Final answer:
The large intestine can cause dehydration by either expelling water instead of absorbing it or absorbing all the water and leaving none for the rest of the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
The large intestine can cause dehydration in two ways:
- It can cause your body to expel water instead of absorbing the water: If waste matter moves too quickly through the intestines, not enough water is absorbed, resulting in diarrhea. This can be caused by foodborne pathogens or other factors.
- It can absorb all the water so the rest of your body doesn't have any: If defecation is delayed for an extended time, additional water is absorbed, making the feces firmer and potentially leading to constipation.
These processes affect the body's water balance, leading to dehydration.