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Research and Report
Obesity and overweight are serious health issues that negatively affect the systems of the human body. To help people lose excess weight, healthcare professionals recommend patients undergo one of the three types of bariatric surgery: a gastric band, gastric sleeve, or gastrointestinal bypass. This paper will explore how these procedures influence the processes of digestion and absorption and conclude whether they should be advised to patients with obesity and overweight. Further, the impact of these health problems on the respiratory system and its ability to maintain homeostasis.
The Processes of Digestion and Absorption
The chemical and mechanical digestion of carbohydrates starts in the mouth. When a person chews, amylase, the enzyme contained in saliva, splits starches, oligosaccharides, and disaccharides into monomeric sugar units ( Digestion and absorption, 2019). When carbohydrates reach the stomach, the chemical activity of saliva amylase stops because of the acidic conditions, but the mechanical breakdown continues due to peristaltic contractions ( Digestion and absorption, 2019).
The chyme gradually moves from the stomach to the small intestine, where it is subject to chemical digestion with the help of pancreatic amylase, the enzyme that enters the small intestine through a duct ( Digestion and absorption, 2019).
The chyme is also broken down by enzymes secreted by intestinal cells ( Digestion and absorption, 2019). When carbohydrates turn into single sugar units, they move into intestinal cells, the membranes of which contain transport proteins that deliver nutrients to the blood ( Digestion and absorption, 2019). From these cells, monosaccharides move to the bloodstream and get to the liver ( Digestion and absorption, 2019). After that, indigestible carbohydrates, such as resistant starches or dietary fiber, are transferred to the large intestine and digested by bacteria.
Bariatric surgery often changes the processes of digestion and absorption. After the surgery, the stomach becomes smaller, and nutrients are digested and absorbed faster, and the feeling of satiety comes faster (Holst et al., 2018). However, since the bile and pancreatic juices are mixed with food later than in a non-operated person, there is a high risk of malabsorption and the deficiency of nutrients (Meek et al., 2016). Gastric bypass can also lead to dumping syndrome, which is nausea or diarrhea caused by the too rapid movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine (Pardo, 2017). However, such complications often happen if patients do not adhere to a diet after the surgery (Pardo, 2017). Therefore, I would recommend gastric bypass to obese patients because the health risks of obesity seem to be more dangerous than possible complications, especially if patients adhere to a proper diet.
The Work of the Respiratory System
The respiratory system works along with the cardiovascular and nervous system to maintain homeostasis. The respiratory system is involved in gas exchange, which consists of two processes: ventilation and perfusion (Taylor, 2020). Ventilation means the movement of air into the lungs and out of them, and it is controlled by brain cells (Taylor, 2020). Thus, the respiratory system works together with the nervous system to maintain pH and blood gas homeostasis. If the level of carbon dioxide is too high, the brain commands to speed up breathing, and vice versa (Wakim & Grewal, 2020). The cardiovascular system helps the respiratory system to distribute gases to the cells (Wakim & Grewal, 2020).
Ventilation should be sufficient for oxygen to be able to enter the alveoli at high rates (Taylor, 2020). If the concentration gradient, that is, the difference in partial pressure between the blood and alveoli, is low, oxygen cannot diffuse through the respiratory membrane effectively, thus impeding the external respiration (Taylor, 2020). Internal respiration is the respiration occurring in body tissues, and it also depends on the concentration gradient.
Conclusion
To sum up, bariatric surgery leads to the accelerated absorption of nutrients and makes patients feel satiety faster. However, one of the potential complications of the surgery is a sumping syndrome that can be avoided by a proper diet. Therefore, it is recommended for patients with overweight and obesity because its positive effects outweigh possible complications. Furthermore, overweight people suffer from insufficient respiratory ventilation, which negatively influences homeostasis.
References
Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. (2019). Medicine LibreTexts.
Holst, J. J., Madsbad, S., Bojsen-Møller, K. N., Svane, M. S., Jørgensen, N. B., Dirksen, C., & Martinussen, C. (2018). Mechanisms in bariatric surgery: Gut hormones, diabetes resolution, and weight loss. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 14(5), 708-714.
Meek, C. L., Lewis, H. B., Reimann, F., Gribble, F. M., & Park, A. J. (2016). The effect of bariatric surgery on gastrointestinal and pancreatic peptide hormones. Peptides, 77, 28-37.
Pardo, I. (2017). Will I encounter digestive problems after gastric bypass? MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Web.
Taylor, C. (2020). Basic human biology for BIOH 104 fvcc104. OpenStax CNX. Web.
Wakim, S., & Grewal, M. (2020). Structure and function of the respiratory system. Biology LibreTexts. Web.
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