Bile acids

Bile acids are produced as the result of the metabolic functions of the liver. They are also stored in the liver, from where they are transmitted through the bloodstream to digested food when eating. Once the food has entered the small intestine, the bile acids are re-absorbed via the liver into the gall bladder. Only a very small fraction of bile acids end up in the large intestine and stool with the food.

It is important to the absorption of many nutrients that bile acids bind to them in the small intestine. These include fatty acids, cholesterol, and fat-soluble vitamins.

When should bile acid levels be measured?

Because the liver is the most important organ from the point of view of bile acids, bile acids are among the most sensitive indicators of liver function. Therefore, bile acid levels are often measured when examining liver disorders. They are also used for diagnosing pregnancy-induced liver disease, or obstetric hepatosis.

Watery diarrhoea occurs in connection with the malabsorption of bile acids. The following symptoms can also occur:

• itching
• fatigue
• mild fever
• nausea
• loss of appetite
• feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen

What does a bile acid test measure?

The test measures the amount of bile acid in the blood. The level readily increases in connection with liver function disorders.