Ox Bile Supplements: Benefits, Side Effects and Dosage

Ox bile is a substance you probably haven't heard of, and it sure doesn't sound like something to be interested in. However, bile has some great benefits for our bodies. 

Bile is naturally produced in the human body. Depending on what we eat, we may not be able to produce or absorb enough. This is where extra bile comes in. Ox bile is the most common bile supplement and the one we are going to focus on today. 

Keep reading below to get a better idea of the improvement taking ox bile can do for your body, and how it aids a broad range of things in your body's digestive process.

What Is Ox Bile?

As the name suggests, ox bile is a liquid produced in the liver of oxen. It is normally stored in the gallbladder. Though the concept of taking ox bile may seem pretty gross, ingesting this bovine bile is very beneficial for the body. It provides beneficial wellness and helps regulate your stools and the times you use the bathroom. Usually, ox bile can be broken down in your body into bile acids.

There are many forms of bile available on the market from other animal bile, but ox bile works best out of all animals for our needs, containing many useful enzymes. For instance, bear bile is another animal we see a lot in Chinese medicine that helps with various ailments and improvements to the body, but it is costly and not ethical. 

Humans naturally have bile in our body, which is a greenish-yellow secretion that aids the G.I. tract.

Ox bile is a traditional Chinese medicine pulled from cows, and it helps with many health complications. Usually, Chinese medicine is associated with a belief that they are nothing more than a way to reduce any worry element, so essentially they are placebos, however, in this case, there are many studies that support ox bile and health digestive enzymes being beneficial for the body.

When bile breaks down, it helps to dissolve many important compounds as bile breaks down into water.

• Bile acids
• Bile salts
• Phosopholipids
• Amino acid 
• Environmental toxins
• Cholesterol
• Electrolytes
• Steroid hormones
• Pigments such as bilirubin
• Drugs
• Vitamins
• Antioxidants (melatonin and glutathione)
• Antibodies (IgA)
• Heavy metals

This means that bile helps your body also eliminate harmful substances, so long as they are fat-soluble. It also helps boost metabolic performance and may give relief to issues such as acid reflux and diarrhea.

Top Recommendations

There are some of the best ox bile supplements on the market. Keep reading further to figure out what makes a great supplement, and what to look for when picking the best bile supplement for you. It is hard to pick one that is the best digestive enzyme, as one product won't work for everyone, but these are the top ranking manufacturers on the market, and we've put it into an easy list to view for you.

Ox Bile Pill Benefits

There are many benefits to taking ox bile. For one, it helps with fat digestion and oil digestion in the small intestine. It also helps with the absorption and breakdown of healthy fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. It is also great for overall gut health.

There have been studies that show that taking bile helps to eradicate gallstones without the need for surgery. This is why it is often recommended as a digestive enzyme supplement to support gallbladder health. 

There have been other studies to show that ingesting an ox bile supplement helps aid in the removal of toxic substances from the body. The reason it can do this is that it provides liver support, which allows you to filter more toxins and prevent liver disease as well as improve liver health. 

If you want more reasons to take ox bile, it can boost the metabolism, increase the fat metabolism, help the spleen, prevent gallbladder disease, nutrient absorption, liver function, and the pancreas. For gallbladder sufferers that aren't ready to remove it yet, this may help reduce suffering and health issues. Since it can break down fats, that means that bile also supports digestion of any lipid.

Generally, the body's own bile can do these tasks. However, if you are lacking a gallbladder or just aren't producing a lot of bile, ox bile supports your body's natural production.

Studies show that there is a connection between ox bile and improved heart health, and help with viral infections such as herpes and heartburn. It is not a 100% perfect treatment for any of the above, but it can help to reduce symptoms and support the body's natural functions.

Signs That You Might Need Ox Bile Supplements

If you aren't sure whether or not you might need ox bile supplements, here are some common symptoms that can come from low bile salts in the body.

• Diarrhea
• Trapped gas
• Weight loss
• Pale stool
• Stomach cramps
• Erratic bowel movements
• Heatburn
• Bloating
• Nausea after eating fatty foods
• Constipation
• Low vitamin A, K, D, or E

If you have several of these symptoms, it might be a sign that you need to start taking your bile levels into account when thinking about your health.

Side Effects of Taking Ox Bile Pills

As with anything, there are pros and cons that can occur when taking supplements. If you start to experience any of these side effects, it is best to speak to a doctor. 

Though having a lack of bile can be bad, so can having too much bile flow, and these are the potential symptoms that can occur with too much bile. 

• Gas
• Indigestion
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Discomfort and inflammation of the intestines

Unfortunately, the symptoms for too much bile, and the signs that you are low don't have much of a difference. This is why it is important to go and see a doctor before taking these supplements.

Factors To Consider When Choosing Ox Bile Pills

It is important to choose the right option when supplementing your health or diet with an outside source. If you want to choose the best ox bile supplement, make sure you take in all of these factors. There are many brands on the market, and you want to be sure you get a better option.

