Can colonic bacterial metabolites predispose to cholesterol gall stones?

Abstract

The cholesterol content of biliary lipids increased significantly when 16 healthy volunteers ingested deoxycholic acid (DC) for two weeks in a daily dose of 100-150 mg. Serum cholesterol also fell significantly to 88% of the baseline levels. Since DC is formed in the colon we suggest that populations in whom there is a high colonic absorption of bacterially metabolized cholate--that is, DC--have an increased predisposition to cholesterol gall stones.