Digestive system functions

NT has been impHcated in neuroendocrine function, thermal and circadian regulation, cardiovascular and digestive system function, nociception, and in psychoses as a DA modulator. 

Vitamins are a well-known group of compounds that are essential for human health. Water-soluble vitamins include folate (vitamin B9) to create DNA. Folate also plays an important role in preventing birth defects during early pregnancy. Thiamine is the first vitamin of the B-complex (vitamin Bl) that researchers discovered. It allows the body to break down alcohol and metabolize carbohydrates and amino acids. Like many other B vitamins, riboflavin (vitamin B2) helps the body to metabolize carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Niacin (vitamin B3) protects the health of skin cells and keeps the digestive system functioning properly. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and biotin allow the body to obtain energy from macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) acts as a coenzyme, which means it helps chemical reactions to take place. It also plays a vital role in the creation of nonessential amino acids. 

Wool, as a keratin, is a highly cross-linked, insoluble proteinaceous fiber, and few animals have developed the specialized digestive systems that aUow them to derive nutrition from the potential protein resource. In nature, these few keratin-digesting animals, principally the larvae of clothes moths and carpet beetles, perform a useful function in scavenging the keratinous parts of dead animals and animal debris (fur, skin, beak, claw, feathers) that ate inaccessible to other animals. It is only when these keratin-digesting animals attack processed wool goods that they are classified as pests. Very often they enter domestic or industrial huildings from natural habitats such as birds nests. 

The pancreas is an exocrine gland and an endocrine gland. The exocrine tissue produces a bicarbonate solution and digestive enzymes. These substances are transported to the small intestine where they play a role in the chemical digestion of food. These functions are fully discussed in Chapter 18 on the digestive system. 

The function of the digestive system is to make ingested food available to the cells of the body. Most ingested food is in the form of very large molecules that must be broken down by mechanical and biochemical processes into their smaller components (see Table 18.1). These smaller units are then absorbed across the wall of the digestive tract and distributed throughout the body. Not all ingested materials may be completely... 

In terms of mineral content, potato is best known as an important source of dietary potassium, which plays a fundamental role in acid-base regulation and fluid balance and is required for optimal functioning of the heart, kidneys, muscles, nerves, and digestive systems. Health benefits of sufficient potassium intake include reduced risk of hypokalemia, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, stroke, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), kidney stones, and asthma. A high intake of potassium and low intake of sodium have been hypothesized to reduce the risk of stroke (Larsson et al., 2008 Swain et al., 2008). However, most American women 31-50 years old consume no more than half of the recommended amoimt of potassium and men s intake is only moderately higher (lOM, 2004). 

Grek O, Kolpakov M, Bashkirov Yu et al (2000) Use of Enterosgel for correction of disturbance of liver function in experimental chronic toxic hepatitis. In Clinical use of Enterosgel preparation in patients with pathology of organs of digestive system, Moscow (In Russian), pp 63-66... 

Aside from its murky role in brain function, alpha-linolenic acid has some well-documented effects on heart disease. It reduces the risk of blood-clot formation, lowers the chance of potentially lethal irregular heartbeat, and probably has an antiinflammatory effect on blood vessels. Several studies have found a link between increased intake of the acid and reduced risk of death from heart disease. Alpha-linolenic acid helps lower blood cholesterol, but flaxseed has another component that performs this function even more effectively. This is soluble fiber, which isn t absorbed by the body and passes right through the digestive system. On its journey through the digestive tract, the fiber binds cholesterol and prevents it from... 

To finally underline the wide functional roles that metal-carbohydrate coordination may play in nature, complexes of this type have long been used as mineral supplements because of their greater absorption in the digestive system, e.g. iron-dextran compositions in treating iron deficiency. More recently, metal pectate compositions (see ref. 165 and literature cited therein) have been advocated for use as mineral supplementation. 

Functional drinks continue to be very successful in Japan and the major ingredients exploited there are fibre, calcium, iron and oligosaccharides. Label text refers to beneficial effects on the digestive system, bones, teeth and other parts of the body as appropriate. In Europe these drinks are only beginning to be developed. Examples that are available in the UK include ... 

Despite the presence of water throughout the body, hydrolysis reactions of esters and amides require enzymes to proceed at an appreciable rate. Numerous enzymes throughout the body carry out hydrolysis reactions. The enzymes, both esterases and amidases, are found in the digestive system, individual cells, and plasma. The exact site of hydrolysis of a specific drug depends on the drug s structure and functionality. The ester in aspirin... 

Most POPs are readily absorbed (via the digestive system and inhalation) and accumulate in fatty tissue, including brain and adipose tissue and human milk. These substances can induce neurological effects and cause altered functioning of the nervous system as well as acting as endocrine disruptors. 

Improve the function of the digestive system defense barrier via immunological and nonimmunological mechanisms... 

The above information confirms that external factors, and particularly psychological stress, play a critical role in the functioning of the immune system and appearance of inflammatory reactions, mainly in the digestive system. The mutual reactions between the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems mean that stress reactions can evoke the occurrence of allergenic hypersensitivity. 

It is appropriate to consider gastrointestinal structure in relation to gastrointestinal function. The function of the digestive system is to break down complex molecules, derived from ingested food, into simple ones for absorption into the blood or the lymph. This process occurs in five main phases, within defined regions of... 

The essential oil has many beneficial effects and applications in aromatherapy for skin and hair care, as an antirheumatic, antispasmodic and calmative, for complaints of the respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems and for nervous disorders. The camphor type is best suited to the musculoskeletal system, and the 1,8-cineole for pulmonary congestion and efficient functioning of the liver and kidneys, with the verbenone being a safe nonirritant essential oil for skin and hair treatments. 

In addition to growth factors, it has been shown that countless other molecules have multiple functions. Cholecystokinin, for example, is a peptide that acts as a hormone in the intestine, where it increases the bile flow during digestion, whereas in the nervous system it behaves as a neurotransmitter. Encephalins are sedatives in the brain, but in the digestive system are hormones that control the mechanical movements of food. Insulin is universally known for lowering the sugar levels in the blood, but it also controls fat metabolism and in other less known ways it affects almost every cell of the body. 

The parasympathetic division maintains essential bodily functions, such as digestive processes and elimination of wastes, and is required for life (see Figure 3.3). It usually acts to oppose or balance the actions of the sympathetic division and is generally dominant over the sympathetic system in "rest and digest" situations (see Figure 3.4). The parasympathetic system is not a functional entity as such and never discharges as a complete system. If it did, it would produce massive, undesirable, and unpleasant symptoms. Instead, discrete parasympathetic fibers are activated separately, and the system functions to affect specific organs, such as the stomach or eye. 

Boldyreff WN (1925) Surgical method in the physiology of digestion. Description of the most important operations on digestive system. Ergebn Physiol 24 399-444 Herrera F, Kemp DR, Tsukamoto M et al. (1968) A new cannula for the study of pancreatic function. J Appl Physiol 25 207-209... 

Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, helps maintain the normal function of the skin, nerves, and digestive system. The disease pellagra results from a severe niacin deficiency. People with pellagra experience mouth sores, skin irritation, and mental deterioration. Niacin has the following formula C6H5N02. Often vitamin... 

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