This story is part of a series exploring human anatomy and physiology complexities. Each story in this collection showcases discoveries reshaping our understanding of the body's inner workings, ...

Scientists explain how tiny gut bacteria influence your body’s health and why many animals on Earth are still waiting to be discovered.

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 ...

Explains the process of digestion, detailing how food is transformed into simpler substances that can be absorbed into the blood. It begins in the mouth with mastication and saliva mixing, followed by ...

The US humorist Christopher Morley once described the human body as “an ingenious assembly of portable plumbing”. He wasn’t wrong: from our cardiovascular and lymphatic systems to our guts and urinary ...

Doctors use laboratory tests, imaging studies, and endoscopic procedures to help diagnose short bowel syndrome, which affects nutrient absorption in the small intestine. Short bowel syndrome (SBS) ...

Experiments in mice and human tissue indicate that a reduction in bacteria living in the large intestine decreases mucus ...

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) affects how well the small intestine absorbs nutrients. Surgery, medications, and nutritional support are all part of a comprehensive treatment plan for this condition. SBS ...