Chemical digestion is one of the six main functions of your digestive system. This system consists of your digestive or gastrointestinal tract and accessory organs. During chemical digestion, your ...

Duodenitis is an intestinal condition caused by inflammation in your duodenum lining. It can sometimes happen along with gastritis, which is inflammation in your stomach lining. When they happen ...

Your gastrointestinal (G.I.) system, the key player in your overall digestive health, is one of the most important systems in your body. It consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, ...

The stomach is not the only one digesting lunch — so are microbes. Every time someone eats, an entire ecosystem inside their gut gets to work, breaking down food, absorbing nutrients and boosting the ...

Whether it's constipation, diarrhea, gas or the dreaded bloat, everyone deals with digestive discomfort at one point or another. Occasional digestive symptoms usually aren't an issue -- maybe you just ...

Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is a board-certified gastroenterologist who serves as vice chair of Ambulatory Services at Lower Manhattan Hospital and professor of medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. From the moment you swallow a bite of food to the moment it exits your body, the gut is toiling to process this strange outside material ...

The liver and pancreas are organs in the upper abdomen. The liver is vital for metabolism, detoxification, digestion, and more. The pancreas produces essential enzymes and hormones. Together, they ...

Chemical digestion occurs when the body uses enzymes to break down certain molecules, such as carbohydrates. This process allows the bloodstream to absorb smaller molecules to transport around the ...