Question

How and where are the digestive system and respiratory system interconnected?

Answer 1

Out of the many systems that work together to our body functionally active and healthy are the digestive system and respiratory system. Out of them, the respiratory system plays a major role for us in taking in oxygen and then release carbon dioxide from the body whereas the digestive system helps us to break down the complex food we eat into simpler substances that can be absorbed by our body as nutrients.

The connection between the digestive system and respiratory system

The digestive tract in our body is able to break down food and move it along the tract away from the mouth, through the oesophagus and stomach and so on. There are smooth muscles involved in the stomach where the food is churned and it turns in a liquid and then due to muscular contractions it moves towards the intestines. Now, the muscles here depend on oxygen supply to function and without oxygen the digestive tract would stop functioning.

Moreover, the respiratory tract would not be able to function without the help of digestive system. Contraction of muscles in the diaphragm and intercostal muscles would require fuel and this is provided by burning down carbohydrates and fats. Therefore, the respiratory cells are provided with energy or fuel by break down of food by the digestive system.