Why does carbohydrate digestion decrease in the small intestine when a patient lacks enterokinase?

💡 Explanation

Enterokinase activates trypsinogen to trypsin, which then activates other pancreatic proteases. Reduced protease activation impairs protein digestion. The resulting acidic environment inhibits amylase activity because optimal amylase activity requires a neutral pH, therefore carbohydrate digestion decreases rather than being directly impaired by carbohydrate-specific enzymes.

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