it is alkaline. Next, the food bolus moves through the sphincter into the duodenum.
- The duodenum stimulates the active breakdown of food thanks to bile acids and pancreatic enzymes that enter there through the large duodenal nipple.
- The remaining parts of the small intestine (jejunum and ileum) ensure the absorption of all nutrients except water.
- Feces are formed in the large intestine due to the absorption of water. There is a rich microflora here, which ensures the synthesis of useful substances and vitamins absorbed through the mucous membrane of the colon.
Diseases of the esophagus and stomach
The esophagus is a hollow tube that connects the mouth and stomach. His diseases are associated with pathologies of other organs, in particular the esophagogastric sphincter and stomach. The esophagus also suffers from malnutrition, like other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Fatty, fried, spicy foods disrupt the function of the stomach and contribute to the reflux of acidic gastric contents into the esophagus. This pathology is called reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
How does reflux from the stomach into the esophagus occur?
Interesting: Heartburn is a sign of acidic stomach contents entering the esophagus. The manifestation is a symptom of reflux esophagitis, but not an independent disease.
GERD is present in more than half of the population, and if left untreated with age, the disease leads to the formation of atypical areas of epithelium on the esophageal mucosa - Barrett's esophagus develops. This is a precancerous condition that, without treatment, turns into a malignant oncopathology.
Advice: So, seemingly harmless gastritis can make a person disabled. Therefore, it’s worth thinking about whether the principles of proper nutrition should still be followed?
Stomach diseases are known to everyone. These are gastritis and peptic ulcers. However, we also often do not think about their complications. How can they be dangerous? Both of these pathologies are accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the gastric wall and sooner or later reach the choroid plexus. When the defect affects several vessels, gastric bleeding occurs. This emergency surgical pathology is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Nausea, vomiting with blood;
- Weakness, cold sweat;
- Black stools are the main sign of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Important: peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum is dangerous due to the development of perforation - rupture of the wall of a hollow organ with the release of its contents into the abdominal cavity and the development of peritonitis. This complication can only be treated with open surgery.
Pathologies of the small intestine
The most common pathology of the small intestine is duodenal ulcer. A lot is known about this gastrointestinal problem, so we invite you to consider less common, but still dangerous, diseases of the small intestine.
- Enteritis is an inflammation of the small intestine that develops as a result of eating low-quality foods. This is an acute disease, which in most cases has a mild course, especially if the provoking factor is eliminated. Manifestations of the disease include vomiting and diarrhea, as well as deterioration of the general condition due to intoxication. Enteritis often resolves without treatment, but cases with a prolonged course, uncontrollable vomiting and dehydration require specialized care.
- Celiac disease is an intolerance to the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, rye and barley. Considering that most foods contain these substances, life for a person with gluten-free enteropathy is difficult. The disease has no cure. The main thing is to identify it in time and eliminate provoking factors. The pathology manifests itself in childhood from the moment of introducing intolerable foods into the diet. If you consult a pediatrician in a timely manner, identifying celiac disease is not difficult, and people who follow a special diet forget about their problem forever.
- Crohn's disease is a chronic pathology of an autoimmune nature. The disease begins with acute pain, similar to appendicitis. Due to chronic inflammation, the absorption of nutrients is impaired, which leads to general exhaustion. In addition to pain, symptoms of Crohn's disease include diarrhea and blood in the stool, and patients can report up to 10 bowel movements per day.
Of course, the most dangerous are tumors of the small intestine. For a long time, these diseases of the gastrointestinal tract occur without symptoms. Often, specialists discover them only when the patient comes in for intestinal obstruction, which is caused by complete blocking of the intestinal lumen by a growing tumor. Therefore, if there have been cases of intestinal cancer pathologies in your family, or if you are regularly bothered by constipation, followed by diarrhea and vague abdominal pain, contact a specialist for a preventive examination.
