How come vitamins and other ‘fragile’ nutrients survive stomach acid but bacteria and other microorganisms die?
In: Biology
Stomach acid is just that an acid. Chemically, that means there is a high concentrations of proton that can react with compounds. These nutrients react to the acid and are chemically altered, but when they reach the small intestine (specifically the duodenum), the acid is neutralized, returning the nutrient back to its original form where it can be absorbed later along the small intestinal tract. It is harder for bacteria and other microorganisms to survive in this environment because the acid also changed the shape of essential proteins, causing them to not work. Additionally, the purpose of stomach acid is to activate our own proteins that specialize in breaking down other proteins (technically, including itself). This also makes the environment harder for them to live in.
Also, some bacteria can survive in this environment. Acidophiles (acid-loving microorganisms) can be found in the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park. In humans, the bacteria heliobacter pylori which can cause ulcers tend to thrive in acidic environments, making proton pump inhibitors which increases gastric pH such as omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), and others to be backbone medications in treatment.
The scope of these things are not comparable. A bacteria is a living cell, composed of millions if not billions of molecules, while vitamins are individual molecules. Bacteria are much more complex than vitamins are, and therefore much more vulnerable; it’s easier to cause fatal damage to bacteria than it is to tear vitamins into their constituent atoms. Stomach acid, while strong, isn’t strong enough to completely degrade everything; it only needs to break stuff down enough to allow it to be absorbed by the intestines.
Latest Answers