Do organisms replace their atoms when they eat?

[binbots]

I was just curious about atoms in biology. Do organisms have the same atoms all the time? Or are they always changing? When we eat do we gain new atoms etc. Sorry if this is a dumb question. I can't find anything on it maybe because it is to easy.

 

[madcat8000]

Both. Many are recycled over and over while others end up occasionaly in deadend molecules that the body would rather dispose of than try to handle. The food you eat dose in a real sense become part of you.

 

[binbots]

That is what I thought. Thanks

 

[victorg]

..they are mostly replaced..it is a constant cycle or regenesis for most cellular components...some are retained for longer periods of time (the atoms in DNA) but mostly...you get a new body every decade or so (slowly of course and not completely.)