Nature Medicine: News and Views

An unexpected role for bile acid synthesis in adaptation to low temperature

Folkert Kuipers and Bert Groen

Enhanced conversion of dietary cholesterol to bile acids through the alternative pathway leads to cold-associated, metabolically beneficial changes in the intestinal microbiome and to elevated bile acid levels that contribute to adaptive thermogenesis. [Pubmed]

Related Paper: Cold-induced conversion of cholesterol to bile acids in mice shapes the gut microbiome and promotes adaptive thermogenesis