INTRODUCTION
The digestive functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are vital to life. Foods must be broken down to simple molecules that can be utilized by the body’s cells and tissues. Solid food is processed in the mouth (mastication and maceration), then passed on to the stomach for further treatment by acids, enzymes and mechanical mixing. The final phases of digestion take place in the intestines. Various enzymes in the small intestine break down carbohydrates to monosaccharides, fats to fatty acids and glycerol, and proteins to amino acids. These molecules can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. Most nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine, although some molecules, such as alcohol and some drugs (aspirin, for example), can be taken up from the stomach, and others (e.g., electrolytes, some vitamins) can be absorbed in the large intestine.
Most people probably think of the large intestine, also called the colon, as little more than a waste processing and elimination unit. It may surprise many that the colon is much more than just the place where undigested food goes to die. The fact is that the colon is the site of many metabolic functions that are critical to good health. This paper will discuss the various roles of the colon and the distal small intestine (ileum) in maintenance of health, and specifically the important functions of the microbial inhabitants of the GI tract. It is now understood that the colon’s microbial flora (bacteria, fungi, etc.) are intimately involved in the many functions of this important organ. Beneficial microbes are vital to maintenance of good health, and others can cause or contribute to various disease processes. Data from clinical studies with beneficial intestinal microbes in dietary supplement form (called probiotics) will also be presented.
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