bile acid

noun

plural bile acids

: any of several steroid acids (such as cholic acid) that occur in bile especially in the form of bile salts, are produced chiefly in the liver from cholesterol, and aid in the intestinal breakdown and absorption of fat

Approximately 500 mg of cholesterol is converted into bile acids each day in the adult human liver.

—David W. Russell

Examples of bile acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Decrease bile acids in the gastrointestinal tract Help to prevent obesity, which is associated with cancer risk Screening Is Key to Prevent Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer typically affects older men, and Black men have a much higher risk than White men. —Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 29 Feb. 2024

The reason, the team determined, was that their guts contained higher levels of bile acids, which would normally be broken down by gut microbes. —Kenneth Miller, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023

Bile Acid-Reducing Conditions Another way in which fats are broken down is with bile acid. —Maxine Lipner, Health, 25 Sep. 2023

Deoxycholic acid is technically a bile acid that the body naturally creates to help break down and absorb fats in our diet. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023

The bile acids aid in breaking down fats during digestion, so maintaining an optimal balance is vital for dogs with gallbladder problems. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 31 Aug. 2023

Sometimes, the ability of the terminal ileum (the part of the intestine where bile salts are reabsorbed) gets overwhelmed, and bile acids enter the colon, causing diarrhea. —Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 19 July 2023

Research also suggests that avocados can improve your gut health and combat bloat by breaking down fiber and reducing bile acids (digestive fluids produced by the liver). —Colleen De Bellefonds, Women's Health, 30 June 2023

Without a gallbladder, bile acids are released continuously by the liver into the small intestine. —Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 28 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1881, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

bile acid

noun

: any of several steroid acids (such as cholic acid) that occur in bile especially in the form of bile salts, are produced chiefly in the liver from cholesterol, and aid in the intestinal breakdown and absorption of fat

In the intestine, bile acids are essential for the absorption, transport, and metabolism of dietary fats and lipid-soluble vitamins.

—Li Tiangang and John Y. L. Chiang, Pharmacological Reviews