Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition..
If you feel:
You don’t just have a “gut issue.”
You may have a bile flow problem.
And almost no one is talking about it.
Bile is produced in the liver.
Stored in the gallbladder.
Released into the small intestine when you eat fat.
That release is triggered by a hormone called CCK (cholecystokinin).
When bile flows properly, it:
1️⃣ Breaks down fats
Without bile, fats don’t digest well.
2️⃣ Clears hormones (especially estrogen)
Bile helps remove metabolized hormones from the body.
3️⃣ Removes toxins
It carries waste out through stool.
4️⃣ Regulates microbes in the small intestine
Yes — bile has antimicrobial effects.
When bile slows down?
Everything backs up.
You don’t need a diagnosis to suspect bile involvement.
Look for patterns like:
If multiple of these apply…
Bile deserves attention.
Bile doesn’t just randomly “stop working.”
Common causes include:
No fat = no CCK signal.
No signal = weak gallbladder contraction.
Years of “low fat for health” can weaken the system.
Estrogen alters bile composition.
It can make bile thicker and more cholesterol-saturated.
This increases stagnation risk.
Thyroid hormones influence gallbladder motility.
Low thyroid = slower contraction.
Bile requires:
Without these, bile becomes thicker and less effective.
We rebuild bile in layers.
Not aggressively.
Strategically.
✔ Bitters Before Meals
-Gentian
-Dandelion
-Artichoke
1–2 dropperfuls
10–15 minutes before meals
Bitters stimulate vagal tone → increase CCK → improve gallbladder contraction.
✔ Reintroduce Healthy Fats Daily
Start small:
Low fat weakens the system long-term.
Bile needs stimulation to stay functional.
Bile must be thin and well-conjugated.
✔ Taurine
500–1000 mg with meals
✔ Glycine
1–3 g daily
✔ Choline / Phosphatidylcholine
Choline: 500–1000 mg daily
Phosphatidylcholine: 1–3 g daily
👇🏼
These prevent thick, stagnant bile.
Thin bile flows.
Thick bile stalls.
✔ TUDCA
250–500 mg daily
Supports bile flow and protects liver cells.
Especially helpful in:
✔ Ox Bile
Used short-term in:
Supportive — not permanent dependence.
Bile is recycled through the enterohepatic system.
If this cycle is off, symptoms persist.
Support with:
✔ Fiber Diversity
Cooked vegetables
Root vegetables
Resistant starch (as tolerated)
✔ Polyphenols
Berries
Olive oil
Green tea
Dark purple foods
These help balance bile metabolism and microbial activity.
Bile and motility are connected.
Support:
Motility prevents stagnation.
Now here’s where it gets interesting.
Bile is naturally antimicrobial.
When bile flow weakens:
Certain bacteria can even damage bile acids further, making digestion worse.
This is one reason some people experience chronic or relapsing SIBO.
Not because bacteria are “evil.”
But because bile protection weakened.
So yes — bile support can be foundational in persistent SIBO patterns.
But even if you don’t have SIBO…
Sluggish bile alone can explain:
If bile does not flow:
Hormones recirculate.
Toxins stagnate.
Fats don’t digest.
Microbial balance shifts.
Inflammation increases.
Bile support isn’t trendy.
It’s physiology.
And for many women, it’s the missing piece.
Schedule a free Root Cause Discovery Call with our team so we can help you fix what’s been ignored for years — step by step.