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Bile & Digestion

Your liver makes a liter daily. When it stops flowing, everything breaks.

The Basics

Bile is your body's dish soap.

Without bile, greasy food stays greasy. It can't be broken down. It can't be absorbed.

That's just the beginning.

The Cascade

When bile flow gets sluggish, everything fails.

1

Undigested fats irritate your gut

Leading to inflammation and leaky gut.

2

Fat-soluble vitamins can't be absorbed

A, D, E, K—all require bile for absorption.

3

Harmful bacteria overgrow

Bile is your natural antimicrobial. Low bile = SIBO.

4

Toxins get recycled

Your liver uses bile to dump toxins and excess hormones. When flow stops, they get reabsorbed.

The Signs

Signs your bile isn't flowing.

In the bathroom

  • Floating, light-colored, or greasy stools
  • Clay-colored or difficult to flush
  • Urgent diarrhea after fatty meals
  • Or chronic constipation

In your body

  • Right shoulder pain or under right ribs
  • Nausea after eating fats
  • Bloating, acid reflux
  • Dry, itchy skin

The deficiency cluster

Night blindness (A), bone pain (D), easy bruising (K), nerve problems (E), brain fog, chronic fatigue, difficulty losing weight.

The Connections

Seven systems depend on bile.

1.
Sulfur processing — Molybdenum converts harmful sulfites into sulfates
2.
Glutathione pathway — Your master antioxidant packages toxins for elimination via bile
3.
Copper balance — 95% of copper exits through bile
4.
Thyroid function — Hypothyroid patients have 31% slower bile transit
5.
Methylation — Gallbladder is the most methylation-sensitive organ
6.
Gut bacteria — Bile is your intestine's natural antibiotic
7.
Whole-body signaling — Bile acids communicate via FXR and TGR5 receptors
The Solution

How to restore bile flow.

Bitter foods trigger bile release

Artichokes increase bile production by 127% in 30 minutes. Dandelion greens, arugula, citrus peels work too.

Building blocks

  • Glycine and taurine (bone broth, seafood)
  • Bile is 95% water—hydration matters
  • Half bodyweight in ounces daily

Helpful supplements

  • TUDCA—protects liver cells, reaches brain
  • Milk thistle, artichoke extract
  • Ox bile (especially if no gallbladder)

Bile connects detox, hormones, nutrients, and immunity.

By supporting bile flow, you address multiple systems simultaneously.

Browse All CoursesExplore Bile Topic

Deep Dives

Built on BileGallbladder DeficiencyWhat Really Feeds Our Gut

Want to really dig in?

Explore all the lessons in this course with detailed content, progress tracking, and linked pathway nodes.

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Bile & Digestion Course Discussion