Question

What will happen to protein digestion as the medium of intestine is gradually rendered alkaline?

Answer 1

Protein is a polymer of amino acids, joined by peptide linkage. There are nine essential amino acids, which can't be synthesized in the body. Thus it must be obtained from the digestion of consumed protein in everyday diet.

Complete answer:
We normally consume meat, fish, eggs, legumes, milk etc. to obtain protein. Protein is digested to produce amino acids, which are absorbed and used to build other proteins and macromolecules. The protein digestion process starts from the mouth, where the four types of teeth chew and crush the food into small pieces. The saliva helps in swallowing the food that contains protein to the stomach. The acidity of the stomach activates the pepsin enzyme, which helps in breaking down protein into small fragments. Then the partially digested food moves from stomach to intestine. The food is mainly acidic in nature, while coming out from the stomach. While in the intestine, bile and pancreatic juice are released, that maintain the alkaline medium. The alkaline site activates the trypsin enzyme, which helps in breakdown of protein into dipeptides and amino acids. If the pH of the intestine medium increases after 7.4 and is gradually rendered more alkaline, then it affects the efficiency of the trypsin enzyme, which also inhibits protein digestion.

Notes:
-Protein digestion mainly occurs in the small intestine.
-The normal pH of the intestine varies from 6-7.4.
-Protein is an essential macromolecule that also acts as building block material for body tissues.