Gut Microbiota-Mediated Cholesterol Assimilation

The role of gut microbiota is crucial in maintaining human health. Several studies have claimed the role of gut microbiota in managing metabolic and mental disorders as well as diseases of the cardiovascular and autoimmune nervous system. In general, gut microbiota is involved in imparting specific functions in the hosts drug and nutrient metabolism, protection against certain pathogens, maintaining the structural integrity of the gut mucosal membrane, and immunomodulation. They are generally divided into Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Gut microbiota influences many areas of human health from innate immunity to appetite and energy metabolism. Some of the studies have recently investigated the vital role of gut microbiota in cholesterol metabolism possibly through five different mechanisms; changing the ratio of free bile acids to conjugated bile acids; fermenting dietary fiber to produce short-chain fatty acids that can inhibit cholesterol synthesis; microbiota-mediated gene expression for cholesterol metabolism; converting cholesterol to low absorbing coprostanol; and Reducing blood cholesterol by inhibiting lipopolysaccharides.