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Viscosity's impact on nutrient uptake along the gut

Fabian Karl Henn and Karen Alim*

  • Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Center for Protein Assemblies (CPA), 85748 Garching bei München, Germany

  • *Contact author: k.alim@tum.de
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Phys. Rev. Fluids 10, 033103 – Published 21 March, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.10.033103

Abstract

Through switching contraction patterns driving digestive flows, the small intestine balances nutrient uptake and waste removal. Complex segmentation contraction patterns are associated with higher nutrient uptake, while peristaltic contractions primarily serve to flush out unused remnants. However, the impact of the non-Newtonian behavior of digestive fluids on the efficacy of these contraction patterns remains unclear. Here, we present finite-element simulations that model nutrient transport, diffusion, and uptake within both segmentation and peristaltic contractions along the small intestine for Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. Our simulations reveal that diffusion plays a key role in uptake, with nutrient absorption directly linked to fluid viscosity, which governs molecular diffusivity. Further, we present an analytical prediction for uptake in peristalsis as a function of molecular diffusivity, which aligns closely with our simulation results. Notably, we find that shear-thinning properties of non-Newtonian fluids enhance nutrient uptake, particularly in segmentation contractions compared to peristalsis. Our results demonstrate the fluid dynamical principles underlying intestinal digestion, showing how shear-thinning non-Newtonian fluids promote efficient nutrient uptake without compromising the clearance of waste. This physical insight advances our understanding of digestive processes and provides a foundation for exploring the prevention of intestinal diseases such as bacterial overgrowth.

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Phys. Rev. Fluids 10, 033103– Published 21 March, 2025
  • Received 14 October 2024
  • Accepted 24 February 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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