Bolus Page
Because the term is used across several different areas of medicine and biology, its exact meaning depends entirely on the context. The three primary definitions of a bolus include digestion, medication delivery, and tube feeding. 🍽️ 1. Digestion: The Food Bolus
: Your teeth and tongue break down food, while saliva softens it. Because the term is used across several different
In pharmacology and clinical medicine, a bolus refers to a given rapidly to raise its concentration in the blood to an effective level. Digestion: The Food Bolus : Your teeth and
: Once the food reaches the right consistency, your tongue pushes this bolus to the back of your throat to be swallowed. : It travels down the esophagus and enters
: It travels down the esophagus and enters the stomach, where mechanical and chemical digestion continue. 💉 2. Medicine: The Bolus Dose
In basic human biology, a bolus is the mixed with saliva that you swallow.
: People managing diabetes take a mealtime "bolus" of fast-acting insulin. This dose is specifically calculated to counteract the spike in blood sugar caused by eating carbohydrates. It stands in contrast to basal insulin, which is a slow-acting background dose.