Question

Describe how hormones affect nutrition. Use some examples given to you eg: pregnancy hormones will change appetite

Answer 1

Hormones are responsible to influence and regulate all three steps of human nutrition, viz. digestive process, intestinal nutrient absorption and storage and utilization of nutritional substrate. When the food enters stomach, several hormones help in its digestion. Gastrin is responsible for destroying harmful pathogens present in the food. Secretin helps to neutralize the acidic stomach contents as they enter the small intestine. This hormone also is responsible to stimulate the stomach to produce pepsin. Cholecystokinin causes the pancreas to produce the enzymes of pancreatic juice. In terms of regulating appetite: Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and upper intestine that can stimulate appetite. Peptide YY is produced in the digestive tract that is responsible to inhibit appetite. Leptin can prevent overfeeding.