VTCT - Nutrients and their Functions in the Digestive System

Nutrients and their Functions in the Digestive System

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Unit: Digestive System

Digestive enzymes

Digestive enzymes are protein molecules that speed up chemical reactions in the body, which would normally happen very slowly, to aid digestion of food. The reaction caused involves splitting complicated molecules into much simpler ones. They are secreted by the pancreas, stomach, salivary glands, tongue and small intestine.

Table of digestive enzymes and functions

ENZYME	ACTION
AMYLASE	It is released by salivary glands and helps to break down and soften food in the mouth.
LACTASE	It breaks down dairy products in the small intestine.
LIPASE	It is released by glands in the tongue and breaks down fats.
MALTASE	It breaks down starch and grains in the small intestine.
PEPSIN	It breaks down most proteins within the stomach.
SUCRASE	It breaks down sugars in the small intestine.
TRYPSIN	It breaks down proteins in the pancreas.

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