Colon diseases
It is difficult to write about all diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in one article, so we will highlight the most serious pathologies of the colon - these are ulcerative colitis, polyposis and diverticulosis.Nonspecific ulcerative colitis is a chronic gastrointestinal disease that is autoimmune in nature, like Crohn's disease. The pathology consists of multiple ulcers on the colon mucosa that bleed. The main symptom of the disease is diarrhea mixed with blood and mucus. The disease requires long-term hormone therapy and diet. With timely detection and proper management of the patient, nonspecific ulcerative colitis is completely controlled, which allows patients to lead a normal life.
Intestinal polyposis is often asymptomatic and is detected only when cancer develops against the background of long-existing polyps. Polyposis is detected during colonoscopy. Polyps are often incidental findings during examination for other pathologies.
Important: Polyps are often detected in members of the same family, so if your relatives suffered from polyposis or colon cancer pathologies, after 40 years of age you should undergo preventive examinations. At a minimum, this is a stool test for occult blood, and ideally, a colonoscopy.
Diverticulosis is a pathology in which multiple protrusions – diverticula – form in the intestinal wall. The disease may be asymptomatic, but when diverticula become inflamed (diverticulitis), abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and changes in the character of stool appear. Particularly dangerous complications of diverticulosis are intestinal bleeding and perforation of the colon, as well as acute or chronic intestinal obstruction. If you visit the clinic in a timely manner, the pathology is easily diagnosed and treated.
What do colon diverticula look like?
Among other common pathologies, Crohn's disease can develop in the large intestine. The disease, as stated, begins in the small intestine, but without treatment spreads to the entire digestive tract.
Remember: A disease detected early in its development is easiest to treat.
Causes of digestive tract problems
Why do diseases of the digestive tube develop? The main reason is poor nutrition. Specifically, factors that disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract include:
- Poor quality food, fast food, consumption of semi-finished products;
- Irregular eating, overeating;
- Eating large amounts of spicy, fried, smoked foods, canned foods;
- Abuse of alcohol and carbonated drinks.
Another cause of gastrointestinal diseases is the uncontrolled use of medications. When prescribing therapy for chronic diseases, medications should be taken judiciously, if necessary, under the guise of proton pump inhibitors (Omez). You should also not use any medications yourself. This is especially true for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which patients often take uncontrollably for headaches. All NSAIDs increase the acidity of gastric contents, creating aggressive flora inside the stomach, causing erosion and ulcers.
Methods for diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract have similar symptoms. Then it is important for the specialist to understand which part of the digestive tube is affected. There are diagnostic methods that allow targeted examination of the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract (FEGDS and colonoscopy), as well as those that are suitable for examining the entire digestive tube (contrast radiography and capsule endoscopy).- FEGDS for examination of the mucous membrane of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. The method allows you to establish diagnoses such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophagitis, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.
- Colonoscopy is used to diagnose pathologies of the colon. Like FEGDS, the technique allows you to take a section of the intestinal mucosa or tumor for histological examination.
- Contrast X-rays are performed by taking a series of pictures after the patient drinks a barium solution, which is completely safe. Barium gradually envelops the walls of all organs of the gastrointestinal tract, allowing us to identify narrowings, diverticula, and neoplasms.
- Capsule endoscopy is a modern method for diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases, which is not performed in every clinic. The idea is that the patient swallows a special capsule with a video camera. It moves around the intestines, recording images. As a result, the doctor receives the same data as after FEGDS and colonoscopy, but without discomfort for the patient. The method has two significant disadvantages: high cost and the impossibility of taking a biopsy.
What does a capsule for endoscopic diagnosis of the digestive tract look like?
In addition to instrumental methods for diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases, various tests are prescribed.
The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a system of organs designed to process food and extract nutrients from it, then absorb them into the blood and excrete undigested residues from the body.
Sections of the digestive system
The human digestive system includes the following sections:
- oral cavity,
- pharynx,
- esophagus,
- stomach,
- small intestine,
- colon,
- rectum,
- anal opening.
The digestive system also includes:
- salivary glands,
- liver and gall bladder,
- pancreas.
Oral cavity
The mouth is a physiological opening through which food enters and breathing occurs. It is framed by the lips, and the oral cavity contains the tongue and teeth. The main function of this department is the mechanical grinding of food and its processing by enzymes of the salivary glands, that is, the beginning of digestion. The most common pathologies: caries, periodontitis, glossitis, etc.
