Osuna-Prieto FJ, Rubio-Lopez J, Di X, et al. - According to results of this study, plasma concentrations of bile acids (BA) might be gender-dependent, and are related to cardiometabolic as well as inflammatory risk factors in young and relatively healthy adults.

• As per prior evidence, among middle-aged adults, an elevated risk of obesity and a higher incidence of T2D were observed in relation to changes in circulating BA levels and in the pool of circulating BA.

• Among 136 young adults (age 22.1±2.2 years, 67% women), body composition, brown adipose tissue, serum classical cardiometabolic risk factors, and a set of 8 plasma BA (including glyco-conjugated forms) were recorded.

• Men exhibited higher plasma levels of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and glycoursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA) vs women; these differences vanished post-adjusting for body fat percentage.

• Positive but weak association of cholic acid, CDCA, deoxycholic acid, and glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA) levels with lean body mass levels was evident.

• GDCA and glycolithocholic acid levels were negatively related to ¹⁸ F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake by brown adipose tissue.

• Positive links of glycocholic acid (GCA), glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), and GUDCA with glucose and insulin serum levels, HOMA index, LDL-C, TNFa, IL-2 and IL-8 levels were identified.

• GCA, GCDCA, and GUDCA were negatively related to HDL-C, ApoA1, and adiponectin levels.

• Yet these significant links partially vanished post-inclusion of lean body mass as a confounder.