Deoxycholic Acid Unit Converter

Deoxycholic acid (DCA) is a secondary bile acid produced in the large intestine when gut bacteria modify cholic acid, a primary bile acid made by the liver. It is one of the two most abundant secondary bile acids in humans, alongside lithocholic acid.

After being produced in the colon, DCA is reabsorbed into the bloodstream and recycled back to the liver, where it re-enters the bile acid pool. It plays a key role in fat digestion, cholesterol regulation, and metabolic signaling.

Serum DCA levels reflect both liver function and the activity of bile acid-producing bacteria in the gut, making it a useful marker for evaluating digestive and hepatic health.

DCA is produced in the large intestine by gut bacteria (primarily Clostridium scindens) through a process called 7-alpha-dehydroxylation, which converts the primary bile acid cholic acid into deoxycholic acid. It is then reabsorbed from the colon into the bloodstream and recycled through the liver.