Detox Step 6: Bile

The liver makes a quart of bile a day. Bile binds to toxins and helps them move through the liver, gallbladder, and out of the body through the gut.

Bile Detox in Detail

Bile is critically necessary for crucial detox functions. The liver and its partner the gallbladder depend on bile to keep everything moving from the liver cells through the gallbladder to the gut where it will be eliminated. Bile acids are conjugated with taurine or glycine in the liver, and the sodium and potassium salts of these conjugated bile acids are called bile salts. Primary bile acids are those synthesized by the liver. Secondary bile acids result from bacterial actions in the colon. The healthy liver manufactures a quart of bile every day which binds to toxins to keep them moving. This bile binds to toxins being processed by the liver cells to the liver ducts and on to the gallbladder to then end up moving through the gut.

Bile is essential in the bowel for breaking down fats to absorb them in the small intestines. Bile also helps movement through the small and large intestines, and can help with constipation.

1. Lifestyle and Dietary Tools

• These foods help the liver make bile: Beets, artichoke, lemon water, cucumber, celery, radish, sweet potato, brussel sprouts, asparagus, onion and garlic.

• Fiber is important as from oatmeal, oat bran, rye bread, flax, sunflower seeds, pinto and kidney beans.

• Bitter foods promote bile production such as: Jerusalem artichoke, bitter melon, burdock root dandelion greens, eggplant, kale, sesame seeds, castor oil, sesame oil and chocolate.

2. Nutritional Support Tools

Supplement can help support the production and congregation of bile:

• Taurine

• Glycine

• Pancreatic enzymes,

• Choline,

• L-glutamine

3. Herbal Tools

Healing 360 Herbal Bile Acid Support

4. Nutraceutical Tools

• Tudca (Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid) supports liver detoxification and enhances Bile Acid production (Double Wood Supplement)

• Conjugated bile acid, Ox Bile

5. Drainage Remedies

Apo Hepat (Pekana) supports liver and gallbladder support

6. Glandular Therapies

• Ox Bile replacement as in a product like Digestion GB / Enzyme (Pure Encapsulations) or Ox Bile (Seeking Health)

• Beta Food (Standard Process) food extracts that support bile production

• Grass-Fed Gallbladder (Ancestral)

7. Oxidative Support Tools

• Liposomal glutathione (Seeking Health or QuickSilver brands are among the best)

• Healing 360 Bile Acid Support

• Antioxidant berries: Goji, pomegranate, and acai

8. Detox Tools (Extra Credit)

• Coffee enema

• Castor oil packs

• Liver/gallbladder flush

• Ozone

• Far infra-red (FIR) sauna

• Ionic foot baths

These will be covered in an upcoming document on how and why each of these can be helpful for liver detoxification.

9. Genetic Support

Specific treatments dependent upon genetic profile.

Our picks for most effective Bile interventions

INTERVENTION #1: Lifestyle and Dietary Tools

Always start with Detox Tool #1: Avoid exposure and work with dietary and lifestyle measures first.

INTERVENTION #2: Nutraceutical Tools

Tudca supports liver detoxification and enhances Bile Acid production.

INTERVENTION #3: Glandular Remedies

Ox Bile replacement as in a product like Digestion GB / Enzyme (Pure Encapsulations) or Ox Bile (Seeking Health).