Pharynx
This is part of the respiratory tract and digestive tube, which serves as a connecting link between the cavities of the nose and mouth on the one hand and the larynx and esophagus on the other. It looks like a funnel-shaped canal 11-12 cm long. At the level of approximately the VI cervical vertebra, narrowing, the pharynx passes into the esophagus. She is susceptible to diseases such as pharyngitis, sore throat, inflammation of the tonsils.
Esophagus
Part of the alimentary canal, which is a hollow muscular tube through which the bolus of food enters the stomach from the pharynx. The length of the esophagus of an adult is 25-30 cm. It begins in the neck area approximately at the level of the VI-VII cervical vertebra, then passes through the thoracic cavity through the mediastinum and ends at the level of the X-XI thoracic vertebra in the abdominal cavity, emptying into the stomach. The esophagus is characterized by pathologies such as esophagitis, chemical and mechanical damage, varicose veins, etc.
Stomach
The stomach is a hollow muscular organ that is located in the left hypochondrium and upper part of the abdominal cavity. The upper opening of the stomach is located at the level of the XI thoracic vertebra, and the lower outlet is located at the level of the I lumbar vertebra. The stomach serves as a reservoir for swallowed food. In addition, its chemical digestion is carried out in it. For this purpose, biologically active substances, hydrochloric acid are secreted in the stomach and nutrients are absorbed. The volume of an empty stomach is about 500 ml, but when eating food it can stretch up to one liter. The main diseases of the stomach are ulcers and polyps.
Small intestine
This is the section of the digestive tract that is located between the stomach and large intestine. This is where most of the digestion processes take place.
The duodenum is the initial section of the small intestine, which follows immediately after the stomach. Its name is due to the fact that its length is approximately twelve diameters of a finger. It is anatomically and functionally closely related to the digestive glands - the liver with the gallbladder and the pancreas.
The jejunum is the middle section of the small intestine, located between the duodenum and ileum. Its name comes from the fact that during autopsies anatomists usually find it empty. The jejunal loops are located in the left upper region of the abdominal cavity.
The ileum is the lower section of the small intestine, next after the jejunum and in front of the cecum, from which it is separated by the ileocecal valve, or bauhinian valve. There is no clearly defined anatomical structure separating the jejunum and ileum. However, the ileum has a larger diameter, a thicker wall and is richer in blood vessels.
Most often, inflammatory processes occur in the small intestine - enteritis.
Colon
The cecum is the initial section of the large intestine, which looks like a small sac. A vermiform appendix, or appendix, extends from its posterior wall.
The colon is the main section of the large intestine. It is not directly involved in the digestion of food. Its function is to absorb water and electrolytes and transform the relatively liquid bolus of food into thicker feces. Conventionally, the ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid colon are distinguished.
The colon is characterized by diseases such as ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.
Rectum
This is the final section of the digestive tract, located between the sigmoid colon and the anus. The rectum is not actually a rectum. It runs along the sacrum and forms two bends. Its function is the accumulation of feces. It contains two muscular sphincters that close the intestinal lumen and hold feces in it. The main pathologies of the rectum are its inflammation, trauma and the formation of polyps.
Anal hole
The anus is the anal opening through which feces are eliminated from the body. The most common diseases in this area are hemorrhoids. Paraproctitis, anal fissures, etc.
Salivary glands
Glands located in the oral cavity that secrete saliva. There are minor salivary glands, which are located in the oral mucosa, and 3 pairs of major salivary glands: submandibular, parotid and sublingual. These organs are more susceptible to inflammatory processes and the formation of cysts when they are blocked.
Liver
This is a vital internal organ located in the abdominal cavity under the diaphragm and has a large number of physiological functions:
- neutralization of poisons and allergens,
– neutralization and removal of excess hormones, vitamins, metabolic products,
- participation in digestion processes (by providing the body with glucose),
— storage of energy reserves and regulation of carbohydrate metabolism,
– deposition of some vitamins and microelements,
- synthesis of cholesterol, lipids and regulation of fat metabolism,
- synthesis of bilirubin, bile acids and bile,
- a depot for a fairly large volume of blood, which is released into the vascular bed during blood loss or shock,
- synthesis of enzymes and hormones actively involved in the digestion of food in the small intestine.
