Biopharmaceuticals, medium- and high-molecular weight biologically active macromolecules, are not easily absorbed by the small intestine, the main organ responsible for gastrointestinal absorption, ...

The d-xylose absorption test is useful in the diagnosis of tropical and idiopathic sprue, 1–4 but results are variable in other disorders and in elderly persons without intestinal disease. 5,6 ...

An exciting new study has examined how bacteria in the small intestine help digest and absorb high-fat foods. The novel research suggests that in the future we could potentially combat obesity by ...

To study absorption, two different approaches have been used. In vivo methods, such as measuring the disappearance of a test substance from the gut, its appearance in body fluids or its fecal output, ...

A researcher at Midwestern University led a new study showing that Western diets, high in fat and simple sugar, promote the growth of bacteria in the small intestine that increase fat digestion and ...

This story is part of a series exploring human anatomy and physiology complexities. Each story in this collection showcases discoveries reshaping our understanding of the body's inner workings, ...

A new study -- one of a few to concentrate on microbes in the upper gastrointestinal tract -- shows how the typical calorie-dense western diet can induce expansion of microbes that promote the ...

Although the vast majority of research on the gut microbiome has focused on bacteria in the large intestine, a new study--one of a few to concentrate on microbes in the upper gastrointestinal ...