Dietary lipid and bile acid

Dietary lipids and bile acids are essential components of the human digestive and metabolic systems. Dietary lipids, primarily in the form of triglycerides, provide a concentrated source of energy and essential fatty acids, while bile acids are steroid-based detergents synthesized from cholesterol in the liver that facilitate the emulsification and absorption of these fats in the small intestine [1, 2]. Beyond their role in digestion, bile acids function as potent signaling molecules that activate specific receptors, such as the Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) and the G protein-coupled bile acid receptor (TGR5), to regulate systemic lipid, glucose, and energy homeostasis [3]. In clinical practice, these substances are targeted to manage metabolic disorders; for example, bile acid sequestrants bind bile acids in the intestinal lumen to prevent their reabsorption, thereby lowering systemic cholesterol levels [4]. Similarly, lipase inhibitors prevent the breakdown of dietary lipids to reduce caloric intake in the treatment of obesity [5]. However, "Dietary lipids and bile acids" is a broad physiological category rather than a single molecular target, encompassing a variety of enzymes, transporters, and receptors.

Other names

Dietary fatsBile saltsConjugated bile acidsLipid-bile acid complex

Bile acid sequestration in the intestinal lumen, inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity, and inhibition of intestinal cholesterol transporters.