Most often, the liver is susceptible to diseases such as cirrhosis, the formation of cysts and tumor formations.
Gallbladder
This is an organ that is a sac-like reservoir in which bile coming from the liver accumulates. Then it enters the duodenum through the common bile duct. The main diseases of the gallbladder are: polyps, cholecystitis and gallbladder dyskinesia.
Pancreas
This is a large gland of the digestive system, which has endocrine and exocrine functions. Internal secretion is the production of hormones (such as insulin). Exocrine secretion is the secretion of pancreatic juice, which contains digestive enzymes. The main pathologies of the pancreas: pancreatitis, impaired insulin production and tumor processes.
Ask your question to the doctor.
The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a complex system of digestive organs that break down food, absorb nutrients, and remove waste from the human body.
The parts of the digestive system include:
- oral cavity, pharynx;
- esophagus;
- stomach
- duodenum (duodenum);
- jejunum;
- ileum;
- colon.
The liver, gallbladder, pancreas and salivary glands are also responsible for the digestion process, but they relate directly to the gastrointestinal tract.
MAIN FUNCTIONS AND TASKS OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
The main tasks of the gastrointestinal tract are mechanical and chemical processing of food, absorption of nutrients (including from water) into the lymph and bloodstreams, and removal of undigested food residues.
Functions of the gastrointestinal tract:
- motor (chewing and swallowing food in the oral cavity);
- secretory (production of saliva, gastric juice and bile);
- absorption (transfer and absorption of monosaccharides, amino acids, vitamins and other beneficial substances into the blood);
- intrasecretory (hormone production);
- excretory (cleansing the body of toxic substances, urea and undigested food components).
Gastrointestinal Organs
Oral cavity and pharynx
The digestive process begins as soon as a piece of food enters your mouth. Chewing and processing food with saliva are very important stages of digestion. The quality of its absorption depends on how thoroughly you grind the product. The less you chew, the longer the food will spend in your stomach. He will actually have to chew on you. The food will begin to rot on the way to the intestines, and you will experience flatulence , bloating, fermentation, belching and heartburn.
Esophagus
The oral cavity is connected to the esophagus by the pharynx - through it the crushed food moves further.
The esophagus is part of the digestive canal, which is a cylindrical muscular tube with a total length of 22 to 30 cm. This organ ensures the movement of the food bolus towards the stomach, preventing its reverse movement.
There is a protective barrier between the esophagus and the stomach - the lower esophageal sphincter. It is this that prevents pieces of food and hydrochloric acid from entering the esophagus from the stomach. If you regularly experience heartburn, this means that the sphincter is weakened and allows the acidic contents of the stomach to flow back.
Stomach
This is a sac-like extensible organ located under the left hypochondrium in the upper region of the peritoneum. The stomach is the place of chemical digestion of food: it is treated with hydrochloric acid and various biological substances. Partial absorption of nutrients also occurs here.
Duodenum (duodenum)
The initial section of the small intestine, immediately following the pylorus of the stomach. The characteristic name is due to the fact that its length is approximately twelve diameters of a finger.
DPC brings the acid-base indicator of the food gruel coming from the stomach to the optimal level - it does not irritate the small intestine and is suitable for intestinal digestion.
Another integral phase of the work of this part of the intestine is the regulation of pancreatic enzymes secreted by the pancreas, as well as bile, depending on the acidity of the bolus of food and its chemical composition.
The duodenum also maintains feedback from the stomach: this is manifested through the reflex opening and closing of the pylorus of the stomach, as well as the regulation of the acidity and peptic activity of gastric juice.
Jejunum
Second section of the small intestine. The small intestine reaches a length of 1.8 meters and is constantly in a tonic state.
