The function of bile, an important fluid for digesting fat from food

Before it can be absorbed by the body, every fatty food you eat needs to be broken down first with the help of bile. As long as it is not used, there is an organ that has a special function to store this fluid, namely the gallbladder.

Check out the following reviews to find out more about the various facts about the parts and functions of these fluids in your digestive system.

Bile system anatomy

The bile system consists of the gall bladder and ducts connected to it. The gallbladder is located in the right abdominal cavity, just between the bottom of the right lobe and the quadratus lobe of the liver.

The gallbladder has a storage capacity of 30-50 milliliters. From the front view, the top of the gallbladder is covered by the liver. Meanwhile, the lower part is directly adjacent to the beginning of the 12-finger intestine.

This pear-shaped organ is divided into three main parts as follows.

Fundus. The end of the bag is circular. The fundus extends to the bottom of the liver and is visible from the front view.
Body. This is the biggest part. Its surface is bordered by the lower part of the liver, small intestine and large intestine.
Neck. The neck is a link between the body and the bile ducts. In people with gallstone disease, this is usually the place where the stones gather.

The gall bladder is connected by a duct branching called the biliary tree. The bile that is produced will then flow into the intestines through this channel. In the biliary tree, there are also branches to the liver and pancreas.

Bile formation and excretion

Bile build-up occurs in the liver cells (liver). Liver cells first form bile salts from cholesterol. The reaction between cholesterol and various substances in liver cells produces water and a neutral pH compound called bile salts.

The bile salts then mix with water, cholesterol, copper minerals, and bilirubin to form bile. Bilirubin is a pigment (coloring agent) that forms after the liver breaks down old red blood cells.

The results of mixing these ingredients are then temporarily stored in the gallbladder. In a day, the liver can produce about 500 - 1,000 milliliters of bile. Later, this fluid will be concentrated in the gallbladder until it is 10 times denser.

Once the digestion of food from the stomach enters the intestines, the acid from the food will stimulate the release of secretin and cholecystokinin hormones. The two of them triggered the following reactions.

Secretin stimulates the bile ducts to release bicarbonate and water. The bile also increases so that it flows into the intestines.
Cholecystokinin stimulates movement of the bladder and bile duct muscles to release more fluid into the intestine.

Bile function

In general, there are two functions of bile for humans. Its function in digestion is to help break down fat. Another use is to help the liver function in removing metabolic waste substances from the body.

If examined further, here are the various functions of bile for your body.

1. Helps digestive enzymes work

Digestive enzymes work best in a less acidic pH environment. Meanwhile, the stomach is usually very acidic because the stomach cells produce hydrochloric acid (HCl) to help digest food.

Bile fluids can neutralize the stomach environment that is too acidic. This is because bile tends to be alkaline with a pH between 7.5 - 8.05. The way it works is by absorbing water and bicarbonate molecules around it.

This lowers the concentration of bile, making it thinner. However, the pH becomes more alkaline than when it is in the gall bladder. Once bile enters the stomach, its high pH causes the stomach pH to rise.

With its pH, bile helps digestive enzymes work by neutralizing the acidic environment of the stomach. This liquid also creates alkaline conditions that make digestive enzymes work more optimally.

2. Agglomerate fat to be digested

The human body is made up of 70% water. Water in the digestive system functions as a solvent for nutrients in food so that it is easily absorbed by the body. However, there is one nutrient that cannot be dissolved by water, namely fat.

The new fat and water can be mixed with the help of an emulsifier or coagulating agent. This kind of emulsifying property is owned by bile acids. Bile acids have a surface in a way that allows them to hold fat and water together.

So, the fat from the food you eat must first be broken down by bile. The broken fat then binds into small lumps which are a combination of fat and water. These clumps are known as micelles.

3. Helping the function of the lipase enzyme

Fat molecules tend to clump together to form larger clumps. In fact, these large lumps cannot be absorbed by the body. Therefore, the lipase enzyme must break down fat into fatty acids and glycerol first.

Bile helps the lipase enzyme function by forming micelles, smaller fat clots. With a smaller molecular size like this, the lipase enzyme can break down fat better.

4. Kills harmful bacteria

Have you ever wondered how many microbes are there in your diet? In one meal, countless microbes such as bacteria and parasites enter the body through food.

However, why don't you get indigestion every time you eat? This is because the alkaline nature of bile actually inhibits microbial growth. The alkaline environment of the intestine also prevents the bacteria from flushing out their toxins.

How to maintain healthy bile

Like other organs, bile can also be disrupted. Some problems such as gallstones or gallbladder cancer can certainly cause dangerous symptoms that really interfere with the work of the digestive system.

For that, avoid the risk of disease by maintaining the health of this organ through a diet and lifestyle as follows.

1. Eating healthy foods bile

Foods that are healthy for bile are foods that are low in fat and cholesterol, and high in fiber and protein. Therefore, it is recommended that you eat foods such as:

whole grains such as oats and brown rice,
fish, chicken, and lean red meat,
fruits and vegetables,
low-fat dairy products, as well
walnuts, flaxseeds (flaxseed), and vegetable oils.

Since the liver and bile work in conjunction with each other, you should eat a diet that is also healthy for the liver. Try eating monounsaturated fatty foods like avocados.

In addition, pay attention to how often you eat. Eat at regular times and in moderation. If you only eat once and in very large portions, this habit can put you at risk of gallstones.

2. Limiting certain types of food

If there are foods that are recommended to maintain the health of the bile, then there are foods that can have the opposite effect. This type of food is high in refined carbohydrates and saturated fat.

Types of food that should be avoided include:

food that is processed many times,
fried foods,
red meat is high in fat, as well
high-fat dairy products such as ice cream, cheese, and butter.

3. Maintain ideal body weight

Obesity, weight loss surgery, and certain types of diets can inhibit bile function. As much as possible, maintain your ideal body weight and start to be more active so that your bile is always healthy.

If you are overweight, try to reduce it slowly. There is no need for a strict diet to lose weight drastically, because this will stimulate the liver to release more cholesterol into the bile.

4. Improve your lifestyle

One of the most common disorders in bile is bile reflux. This condition is characterized by an increase in bile into the stomach or esophagus. Not infrequently, bile reflux occurs together with stomach acid reflux (GERD).

In addition to eating a healthy diet for bile, you can also prevent bile reflux by improving your lifestyle. Some of the things you can do include:

eat smaller portions,
keep the body upright for 2-3 hours after eating,
sleeping with a high pillow,
do not smoke,
avoid alcohol consumption, as well
keep the body relaxed.

Bile is a liquid with a function that is inseparable from the human digestive system. Without this liquid and the bag that holds it, the process of absorption of food cannot run optimally.