Plasma bile acids are not associated with energy metabolism in humans.
Bile acids (BA) have recently been shown to increase energy expenditure in mice, but this concept has not been tested in humans. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between plasma BA levels and energy expenditure in humans. Type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients (n = 12) and gender, age and BMI-matched healthy controls (n = 12) were studied before and after 8 weeks of treatment with a BA sequestrant. In addition, patients with liver cirrhosis (n = 46) were investigated, since these display elevated plasma BA together with increased energy expenditure. This group was compared to gender-, age- and BMI-matched healthy controls (n = 20). Fasting plasma levels of total BA and individual BA species as well as resting energy expenditure were determined. In response to treatment with the BA sequestrant, plasma deoxycholic acid (DCA) levels decreased in controls (-60%, p < 0.05) and T2DM (-32%, p < 0.05), while chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) decreased in controls only (-33%, p < 0.05). Energy expenditure did not differ between T2DM and controls at baseline and, in contrast to plasma BA levels, was unaffected by treatment with the BA sequestrant. Total BA as well as individual BA species did not correlate with energy expenditure at any time throughout the study. Patients with cirrhosis displayed on average an increase in energy expenditure of 18% compared to values predicted by the Harris-Benedict equation, and plasma levels of total BA (up to 12-fold) and individual BA (up to 20-fold) were increased over a wide range. However, neither total nor individual plasma BA levels correlated with energy expenditure. In addition, energy expenditure was identical in patients with a cholestatic versus a non-cholestatic origin of liver disease while plasma total BA levels differed four-fold between the groups. In conclusion, in the various (patho)physiological conditions studied, plasma BA levels were not associated with changes in energy expenditure. Therefore, our data do not support an important role of circulating BA in the control of human energy metabolism.
Brufau
Gemma
G
Dept. of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
Bahr
Matthias J
MJ
Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Staels
Bart
B
Univ. Lille Nord de France, F-59000, Lille, France.|Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59019, Lille, France.|INSERM U1011, F-59019, Lille, France.|UDSL, F-59000, Lille, France.
Claudel
Thierry
T
Dept. of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
Ockenga
Johann
J
Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte, Bremen, Germany.
Böker
Klaus Hw
KH
Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Murphy
Elizabeth J
EJ
Kinemed, Inc., Emeryville, CA, USA.|Dept. of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Prado
Kris
K
Kinemed, Inc., Emeryville, CA, USA.
Stellaard
Frans
F
Dept. of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
Manns
Michael P
MP
Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Kuipers
Folkert
F
Dept. of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.|Dept. of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
Tietge
Uwe Jf
UJ
Dept. of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.|Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
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