Description
Bile acids are produced in the liver as end-products of cholesterol metabolism.
Together with other components of the liver bile, such as cholesterol, bilirubin, phospholipids and proteins, bile acids are secreted into the duodenum. Important functions of bile acids are the excretion of cholesterol, absorption of fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine as well as stimulation of intestinal motility. The majority of the secreted bile acids are reabsorbed in the terminal ileum and returned to the liver via the portal venous system for eventual recirculation in a process known as enterohepatic circulation; only a small proportion (3–5%) are excreted into the feces. If the enterohepatic recycling of bile acids fails, excess amounts of bile acids enter the colon and are lost with the feces; this condition is called bile acid malabsorption.