Ileum
The ileum is the last of the three sections of the small intestine. Unlike the jejunum, it has a slightly larger diameter and thickened walls, as well as a right-sided arrangement of loops.
Colon
It is the lower section of the digestive tract, in which water is absorbed and food debris (chyme) is formed. The large intestine reaches 1.5 meters in length and is divided into the cecum, colon and rectum.
The gastrointestinal tract ends with the anus, through which feces are removed from the human body.
Nutrition is a complexly coordinated process aimed at replenishing the energy of a living organism through processing, digestion, breakdown, and absorption of nutrients. All these and some other functions are performed by the gastrointestinal tract, which consists of many important elements combined into a single system. Each of its mechanisms is capable of performing a variety of actions, but when one element suffers, the operation of the entire structure is disrupted.
This is due to the fact that food entering our body undergoes multi-stage processing; these are not only the familiar processes of digestion in the stomach and absorption in the intestines. Digestion also includes the absorption of those same substances by the body. Thus, the diagram of the human digestive system takes on a broader picture. Pictures with captions will help you visualize the topic of the article. 
The digestive system usually consists of the gastrointestinal tract and additional organs called glands. The organs of the digestive tract include:
The visual arrangement of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract is shown in the figure below. Having familiarized yourself with the basics, it is worth considering the structure of the organs of the human digestive system in more detail. 
The initial section of the gastrointestinal tract is oral cavity. Here, under the influence of teeth, mechanical processing of incoming food is performed. Human teeth have a variety of shapes, which means their functions are also different: incisors cut, canines tear, premolars and molars grind.
In addition to mechanical treatment, chemical treatment also begins in the oral cavity. This happens under the influence of saliva, or rather, its enzymes that break down some carbohydrates. Of course, complete breakdown of carbohydrates cannot occur here due to the short stay of the food bolus in the mouth. But enzymes saturate the lump, and the astringent components of saliva hold it together, ensuring its easy movement to the pharynx.
Pharynx- this tube, consisting of several cartilages, performs the function of carrying the bolus of food to the esophagus. In addition to carrying food, the pharynx is also a respiratory organ; 3 sections are located here: the oropharynx, nasopharynx and laryngopharynx - the last two belong to the upper respiratory tract.
More on the topic: Should you panic if you are diagnosed with gastric erosion?
From the pharynx, food enters esophagus- a long muscular tube that also performs the function of carrying food to the stomach. A feature of the structure of the esophagus is 3 physiological narrowings. The esophagus is characterized by peristaltic movements.
At its lower end, the esophagus opens into the stomach cavity. The stomach has a rather complex structure, since its mucous membrane is rich in a large number of tissue glands, various cells that produce gastric juice. Food stays in the stomach for 3 to 10 hours, depending on the nature of the food taken. The stomach digests it, impregnates it with enzymes, turns into chyme, then the “food gruel” enters the duodenum in portions.
The duodenum belongs to the small intestine, but it is worth paying special attention to, since this is where some of the most important elements of the digestive process come - intestinal and pancreatic juices and bile. Bile is a liquid rich in special enzymes produced by the liver. There are cystic and hepatic biles; they differ slightly in composition, but perform the same functions. Pancreatic juice, together with bile and intestinal juice, constitute the most important enzymatic factor in digestion, which involves the almost complete breakdown of substances. The duodenal mucosa has special villi that are capable of capturing large lipid molecules that, due to their size, are not able to be absorbed by blood vessels. 
Next, the chyme passes into the jejunum, then into the ileum. Following the small intestine comes the large intestine, it begins with the cecum with a vermiform appendix, best known as the “appendix”. The appendix does not have any special properties during digestion since it is a vestigial organ, that is, an organ that has lost its functions. The large intestine is represented by the cecum, colon and rectum. Performs functions such as absorption of water, secretion of specific substances, formation of feces and, finally, excretory function. A feature of the large intestine is the presence of microflora that determines the normal functioning of the entire human body as a whole.
More on the topic: Stomach poisoning: what to do?
Digestive glands are organs capable of producing enzymes that enter the gastrointestinal tract and digest nutrients.
