Assertion: Bile helps in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Reason: Bile contains bile salts that aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
(a) Assertion and reason are both true, and reason is an accurate account of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are accurate, but reason does not adequately explain assertion.
(c) The assertion is correct, but the reasoning is incorrect.
(d) Both the assertion and reason are incorrect.
Bile plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of fats in the small intestine. The digestion of fats requires the emulsification of fat molecules into smaller droplets, which can then be broken down by lipase enzymes. Bile produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder contains bile salts that emulsify fat and facilitate the action of lipase enzymes.
In addition to aiding the digestion of fats, bile also plays a crucial role in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are soluble in fats and require bile to be absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream. The bile salts in the bile surround the fat-soluble vitamins and help to transport them across the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream.
Therefore, both the assertion and the reason are true, as bile salts in the bile do aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Option a is the correct answer.