Intestinal Cholesterol Metabolism
- 1 January 1990
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Annals of Medicine
- Vol. 22 (1) , 49-52
- https://doi.org/10.3109/07853899009147241
Abstract
The handling of cholesterol by the intestine involves a balance between absorption, excretion and metabolism by gut microflora. Between 34–57 % of dietary cholesterol is absorbed from the human intestine. Variables effecting the efficiency of cholesterol absorption include the absolute amount of cholesterol consumed, the presence of plant sterols, the fiber content of the diet, transit time and possibly the relative proportions of fatty acids in the diet. On average, 150 mg/day of cholesterol is excreted in the feces. Fecal cholesterol derives from biliary secretions into the intestine, sloughing of epithelial cells and unabsorbed dietary cholesterol. The major metabolic products of cholesterol in the gut are coprostanol, coprostanone, cholestanol, cholestanone and epicoprostanol. Bacterial metabolism of cholesterol can be influenced by diet as evidenced by significant variations among different population groups with different dietary habits. Altered patterns of intestinal bacterial metabolism of cholesterol may place persons at a higher risk of developing colonic disorders. Dairy products have been reported to influence the bacterial metabolism of cholesterol and possibly plasma cholesterol levels although the significance of these findings to overall cholesterol balance needs to be further defined.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Fecal Neutral Sterols in Omnivorous and Vegetarian WomenScandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 1985
- Effect of Consuming Yogurts Prepared with Three Culture Strains on Human Serum LipoproteinsJournal of Food Science, 1984
- Whole Body, Liver and Plasma Cholesterol Levels in Rats Fed Thermophilus, Bulgaricus and Acidophilus MilksJournal of Food Science, 1983
- Serum Cholesterol Levels in Rats Fed Skim Milk Fermented by Lactobacillus AcidophilusJournal of Food Science, 1982
- Influence of Small-Bowel Transit Time on Dietary Cholesterol Absorption in Human BeingsNew England Journal of Medicine, 1982
- Origins of Neutral Sterols in Human Feces Studied by Stable Isotope Labeling (D and 13C). Existence of an External Secretion of CholesterolDigestion, 1981
- A factor in yogurt which lowers cholesteremia in manAtherosclerosis, 1977
- Faecal steroid composition and its relationship to cancer of the large bowelThe Journal of Pathology, 1971
- BACTERIA AND qTIOLOGY OF CANCER OF LARGE BOWELThe Lancet, 1971
- Bacteria and the aetiology of cancer of the large bowel.Gut, 1969