Definition: Bile acids are derivatives of cholesterol made in the liver. They help to bind cholesterol (both endogenous and exogenous cholesterol) and other fats in the small intestine. Although some bile acids will be excreted out of the body through feces, the majority of them will be absorbed back into the blood via the small intestine.
One type of cholesterol lowering medication, bile acid sequestrants, bind up these bile acids in the small intestine. Therefore, instead of being absorbed by the small intestine and into the blood stream, they are excreted through the feces.
