What is the Origin of Fecal Excretion?

The term is derived from the Latin faex, meaning "dregs or sediment," and excretio, meaning "a separating or discharging." It is a fundamental concept in physiology and toxicology, describing the body's primary method for eliminating non-volatile waste. In the context of endocrinology, it highlights the importance of gut health and biliary function in hormone clearance.

What is the Mechanism of Fecal Excretion?

Following conjugation in the liver (e.g., glucuronidation or sulfation), steroid hormones are secreted into the bile, which is then released into the small intestine. A portion of these conjugated metabolites is deconjugated by gut bacteria and reabsorbed back into the circulation (enterohepatic recirculation), while the remainder is expelled from the body. Fecal excretion represents the net amount of hormones and metabolites successfully removed from the system, preventing their re-entry and subsequent biological activity.

Fecal Excretion

Meaning

The biological process by which undigested food residues, metabolic waste products, and non-reabsorbed substances, including conjugated steroid hormones and their metabolites, are eliminated from the body via the digestive tract. This pathway is a major route for the final clearance of hormones that have been metabolized in the liver and secreted into the bile. Assessing fecal excretion patterns can provide insight into the enterohepatic circulation and detoxification efficiency.