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The pancreas produces several digestive enzymes. CF reduces the amount of each enzyme that reaches the small intestine. Explain why a person with CF has: difficulty digesting food difficulty gaining body mass. [6 mar

Question

The pancreas produces several digestive enzymes.
CF reduces the amount of each enzyme that reaches the small intestine.
Explain why a person with CF has:
difficulty digesting food
difficulty gaining body mass.
[6 mar

The pancreas produces several digestive enzymes. CF reduces the amount of each enzyme that reaches the small intestine. Explain why a person with CF has: difficulty digesting food difficulty gaining body mass. [6 mar

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ValerieVeteran · Tutor for 9 years

Answer

A person with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) has difficulty digesting food and gaining body mass because the thick and sticky mucus caused by CF blocks the pancreatic ducts. This prevents the digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas from reaching the small intestine, leading to inefficient breakdown of food. As a result, the body is unable to absorb the necessary nutrients from the food, leading to difficulty in gaining body mass.

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## Step 1: Understanding the role of the pancreas and its enzymes in digestion<br />The pancreas is a vital organ in our body that produces several digestive enzymes. These enzymes include amylase, which breaks down carbohydrates; lipase, which aids in fat digestion; and proteases such as trypsin, which help in protein digestion. These enzymes are released into the small intestine, where they aid in the breakdown of food into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by the body.<br /><br />## Step 2: Understanding the effect of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) on the pancreas<br />Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that causes the body to produce thick and sticky mucus. This mucus can block the pancreatic ducts, preventing the digestive enzymes from reaching the small intestine. As a result, the amount of each enzyme that reaches the small intestine is reduced.<br /><br />## Step 3: Explaining the difficulty in digesting food and gaining body mass<br />### The formula for digestion is: Food + Digestive Enzymes = Nutrients absorbed by the body<br />With CF, the blockage of pancreatic ducts leads to a decrease in the amount of digestive enzymes reaching the small intestine. This means that food is not broken down efficiently, leading to difficulty in digesting food. Furthermore, since the body is not able to absorb the necessary nutrients from the food due to insufficient digestion, this leads to difficulty in gaining body mass.
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