Disorders of nutritional metabolism

The exogenous substances that an organism needs to maintain normal life activities and ensure growth and reproduction are called nutritional elements, and are composed of six categories: water, minerals, carbohydrates (sugars), fats, proteins and vitamins. Among them, water and mineral salts are inorganic substances, while fats, proteins and vitamins are organic substances. In addition to the large amount of macroelements in mineral salts, some of them are small in content, but they are also called trace elements in many life activities of the body. These nutritional elements enter the body through the act of eating. The normal eating behavior is controlled by many life activities at the neurological, endocrine and other behavioral levels, of which the hypothalamus plays a very important role. But in fact, in human society, eating behavior is also limited by culture, family, personal experience, personal economic conditions, market supply, and so on. The contents of the food are absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. Most large-molecular nutrients are first converted into soluble mononuclear nutrients with a relatively small molecular weight by the digestive tract, and then absorbed by intestinal epithelial cells. Many nutrient elements need to be combined with transporters when absorbed, and the latter's vitality is often influenced by the concentration of the substance in the receptor and the hormones involved in the metabolism of the substance. The absorbed nutritional elements can be sent to various organs and tissues for utilization. In addition, many nutritional elements can be stored in the body, especially the energy materials, which are generally released when the body needs them.

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