The role of bile acids in the breakdown of fats - text

Source: Dr. Péter Légrády - Eggs - Nutrition - Health
E. P. E. Ltd. - Maecenas Publishing House, Budapest - 2001

The resulting bile acid acts as a natural soap, converting fats into tiny droplets that can be accessed by the digestive juices, i.e. to digest fat are essential.
Consequently, if there is not enough bile in the intestine with the food, i.e. if we do not ensure that the bile is excreted as perfectly as possible, the digestion of fats will be incomplete and the fats absorbed will be deposited.
The bile acids that enter the intestine, through their fat-absorbing effect, ensure the the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and then circulating bile acids in the blood to get it from the blood through the double layer of fat and protein in the cell wall and into the cell - the true destination of the vitamins.
Fats are made up of three fatty acid molecules ester-bonded to glycerol (the trihydric alcohol), two of which are 'digested', broken down, during perfect digestion, but only one during imperfect digestion.
Consequently, if there is a shortage of bile (or more precisely, bile acid molecules) in the gut, i.e. if there is not enough bile-secreting fat in our food, not only the absorption but also the utilisation of fat-soluble vitamins is impaired.

Bile acids in the duodenum, when mixed with the digested fatty food pulp, increase the release of cholecystokinin, which is crucial for perfect digestion.

Consequently, if little bile acid enters the duodenum, i.e. if there is not enough fat to help the gall bladder to empty properly, digestion will be imperfect, affecting not only fats but also proteins and carbohydrates, as insufficient amounts of digestive juices from the pancreas are mixed with the food.

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