Treatment of Bile Acid Diarrhea With Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists: A Promising Yet Understudied Approach

Bile acid diarrhea (BAD) is a chronic and socially debilitating disease characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea, urgency, and fecal incontinence. Recently, in a 6-week randomized controlled trial, we showed that the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) liraglutide is superior to bile acid sequestration (considered standard-of-care) using colesevelam in reducing BAD symptoms. The emergence of new, more potent, and longer-acting GLP-1RAs has spurred an interest in these treatments in BAD management. Here, we review the literature on different GLP-1RAs in BAD treatment and outline their potential mode of actions, highlight knowledge gaps, and outline the need for further clinical evidence generation.