Bile salt

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Other names for bile salt

Ox Bile Extract
Purified Bile Salts
Conjugated Bile Acids
bile salt (unspecified)
Iron Bile salt (unspecified)

Synopsis of bile salt

Bile salts are biological compounds derived from cholesterol in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and secreted into the small intestine to aid in digestion and absorption of fats. They are a key component of bile, along with bile acids, cholesterol, and phospholipids. When bile acids are conjugated with amino acids glycine or taurine, they become bile salts—more water-soluble and effective at emulsifying dietary fats and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).

In the digestive process, bile salts:

  • Break down fat molecules into smaller micelles for easier enzyme access
  • Enable absorption of fats and fat-soluble nutrients through the intestinal wall
  • Support cholesterol metabolism and help eliminate excess cholesterol via feces
  • Maintain gut pH and discourage bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine

Bile salts are also recycled through the enterohepatic circulation, traveling from the intestine back to the liver multiple times per day.

In supplement form, bile salts (often from ox bile) are used to:

  • Support digestion after gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy)
  • Improve fat and nutrient absorption in individuals with bile insufficiency
  • Relieve bloating, gas, or steatorrhea (fatty stools) linked to poor fat digestion
  • Assist in detoxification by promoting bile flow and liver function

Historical Use:

While the biochemical understanding of bile salts is modern, the use of animal bile in traditional medicine spans centuries. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ox bile (known as niu dan) was used for clearing heat, supporting liver function, improving digestion, and treating convulsions or high fevers.

In European and Arabic folk medicine, bile-containing substances were employed for their digestive and purgative effects, especially in cases of biliary sluggishness, jaundice, and indigestion after heavy meals.

Modern natural medicine uses purified bile salt supplements—usually from bovine sources—as part of digestive enzyme formulations, especially for individuals with gallbladder dysfunction, pancreatic insufficiency, or fat malabsorption syndromes. They are also used to support liver detox pathways, often alongside lipotropic compounds like choline and methionine.

Today, bile salts are an important therapeutic tool in functional and integrative medicine, particularly for enhancing lipid digestion, nutrient assimilation, and post-gallbladder surgery recovery.

Bile salt is used for these health conditions

Acid Indigestion (Scientific)
Appetite (deficient) (Scientific)
Digestion (poor) (Scientific)
Fat Metabolism (poor) (Scientific)
Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed) (Scientific)
Gall Stones (Scientific)
Gas and Bloating (Scientific)
Indigestion (Scientific)
Liver Detoxification (Scientific)

bile salt is used to support these body systems

Digestive System (Scientific)
Gall Bladder (Scientific)
Gastrointestinal Tract (Scientific)
Hepatic System (Scientific)
Intestinal System (Scientific)
Liver (Scientific)
Small Intestines (Scientific)