Brand

Making sure you pick a brand you can trust is the first step. There are a lot of options out there that can make it hard to choose. Find a company that you can trust that has strict regulations and practices.

Look at their ratings to see how many stars they have. If you want, you can also search for the standards that the company follows, if they are family-owned, and if they are based in the USA. 

When looking at sellers, it is best to look at reviews outside of their own website. By checking a different page, you get more accurate information on the suppliers and their trustworthiness. You can also look at word-of-mouth recommendations for brands your friends and family use as well as checking product reviews, brand reviews, and customer reviews to see if they have strict criteria in place for their oils and minerals included in the product. 

It is best to do this before purchasing a product as most sellers will not allow returns on sales with products already opened due to health issues, even if they have a good customer service system in place.

Type

There aren't many different types of ox bile supplements. Generally, the choice is between capsules and tablets. However, if you have any dietary restrictions, it would be best to find capsules and tablets that don't contain ingredients that aren't part of your restrictions. 

You can also usually find out the laboratory/testing methods, to make sure that they don't harm animals or other causes you care about. Look for any certifications they may have, to make sure that you are getting the products you want to put into your body, such as non-GMO products. USDA approved products may also be something worth looking into.

Cost

You may want the best of the best, but sometimes the cost is too high. While you don't want the cheapest option available, picking one that is in a good price range for you is important, as you want a balance of money and quality. 

Also, remember to check how many capsules are in each bottle when calculating costs. The bottle that has 180 capsules may be a dollar or two cheaper than another product, but the other one may have 240 capsules instead. 

The potency is also something to look at, as each brand can have a different strength.

Ingredients

Same as with the type of supplements, it is always worth checking the ingredients. Other vitamins and health enhancers are fine, but you don't want a lot of additional and unnecessary products included. Try to find products that have an extra addition to give you the most for your money. You also want to check for allergens.

Also, check the sources on your other ingredients and the trustworthiness of the manufacturer. You can check this by seeing what other customers said. The more purity you have in your pills, the better. 

There do have to be some preservatives and binders to help with shelf life, but overall, you don't want many flavors and colors that are unnatural. You also don't want any sweeteners, coatings, additives, or fillers either.

Common Ingredients Included With Ox Bile

If you want to purchase a bile salts booster, there might be taurine and cholic acid to help gas and bloating issues. If you want to help with digestion, Collinsonia root and honey are other common ingredients.

You may find a blend or mix of other herbals, depending on the purpose of the medicine. For instance, milk thistle can aid in detoxing of the body. This allows for more fortified supplements such as you see with a probiotics supplement. 

For flavor boosters, instead of artificial flavorings, they may add ginger to make the pills taste better.

Dosage For Adults

There isn't a one-size-fits-all dosage for every adult. Since different factors can change how much bile you produce and store, there isn't a way to adjust the amount for every person. 

Instead, you should have an appointment with a doctor to get the correct dosage for you. However, if you do feel you need ox bile, you can always start with a lower amount and adjust from there when your doctor has more accurate answers.

Never exceed the servings on the bottle, unless your doctor gives you the go-ahead.

Dosage For Children And Pregnant Women

Men and women can both benefit from ox bile supplements. Since there isn't a one-size-fits-all dosage for anyone, children and pregnant or lactating women should definitely consult with a doctor before taking any ox bile as they can help to determine the amount of ox bile that is needed to reduce any harmful side effects.

How To Take Ox Bile Pills

Generally, it is recommended that you take ox bile with a meal. This allows it to help with the digestion of fats and vitamins that are fat soluble. This is especially true if you are taking ox bile to make up for not having a gallbladder. 

If you are trying to lose weight, it may be best to take ox bile on an empty stomach or after a fatty meal. Meals high in carbs or protein are generally okay. However, if you want to follow a routine, taking ox bile pills regularly, no matter what kind of meal is best.

Ox Bile Pills For Constipation

Since ox bile salts or powders are usually combined with other enzymes that can help with digestion in one capsule, they are excellent to use as a digestive enzymes supplement. In fact, pancreatin, papain, bromelain, and protease are three digestive enzymes you can often find in a supplement with ox bile. These enzymes help your body break down proteins into peptides.

This means that many individuals can benefit from using ox bile when they have issues in their stomach, whether it is firm or soft stool. 

However, you want to be careful when using ox bile for constipation, as there is nothing worse than walking down a street or being stuck in a building without a bathroom when you finally are no longer constipated.

Who Should Take Ox Bile Pills

There are many reasons your naturally-produced bile may be running low. 

• Fatty liver
• Menopause
• Some medications
• Bile acid deficiency, genetic conditions
• Pancreatitis
• Digestive disorders
• Gallstones (cholelithiasis)
• Vitamin D Deficiency
• Alcohol
• Diarrhea
• Poor diets
• Diabetes
• Diets low in taurine
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) digestion.
• Gallbladder surgery

However, sometimes you may have excess bile as well. This is why you should always talk to a physician first, as they can discuss with their patients what they need to support their intestine and gallbladder health.

