Interesting facts about intestine

October 21, 2009 | In: Medical facts



The intestine is the major part of the digestive system, extending from the duodenum to the anus. It is generally divided into the small intestine and the large intestine.

The primary function of the small intestine is to complete the digestion of food and then absorb the useful nutrients into the blood. The small intestine consists of three major sections called the “duodenum,” the “jejunum,” and the “ileum.” At the end of the ileum, unabsorbed material containing a large volume of water is passed on to the large intestine.

The function of the large intestine is to resorb all the excess water from the undigested food. This process forms feces which are then eliminated. The appendix is a tiny, finger-like process extending from the bottom of the cecum, on the right side of the large intestine. The appendix has no known function. Occasionally, the appendix becomes infected, a condition called appendicitis. Appendicitis is generally treated by simply removing the appendix. This is the most common abdominal operation.

The large intestine is 7 to 10 cm wide.

The small intestine is a long tube (about 21 feet, or 6.5 meters) whose purpose is to absorb food.

The large intestine is divided into 6 pieces, they are cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon and the rectum.

Food drying up and hanging out in the large intestine can last 18 hours to 2 days!

The digestive tract is like a long tube, approximately 30 feet long in total, through the middle of the body. It starts at the mouth, where food and drink enter the body, and finishes at the anus, where leftover food and wastes leave the body.

Muscles contract in waves to move the food down the oesophagus. This means that food would get to a person’s stomach, even if they were standing on their head.

It takes your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, gallbladder, pancreas and liver just to digest a glass of milk.


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