Cholesterol metabolism. II. Quantitative measurement of cholesterol absorption

A simple physiological method for quantitative study of cholesterol absorption is presented. The method uses the fecal bile acid tracer of dietary cholesterol-4-C14 as an index of cholesterol that has been absorbed, metabolized, and re-excreted. Since the fecal bile acid-to-sterol excretion ratio for rats on any specific diet is constant and can be measured, endogenous excretion of sterol can be calculated from bile acid values. Nonabsorbed sterol is the difference between total fecal sterol and endogenously excreted sterol. Although the method is described in rats, it is independent of species and is probably suitable for human use.

endogenous sterol excretion; fecal bile acids and steroids

Submitted on August 20, 1964