Mondo Knows Facts
The large intestine absorbs water and houses trillions of microbes
Colon microflora break down indigestible fibres and synthesise vitamins
Measuring about 1.5 metres long, the large intestine absorbs remaining water and electrolytes from indigestible food residues. It shelters dense microbial ecosystems that ferment complex carbohydrates, synthesise essential vitamins like vitamin K, and support immune function.
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Tags: digestion, colon, microbiome
The large intestine absorbs water and houses trillions of microbes: the short answers
- Where does this come from, and can I check it?
- Colon microflora break down indigestible fibres and synthesise vitamins. The figure is taken from NIH, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
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- Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
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