What breakdown product is formed from proteins during digestion?

During the digestion of proteins, the primary breakdown product is amino acids. Proteins are complex macromolecules composed of long chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. When we consume protein-rich foods, enzymes in the digestive system, such as pepsin in the stomach and various proteases in the small intestine, break these proteins down into their constituent amino acids.

Amino acids play several vital roles in the body, including serving as the building blocks for new proteins needed for various functions, participating in metabolic pathways, and synthesizing important molecules such as hormones and neurotransmitters. The absorption of amino acids into the bloodstream allows them to be utilized by cells throughout the body for growth, repair, and maintenance.

The other options—fatty acids, simple sugars, and nucleotides—are products of the digestion of fats, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids, respectively, not proteins. This clarifies why amino acids are the correct and relevant breakdown product from protein digestion.