Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Altered bile acid metabolism in vegetarians

  • Published:
The American Journal of Digestive Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bile acid kinetics were studied in a group of healthy vegetarians and a matched group of healthy control subjects. The daily fractional turnover rate of cholic acid was significantly smaller in the vegetarians than in the controls and deoxycholic acid pool size was significantly smaller in the vegetarians than in the controls. The data suggest that enterohepatic conservation of cholic acid is more efficient in vegetarians than in control subjects resulting in decreased deoxycholic acid input in vegetarian subjects. The possible significance of these data to intestinal oncogenesis is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dam H: Determinants of cholesterol, cholelithiasis in man and animals. Am J Med 51:596–613, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  2. Sarles H, Chabert C, Pommeau Y, Save E, Mouret H, Gérolami A: Diet and cholesterol gallstones. A study of 101 patients with cholelithiasis compared to 101 matched controls. Am J Dig Dis 14:531–537, 1969

    Google Scholar 

  3. Sarles H, Crotte C, Gerolami A, Mule A, Domingo N, Hauton J: The influence of calorie intake and of dietary protein on the bile lipids. Scand J Gastroenterol 6:189–191, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  4. Sturdevant RAL, Pearce ML, Dayton S: Increased prevalence of cholelithiasis in men ingesting a serum-cholesterol-lowering diet. N Engl J Med 228:24–27, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hardinge MG, Stare FJ: Nutritional studies of vegetarians. I. Nutritional, physical and laboratory studies. II. Dietary and serum levels of cholesterol. Am J Clin Nutr 2:73–82, 83–88, 1954

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ahrens EH Jr, Hirsch J, Insull W Jr, Tsaltas TT, Blomstrand R, Peterson ML: The influence of dietary fats on serum-lipid levels in man. Lancet 1:943–953, 1957

    Google Scholar 

  7. Barrow JG, Quinlan CB, Cooper GR, Whitner VS, Goodloe MHR: Studies in atherosclerosis. III. An epidemiologic study of atherosclerosis in Trappist and Benedictine monks: A preliminary report. Ann Intern Med 52:368–377, 1960

    Google Scholar 

  8. McCullagh EP, Lewis LA: A study of diet, blood lipids and vascular disease in Trappist monks. N Engl J Med 263:569–574, 1960

    Google Scholar 

  9. Groen JJ, Tijong KB, Koster M, Willebrands AF, Verdonck G, Pierloot M: The influence of nutrition and ways of life on blood cholesterol and prevalence of hypertension and coronary heart disease among Trappist and Benedictine monks. Am J Clin Nutr 10:456–470, 1962

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lee KT, Kim DN, Han YS, Goodale F: Geographic studies of arteriosclerosis. Arch Environ Health 4:4–10, 1962

    Google Scholar 

  11. Nestel PJ, Havenstein N, Whyte HM, Scott TJ, Cook LJ: Lowering of plasma cholesterol and enhanced sterol excretion with the consumption of polyunsaturated ruminant fats. N Engl J Med 288:379–382, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  12. Haust HL, Beveridge JMR: Effect of varying type and quantity of dietary fat on the fecal excretion of bile acids in humans subsisting on formula diets. Arch Biochem Biophys 78:367–375, 1958

    Google Scholar 

  13. Sodhi HS, Wood PDS, Schlierf G, Kinsell LW: Plasma, bile and fecal sterols in relation to diet. Metabolism 16:334–344, 1967

    Google Scholar 

  14. Moore RB, Anderson JT, Taylor HL, Keys A, Frantz ID Jr: Effect of dietary fat on the fecal excretion of cholesterol and its degradation products in man. J Clin Invest 47:1517–1534, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  15. Connor WE, Witiak DT, Stone DB, Armstrong ML: Cholesterol balance and fecal neutral steroid and bile acid excretion in normal men fed diets of different fatty composition. J Clin Invest 48:1363–1375, 1969

    Google Scholar 

  16. Crowther JS, Drasar BS, Goddard P, Hill MJ, Johnson K: The effect of a chemically defined diet in the faecal steroid concentration. Gut 14:790–793, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  17. Grundy SM, Ahrens EH Jr: The effects of unsaturated dietary fats on absorption, excretion, synthesis, and distribution of cholesterol in man. J Clin Invest 49:1135–1152, 1970

    Google Scholar 

  18. Eastwood MA, Hamilton D: Studies on the absorption of bile salts to non-absorbed components of diet. Biochim Biophys Acta 152:165–173, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  19. Stanley MM: Quantification of intestinal functions during fasting: Estimation of bile salt turnover, fecal calcium and nitrogen excretion. Metabolism 19:865–875, 1970

