Does the stomach absorb food into the bloodstream?

Answer 1

The stomach is actually a precursor to the bloodstream. Nutrients are are broken down in the stomach, most are then sent to the intestines to be broken down further, and absorbed into the bloodstream and lymphatic systems. Considering that this is in Surgery and Hospitalization, I'm guessing you're curious about IV nutrients. These are already broken down into simple sugars (and sometimes amino acids) that your body doesn't need to digest.

Answer 2

The functions of the stomach are to (1) store food, (2) to initiate protein digestion, (3) to kill bacteria with gastric juice and (4) to move chyme into the duodenum.

Very little nutrient absorption occurs in the stomach because this isn't really a gastric function. However, there are three substances that stomach membrane is able to absorb -- Water, alcohol and aspirin.

Someone once pointed out that if nutrients were absorbed by the stomach, bulimia would not have all of it's negative effects. Unfortunately, this comment cannot be true and doesn't make sense because bulimics induce vomiting and this must necessarily come from the stomach. Therefore it wouldn't matter if nutrient absorption took place in the stomach, food wouldn't be there long enough for absorption to occur.

Answer 3

In fact, almost all nutrients are absorbed outside the stomach. The stomach functions mostly in the preparation of eaten food for absorption, rather than in the absorption itself. Some notable exceptions to this rule: water, alcohol, and aspirin are all absorbed in the stomach. Almost all nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine. The colon (or large intestine) functions mainly to absorb water from the non-absorbed material that is eventually to be released from the body as feces.

Answer 4

No. The stomach churns the food up. The food then mixes with chyme (KYME) and it goes down into the intestines the intestines absorb the cell-sized food into the blood. No. The stomach churns the food up. The food then mixes with chyme (KYME) and it goes down into the intestines the intestines absorb the cell-sized food into the blood.

Answer 5

All the nutrients go to the liver after absorption through the portal venous system. This is the nature's arrangement to present the nutrients to the liver. This arrangement is there, because liver is the chief organ of metabolism. Other wise, nutrients would have taken long time to reach the liver via general circulation.