TUDCA: The Detoxification Powerhouse You're Missing
What do you know about your liver? Did you know that it’s one of your body’s largest and most important organs?
The liver acts as a filter which catches toxins and waste and cleanses them from your system. Alcohol, fat, sugar, these are just a few of the things that the liver filters out. But what happens to a filter when it isn’t cleaned? It clogs up and becomes less efficient.
TUDCA and other bile salts are detoxifying agents which can help clean out your liver, removing the junk that clogs it up, and improving your body’s ability to stay clean.
What Is TUDCA?
Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, or TUDCA, is a naturally occurring bile derivative with a history that stretches back thousands of years. Traditional Chinese medical practitioners have known about the benefits of TUDCA for millenia and have historically prescribed it to help detoxify the liver, treat “heat illness” such as fever, spasms, and vision problems, and improve many other conditions.
Though our bodies produce TUDCA on their own, the amount of this beneficial compound created naturally is very small. If you’re looking to increase your bile salts as a way to support digestion and decrease toxicity in your liver, TUDCA supplementation may be helpful.
What’s The Deal With Bile?
Bile is a fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. When we eat, bile is released to help with digestion.
Bile performs 3 primary functions in the body:
- Helps break down fat into forms which can be absorbed
- Helps absorb fat soluble vitamins
- Helps remove toxins and metabolic waste
TUDCA is a bile salt. Bile salts are sometimes called “bile acids'' and are the critical component which allows bile to digest fats.
Benefits Of TUDCA
Although relatively few people have heard of it, TUDCA has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various ailments. Thanks to modern research, several of these benefits are now supported by scientific evidence.
May Promote Liver Health
The liver is a powerful organ. It helps with digestion and filters toxins from the blood. TUDCA works by regulating important enzymes in the liver. When bile fails to make its way out of the liver, a backup occurs, like a clogged drain. This condition—called Cholestasis—creates toxicity in the liver. TUDCA can counteract this toxicity and reduce harm to the liver.
May Help Treat Obesity
Studies show that TUDCA can decrease insulin resistance in obese individuals. Insulin resistance is a condition which prevents the body from being able to use sugar as energy. Unused sugar is then stored in the liver, building up over time, leading to high blood sugar and weight gain.
May Promote Heart Health
By fighting insulin resistance, TUDCA may lower blood sugar and combat obesity, two conditions known to be harmful to the heart. TUDCA has also been shown to assist in the reduction of hypertension, a condition which is a major contributing factor to many heart conditions.
Is TUDCA Safe?
TUDCA is generally considered safe so long as it is taken in the recommended amounts. Do not exceed 1500 mg daily.
TUDCA is not known to cause major side effects. However, it is important to note that TUDCA should not be taken with or after alcohol consumption. It’s best to wait at least 24 hours after consuming alcohol before taking TUDCA. Doing so may prove harmful to your liver.
Conclusion
We all try to keep our bodies healthy. Eat right. Cut down on harmful habits like drinking and smoking. Exercise. All these things are good. But just as important as what goes into our bodies is what goes out, and if we’re not properly flushing out toxins, we can still suffer damaging effects.
TUDCA can help clean out your body’s natural filters, preventing “gunk” buildup and keeping you feeling healthy and well.
Sources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20522594/
https://www.britannica.com/science/bile