    Google Scholar 

  20. Stanley MM, Paul D, Gacke D, Murphy J: Comparative effects of cholestyramine, metamucil and cellulose on fecal bile salt excretion in man. Gastroenterology 65:889–894, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  21. Birkner HJ, Kern F Jr: In vitro adsorption of bile salts to food residues, salicylazosulfapyridine, and hemicellulose. Gastroenterology 67:237–244, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  22. Forth W, Rummel W, Glasner H: Zur resorptionshemmenden wirkung von gallensauren. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Exp Pathol 254:364–380, 1966

    Google Scholar 

  23. Mekhjian HS, Phillips SF, Hofmann AF: Colonic secretion of water and electrolytes induced by bile acids: Perfusion studies in man. J Clin Invest 50:1569–1577, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  24. Wingate DL, Phillips SF, Hofmann AF: Effect of glycine-conjugated bile acids with and without lecithin on water and glucose absorption in perfused human jejunum. J Clin Invest 52:1230–1236, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  25. Hill MJ, Aries VC: Faecal steroid composition and its relationship to cancer of the large bowel. J Pathol 104:129–139, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  26. Burkitt DP: Epidemiology of cancer of the colon and rectum. Cancer 28:3–13, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  27. Drasar BS, Irving D: Environmental factors and cancer of the colon and breast. Br J Surg 27:167–172, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  28. Aries VC, Crowther JS, Drasar BS, Hill MJ, Ellis FR: The effect of a strict vegetarian diet on the faecal flora and faecal steroid concentration. J Pathol 103:54–56, 1972

    Google Scholar 

  29. Stempfel RS Jr, Sidbury JB Jr: Studies with hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases. I. A simplified method for the enzymatic determination of 3-and 17-β-hydroxysteroids. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 24:367–374, 1964

    Google Scholar 

  30. Lindstedt S: The turnover of cholic acid in man: Bile acids and steroids 51: Acta Physiol Scand 40:1–9, 1957

    Google Scholar 

  31. Roovers J, Evrard E, Vanderhaege H: An improved method of measuring human blood bile acids. Clin Chim Acta 19:449–457, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  32. Garbutt JT, Wilkins RM, Lack L, Tyor MP: Bacterial modification of taurocholate during enterohepatic recirculation in normal man and patients with small intestinal disease. Gastroenterology 59:553–566, 1970

    Google Scholar 

  33. Kern F Jr: Disappearance of deoxycholic acid after ileal resection. Gastroenterology 64, 1973

  34. Pomare EW, Heaton KW: Alteration of bile salt metabolism by dietary fibre (bran). Br Med J 4:262–264, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  35. Wynder EL, Kajitani T, Ishikawa S, Dodo H, Takano A: Environmental factors of cancer of the colon and rectum. II. Japanese epidemiological data. Cancer 23:1210–1220, 1969

    Google Scholar 

  36. Cook JW, Kennaway EL, Kennaway NM: Production of tumours in mice by deoxycholic acid. Nature 145:627, 1940

    Google Scholar 

  37. Lacassagne A, Buu-Hoi NP, Zajdela F: Carcinogenic activity of apocholic acid. Nature (London) 190:1007–1008, 1961

    Google Scholar 

  38. Lacassagne A, Buu-Hoi NP, Zajdela F: Carcinogenic activityin situ of further steroid compounds. Nature (London) 209:1026–1027, 1966

    Google Scholar 

  39. Hill MG: Steroid nuclear dehydrogenation and colon cancer. Am J Clin Nutr 27:1475–1480, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  40. Haenzel W, Berg JW, Segi M, Kurihara M, Locke FB: Large bowel cancer in Hawaiian Japanese. J Natl Cancer Inst 51:1765–1779, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  41. Cummings JH: Dietary fibre. Gut 14:69–81, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  42. Hill MJ, Drasar BS, Williams REO, Meade TW, Cox AG, Simpson JEP, Morson SC: Faecal bile-acids and clostridia in patients with cancer of the large bowel. Lancet 2:535–539, 1975

    Google Scholar 

  43. Panvelliwalla DK, Pertsemlidis D, Ahrens EH Jr: Tritiated bile acids: Problems and recommendations. J Lipid Res 15:530–532, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  44. LaRusso NF, Hoffman NE, Hofmann AF: Validity of using 2,4-3H-labeled bile acids to study bile acid kinetics in man. J Lab Clin Med 85:759–765, 1974

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 17033, Hershey, Pennsylvania

    Gershon W. Hepner

Authors
  1. Gershon W. Hepner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This study was supported in part by Grant AM 17303 from the NIH.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hepner, G.W. Altered bile acid metabolism in vegetarians. Digest Dis Sci 20, 935–940 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01070879

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01070879

Keywords

Search

Navigation