Glycodeoxycholic Acid Unit Converter

Glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA) is a bile acid found in small amounts in your blood. It belongs to a class of compounds called secondary bile acids, which are produced when gut bacteria chemically modify the primary bile acids made by your liver.

Specifically, GDCA is formed when deoxycholic acid (a secondary bile acid) is conjugated with the amino acid glycine in the liver. This conjugation makes it more water-soluble, allowing it to function effectively in the digestive tract.

GDCA is typically measured as part of a bile acid profile alongside other individual bile acid species. Elevated levels can signal impaired liver function or bile flow problems.

The liver first makes cholic acid from cholesterol and secretes it into bile. In the colon, gut bacteria convert cholic acid into deoxycholic acid through a process called 7-alpha-dehydroxylation. Deoxycholic acid is then reabsorbed, returned to the liver, and conjugated with the amino acid glycine to form glycodeoxycholic acid. This recycling loop, known as enterohepatic circulation, recovers over 90% of bile acids each cycle.