- #1
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For lack of a better term, how does your body know why to throw up. How does it detect and recognize something that shouldn't be in the stomach? For instance, how does it's know if food has gone bad?
How Does the Body Detect and Recognize Unsafe Food?
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around how the human body detects and recognizes unsafe food, particularly focusing on the mechanisms that trigger vomiting in response to potentially harmful substances. Participants explore various biological and chemical processes involved in this detection, including sensory responses and the role of the nervous system.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Technical explanation
- Conceptual clarification
- Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- Some participants suggest that the immune system may respond to the presence of microorganisms as a trigger for vomiting.
- There is a proposal that the stomach lining acts as a sensory organ, responding to toxins or signals indicating pathogens.
- One participant believes that chemoreceptors in the upper GI tract are responsible for detecting harmful chemicals, with signals sent to the brain via the vagus nerve.
- Another participant notes the role of the enteric nervous system and mentions serotonin as a key neurotransmitter in this process.
- There is uncertainty regarding which specific chemicals in the GI tract trigger nausea, as noted by one participant.
- A personal anecdote is shared about an individual's experience with vomiting after consuming bananas and vitamins, suggesting a possible sensitivity to potassium.
- A humorous suggestion is made to try consuming vodka as an alternative approach to testing food tolerance.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express various hypotheses about the mechanisms involved in detecting unsafe food, but no consensus is reached on the specific processes or chemicals responsible for triggering vomiting.
Contextual Notes
Some assumptions about the biological mechanisms are not fully explored, and there is a lack of clarity regarding the specific chemicals involved in nausea. The discussion also reflects personal experiences that may not generalize to broader biological principles.
- #2
Mentat
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Well, I should assume that the presence of micro-organisms would trigger a response from the immune system. But I too am in the dark, with regard to the "yuck" mechanism (so to speak); or whatever it is that causes us to be disgusted by certain things.
- #3
Ben-CS
Is the lining of the stomach not a sensory organ? The stomach probably responds to chemicals which are toxins or which signal the presence of pathogens.
- #4
damgo
Hmmm... I believe the original sensing is done by receptors for specific chemicals (chemoreceptors) in the upper GI tract, like the stomach. There is an entire 'enteric nervous system' in charge of handling digestion and processing these sort of things (serotonin is the primary neurotransmitter it uses.) The signals are then sent to the brain, largely via the vagus nerve. There are also believed to be important chemoreceptors in the brain - the area prostrema is believed to play a role in this. Check out http://www.nauseaandvomiting.co.uk/NAVRES001-2-NandV-general.htm .
None of my books mention which chemicals in the GI tract trigger nausea, though... hmm.
PS - The dignified-sounding medical word for throwing up is "emesis." God bless Latin.
None of my books mention which chemicals in the GI tract trigger nausea, though... hmm.
PS - The dignified-sounding medical word for throwing up is "emesis." God bless Latin.
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- #5
Mentat
- 3,935
- 3
Try kiwi. It has more potassium than bananas, and will ascertain whether that is your problem or not.
- #6
Jikx
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- 0
or try a half litre of vodka... 