Lecture 5: Homeostasis, Metabolism & Eating Disorders Flashcards
homeostasis
the maintenance of an internal stable environment within the body, despite the changing external environment
- e.g. body temperature, glucose level, oxygen level, blood pressure
gastrointestinal tract
the part of the digestive tract where food is broken down and absorbed so that the nutrients can be mobilized and used as energy sources
eating habits before eating
- prior to the act of eating, the body begins the digestive process
- once the food is in the mouth, saliva and chewing are used to prepare the food to be swallowed
eating habits during eating
- chewed food is formed into a moist ball (bolus), and enters the oesophagus and is collected in the stomach
- hydrochloric acid breaks down the food
eating habits after eating
- pepsin initiates the breakdown of protein molecules into amino acids
- stomach empties through the pyloric sphincter, slowly into the duodenum
- enzymes from the gallbladder and pancreas are added to the food pulp
- division into smaller particles allows the elements to be small enough to pass through the lining of the duodenum into the bloodstream
- once in the bloodstream, they are processed by the liver
emulsification
fats are broken down by bile, which is made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder
- fat molecules won’t pass through the wall of the duodenum, and therefore transported through small tubes in the lymphatic system
lipids
fatty acids or derivatives thereof
- insoluble in water
amino acids
simple organic compounds that compose protein when assembled into long chains
glucose
a sugar and energy source
- a simple sugar broken down from carbohydrates
where energy is stored
- fats (main storage system)
- glycogen (converted to glucose): a substance deposited in body tissues as a store of carbohydrates
- proteins
three processes/phases in energy metabolism
- cephalic or reflex phase
- gastric or absorption phase
- intestinal or fasting phase
cephalic or reflex phase
involves preparatory processes for feeding, in which the sensory stimulus for food activates the digestive system
- the cephalic phase stops when nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream
gastric or absorption phase
occurs when the body’s immediate needs are attended to and nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream
- takes 3-4 hours
- the physical relaxation caused by food in the stomach activates stretch receptors that promote the parasympathetic version of ACh
- ACh increases the secretion of gastric juices
- increasing pH stimulates the release of gastrin by enero-endocrine cells
gastrin
a peptide hormone that causes the stimulation of hydrochloric acid (HCL)
- HCL creates an acidic environment for protein digestion
- also responsible for smooth muscle contractions and the movement of food
enero-endocrine cells
specialized cells of the endocrine system located in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas
intestinal or fasting phase
occurs when nutrients no longer provide immediate energy and the body mobilizes previously stored nutrients
- end of the fasting phase precedes the beginning of the cephalic phase
insulin
an important hormone in the digestive process
released by the pancreas for:
- the use of glucose
- the conversion of glucose to glycogen and fat for storage
- the conversion of amino acids into proteins for storage
- the storage of glycogen in the liver and muscles
- the storage of fat in adipose tissue
- the storage of proteins in the muscles
glucagon
a peptide hormone released by the pancreas when glucose levels become lower
- converts stored glycogen into glucose
- promotes the release of fatty acids from adipose tissue and stimulates the conversion of these fatty acids into ketones
ketones
used by muscles as an energy source
satiety
the feeling of being full
vagus nerve
connects the digestive system to the neural system
- transmits the focus of eating behavior to the brain
biomolecules
molecules derived from substances that occur naturally in an organism
- e.g. amino acids, triglycerids, and glucose
catabolism
the breakdown of complex molecules to release energy
disaccharide
a molecule made up of two monosaccharides
- e.g. sucrose (table sugar) made up of glucose and fructose
anabolism
the creation of complex molecules from simple ones to store energy
glycogen
a multiple-branched polymer of glucose, which serves as energy storage in animals
- polysaccharide