Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Using Multi-fluorinated Bile Acids and In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Measure Bile Acid Transport
Published on: November 27, 2016
THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE LEVELS ARE INVERSELY ASSOCIATED WITH SERUM TOTAL BILE ACID LEVELS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL
Objective:
Bile acids (BAs) synthesized from cholesterol play a critical role in eliminating excess cholesterol to maintain cholesterol homeostasis. BAs are also signaling molecules that are involved in the regulation of lipid, glucose, and energy metabolism. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) has been found to decrease liver BA synthesis via a sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2/hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha/cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (SREBP-2/HNF-4α/CYP7A1) pathway in vivo and in vitro. However, the relationship between serum TSH and total BA levels in humans is still unclear.
Methods:
This was a single-center cross-sectional study of 339 subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) patients and an equal number of controls matched by age and sex from 11,000 subjects.
Results:
Serum total BA levels significantly decreased (3.11 ± 2.05 vs. 5.87 ± 2.39, P<.01), while total cholesterol (TC) levels increased (5.02 ± 0.65 vs. 4.88 ± 0.63, P<.01) in subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) patients compared to control subjects. Serum TSH and BA levels were significantly and negatively correlated in subclinical hypothyroid patients who were also hypercholesterolemic (rs = -0.189, P = .004). Each 1 μIU/mL increase in TSH level was associated with a decrease in log-transformed values of total BAs (logTBAs) by 0.182 after controlling for confounding factors relevant to BA metabolism. The relationship between TSH and serum total BAs was more significant in subjects younger than 65 years.
Conclusion:
Our results suggested that TSH is correlated with the total BA level in SCH patients independent of thyroid hormone, which suggests a potential physiological role of TSH and the importance of maintaining normal range TSH in SCH patients.
Related Concept Videos
Synthesis and Regulation of Thyroid Hormones
Upon reaching the thyroid gland, TSH stimulates the follicular cells' active uptake of iodide ions from the blood. The ions diffuse to the apical surface of the cells and are oxidized to iodine. The...
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System III: Serum Lipid Profile
Serum lipids are fats and fatty substances in the blood and are crucial for various bodily functions, including energy storage, cellular structure, and hormone production. Serum lipids consist of cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids.
Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like substance found in all body cells. It is crucial for producing hormones, vitamin D, and substances that aid...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
Functions of Thyroid Hormones
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
Hepatic Drug Excretion: Influencing Factors
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation
Considering cholesterol and...

