NTA Digestion & Gut Health 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which enzyme, secreted by the salivary glands, initiates carbohydrate digestion in the mouth?
- Pepsin
- Salivary amylase (Correct answer)
- Lipase
- Lactase
Correct answer: Salivary amylase
Salivary amylase (ptyalin) is released by the parotid glands and begins breaking down starch into shorter polysaccharides in the oral cavity.
Question 2: What is the primary role of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach?
- Emulsifying dietary fats
- Activating pepsinogen into pepsin and sterilizing ingested material (Correct answer)
- Neutralizing bile salts
- Absorbing water-soluble vitamins
Correct answer: Activating pepsinogen into pepsin and sterilizing ingested material
HCl lowers gastric pH to around 1.5–3.5, which converts pepsinogen to active pepsin for protein digestion and kills most ingested pathogens.
Question 3: In the NTA model, which physiological condition is most strongly associated with hypochlorhydria?
- Elevated gastrin levels
- Overproduction of intrinsic factor
- Undigested protein entering the small intestine leading to putrefaction (Correct answer)
- Excessive bile recycling in the ileum
Correct answer: Undigested protein entering the small intestine leading to putrefaction
Insufficient HCl leaves proteins incompletely broken down; these proteins reach the colon where bacteria putrefy them, producing toxic byproducts and contributing to dysbiosis.
Question 4: The migrating motor complex (MMC) performs which key digestive function?
- Stimulating bile release from the gallbladder
- Sweeping undigested debris and bacteria from the small intestine between meals (Correct answer)
- Regulating gastric acid secretion in response to protein
- Coordinating peristalsis in the large intestine only
Correct answer: Sweeping undigested debris and bacteria from the small intestine between meals
The MMC is a cyclic motility pattern that acts as an intestinal 'housekeeper,' clearing residual food particles and bacteria from the small bowel during fasting periods.
Question 5: Which nutrient is essential for the production of bile salts by the liver?
- Cholesterol (Correct answer)
- Glucose
- Glycogen
- Linoleic acid
Correct answer: Cholesterol
The liver synthesizes primary bile acids (cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid) directly from cholesterol, which are then conjugated and secreted into bile.
Question 6: Where does the majority of nutrient absorption occur in the gastrointestinal tract?
- Stomach
- Large intestine
- Small intestine (Correct answer)
- Esophagus
Correct answer: Small intestine
The small intestine, with its villi and microvilli (brush border), provides an enormous surface area and is the primary site for absorption of amino acids, fatty acids, monosaccharides, vitamins, and minerals.
Question 7: According to NTA principles, which lifestyle factor most directly suppresses the parasympathetic 'rest-and-digest' state needed for optimal digestion?
- Adequate sleep
- Chronic psychological stress (Correct answer)
- Regular moderate exercise
- Eating whole foods
Correct answer: Chronic psychological stress
Chronic stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, inhibiting digestive enzyme secretion, reducing gut motility, and diverting blood flow away from the GI tract.
NTA Digestion & Gut Health 1
Which enzyme, secreted by the salivary glands, initiates carbohydrate digestion in the mouth?