FAQs About Ox Bile

Here are some questions that you might have about ox bile and how it will work for you.

Why Does Diarrhea Cause Low Bile?

Bile is a very important aspect in the body. When we have diarrhea, we lose many important nutrients and healthy fluids. One of those fluids is bile acid. Bile acid is important for digestive health and the absorption and digestion process.

You lose a lot of important GI support when you have diarrhea, thanks to the loss of important bacteria and digestion enzymes in your gut microbiome. You also lose a lot of nutrient availability due to the lack of ways to digest various nutrients.

How Do You Know If You Need Ox Bile?

Since taking too much ox bile can be as harmful as not taking enough, people should always visit a doctor first to determine if you need the supplement. Even if you haven't had your gallbladder removed, it can provide beneficial gallbladder support as well as support with food digestion.

Since it also affects your microbiome, it may also help with severe mood swings, as we are starting to learn that problems with mood are often impacted by unbalanced gut bacteria. This means your feelings might become more stabilized instead of changing all the time. 

If you have Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, where the tissue in your liver is unable to regenerate, you may also find yourself lacking in bile. This may be true of any liver damage that may have come as a result of health issues, the environment, or anything else.

However, if you experience some of the symptoms listed above, it is probably time to go and talk to your doctor. 

Studies are currently in progress to see if ox bile can help with short gut syndrome.

Does Gallbladder Surgery Cause Low Bile?

Yes, gallbladder surgery does cause low bile. This is because the gallbladder essentially stores a lot of the bile you produce, and without it, a lot of your natural bile production gets flushed out with the other waste products.

If you simply get gallbladder surgery without removal, you may want to take ox bile to help with gallbladder function after such an event. If you take the correct dose, you may even find yourself with improved brain function and less fatigue and pain in your daily life. 

This is because your body doesn't have to work as hard to provide itself with stability, so it can focus on improving functions instead of just trying to keep a certain minimum function.

Is Your Diet Making Your Bile Low?

Your diet can be what makes your bile low. However, it is more common that your body is lacking in bile absorption due to the foods you eat. 

This inability for bile absoprtion can lead to harm. For one, you can get a condition known as bile reflux or acid reflux, which is what happens when bile acids goes back into your stomach, or sometimes even into your esophagus. 

Your bile impacts the cholesterol in your blood, so by not being able to reabsorb it, you risk having higher bad cholesterol, as well as more undigested fats and unabsorbed nutrients. 

Eating a lot of both soluble and unsoluble fiber is a good way to increase bile absorption, as well as avoiding fatty foods. Foods high in proteins are beneficial as well.

Where Does Ox Bile Come From?

As the name suggests, ox bile comes from oxen. Having this naturally produced bile gives you a lot of the digestive enzymes, cofactors, and nutrients that your body needs. 

If you are looking to buy ox bile, you can find it from Amazon or Whole Foods Market rather easily. If you have Amazon Prime, you may even get free shipping on certain brands.

Can You Take Ox Bile If You Have No Gallbladder?

Taking ox bile when you have undergone a gallbladder removal is actually ideal. This is because it can help your body have enough bile, even though it is lacking in backup storage of bile from the gallbladder.

Can Ox Bile Help You Lose Weight?

Since ox bile can help your gut's microbiome, it can help to reduce cravings and help you lose weight. It also boosts your metabolism so that you burn more fat. A lot of people choose to incorporate ox bile into their diet plans.

We know that ox bile helps to improve fat digestion. While there isn't a study that shows any relationship between carbohydrates and ox bile, it may have the ability to help reduce cravings for food high in carbs, such as sugary foods.

The standard American diet is a problem for many people, as the high sugar content in our foods, can lead to us receiving a lot of medicines for gut infections, GI disorders, obesity, and insulin sensitivity. So having a way to improve our bloodstream and increase our fat-burning abilities may help to reduce some concerns and give you advantages when trying to work on your weight loss goal, no matter what number you are going for on the scale.

Is Ox Bile A Probiotic?

Ox bile is not a probiotic. However, it can be included with probiotics to help boost the benefits of both. When probiotics are combined with bile salts, it helps your body break down cholesterol and nutrient absorption.

Final Thoughts on Ox Bile Supplements

While you should never start supplements without a doctor's approval, learning your symptoms can help you and healthcare professionals narrow down any nutrition or health issues you may have. It has a lot of health benefits and little to no side effects as long as you are actually low on bile. 

If you need gallbladder removal support, gallbladder enzymes, something that supports digestive health, promotes fullness, and helps with stomach discomfort and heart health, then you might need a little help with bile production and absorption.

In a nutshell, while it is always good to first get advice from your doctor, especially about the details and amounts of bile you need, it may be a good idea to start taking ox bile if you notice any of the symptoms we discussed. As a result, you may find yourself with fewer liver diseases and better digestion efficiency. After discussing everything with your doctor, and reading this article, you should be able to come to a decision on whether or not you should order some ox bile.