Large salivary glands. These are paired glands, distinguished:
- Parotid salivary glands (located in front and below the auricle)
- Submandibular and sublingual (located under the diaphragm of the oral cavity)
They produce saliva - a mixture of secretions from all salivary glands. This is a viscous transparent liquid consisting of water (98.5%) and dry residue (1.5%). The dry residue includes mucin, lysozyme, enzymes that break down carbohydrates, salts, etc. Saliva enters the oral cavity through the excretory ducts of the glands during meals or during visual, olfactory and auditory stimulation. 
Liver. This unpaired parenchymal organ, located in the right hypochondrium, is the largest gland in the human body; its weight in an adult can be approximately 1.5-2 kg. The shape of the liver resembles an irregular wedge; with the help of ligaments it is divided into 2 lobes. The liver produces golden-colored bile. It consists of water (97.5%) and dry residue (2.5%). The dry residue is represented by bile acids (cholic acid), pigments (bilirubin, biliverdin) and cholesterol, as well as enzymes, vitamins, and inorganic salts. In addition to digestive activity, bile also performs an excretory function, that is, it is capable of removing metabolic products from the body, for example, the above-mentioned bilirubin (a breakdown product of hemoglobin).
Hepatocytes are specific cells of the liver lobules; they are the tissue of the organ. They serve as filters for toxins that enter the blood, therefore, the liver has the ability to protect the body from poisons that poison it.
The gallbladder is located under the liver and adjacent to it. It is a kind of reservoir for hepatic bile, which enters it through the excretory ducts. Here, bile accumulates and enters the intestines through the bile ducts. This bile is now called bladder bile and is dark olive in color.
| Intestinal section | Structural features | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| The length of this section is about 30 cm (12 fingers, which in ancient times were called fingers). Located between the gallbladder and pancreas. This section contains an extensive network of blood supply, as well as endocrine glands | Regulates the amount of food entering the intestines from the gastric cavity, reduces acidity levels | |
| Located in the upper part of the small intestine. The intestine got its name due to the fact that when dead bodies are opened, it always turns out to be empty. Contains the largest number of villi, which take part in the absorption of vitamins and microelements from food | Ensures the absorption of nutrients from incoming food | |
| It is located in the lower part of the small intestine, has a fairly large size, a dense network of blood supply and a dense membrane. | Responsible for peristalsis and muscle contractions, produces a substance called neurotensin, which is responsible for appetite and the drinking reflex |
Colon
The large intestine is the last section of the gastrointestinal tract, its length is about 2 meters, and its diameter is from 4 to 10 cm. The final processes of digestion and breakdown of food, absorption of liquid and formation of feces take place in it. It envelops the food bolus with mucus and moves it towards the rectum, where they accumulate and are removed. The structure of the large intestine is similar to the structure of the small intestine (tissues arranged in several layers), and it includes the cecum, colon, sigmoid and rectum.
| Intestinal section | Structural features | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| The first section of the large intestine, which is a cavity closed on one side, similar to a bag. At the junction of the small intestine with the cecum there is a narrow appendix. | Provides local intestinal immunity, responds to inflammatory processes. The appendix produces beneficial microorganisms that help protect the body from disease. | |
| The main segment of the large intestine is 1.5 m long. Consists of several sections: ascending, transverse colon and descending | Breaks down fiber, pectin fibers and fat-soluble vitamins. Promotes the formation of dense stools | |
| It is located between the descending part of the colon and reaches the right hypochondrium. Reaches 70 cm in length, diameter - about 4 cm | Takes part in the digestive processes, absorbs moisture and delivers it to all body systems, breaks down beneficial substances that come with food |
The human gastrointestinal tract is a vital system with a complex structure that performs the functions of digesting and breaking down food, as well as absorbing nutrients. In other words, it is in the intestines that the food we eat is transformed into the energy necessary for life. The activity of the gastrointestinal tract is closely related to the work of other organs and systems, so disruption of the functioning of any of its departments can lead to malfunctions in the functioning of the entire body. Nausea and stomach ache
The structure of a person and his gastrointestinal tract
Video - Anatomy of the digestive system
