Taurodeoxycholic acid

Taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA) is a taurine-conjugated secondary bile acid formed by hepatic conjugation of deoxycholic acid, functioning as a surfactant to facilitate dietary lipid and fat-soluble vitamin absorption in the small intestine. In salivary metabolomics, taurine-conjugated bile acids like TDCA reflect entero-hepatic circulation and gut microbiome-mediated bile acid transformation, with alterations observed during exercise-induced changes in gut motility and intestinal permeability. Siqueira et al. (2006) characterised salivary metabolomics as a window into systemic metabolic status including bile acid metabolism.