Bile is a digestive fluid produced by the liver, and stored and concentrated in the Gallbladder. Bile functions to break down and absorb fat and lipids, which are harder to digest than protein and carbohydrates. Bile also serves the function of detoxing, and carrying away hormones like estrogen and breakdown products away in the stool.

Increasing production of bile serves the purpose of increasing detoxification, especially of estrogen and toxins, and to restore and improve digestion, as well as improve gut flora balance and gut health. Bile is integral to the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and malnutrition can occur without adequate bile levels.

Indigestion, gut dysbiosis, stomach pains, irritable bowel syndrome, and other gut issues can be a symptom of and caused by low bile. Increasing bile production can also improve stomach acid and digestive enzyme production.

The digestion of food – of all protein, carbohydrates, and fats – is essential to the health of the gut, and integral to treating its conditions.

Diarrhea, or loose stools, such as from magnesium supplementation, can deplete bile levels in the gut.

As much as 95-97% of bile is actually recycled each day, and only a small fraction is cleared through stools each day. Fiber and charcoal also deplete bile, by binding it and ensuring its excretion, which can have benefit if bile production is sufficient.

The Ray Peat Carrot Salad – or raw carrots and insoluble fiber – depletes bile by binding to, and this effect is one of its benefits in lowering estrogen, which is excreted through bile.

Fiber – such as Psyllium Husk – lowers cholesterol by binding to bile and endotoxin.

When I would eat raw carrots or the Ray Peat carrot salad, I would get dry skin, as lipids and cholesterol were being diverted to bile synthesis in my already “slow” digestion.

Clearing bile and its contents can be very beneficial, but bile synthesis must be maintained to keep up, or other problems can occur.

How To Increase Bile Production

1. Caffeine

Caffeine improves liver health and stimulates the production of bile – as well as stomach acid and the digestion of foods and liquids. I notice much better digestion when I have caffeine, almost like my gut and liver are “turned on”.

2. Vitamin K2

Vitamin K2 improves liver health, thus improving bile production. Vitamin K2 has been found to improve liver health and improve liver-related conditions in studies.

3. Glucose

Sugars, such as fructose, from honey, fruits, date sugar, or other naturally sweet foods, supplies the liver with the raw ingredients to produce cholesterol, which is needed by the liver to do so. Sugar is needed by the liver to function properly, and to produce bile. Eat fruits and honey to increase bile production.

4. Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle improves liver health and bile production. It has long been used for its role in liver health, and this effect on bile might be related.

It can be used as a tea or a supplement. It also should not be confused with Blessed Thistle, which increases appetite among other things and may also be useful for your goals here.

5. Taurine

The amino acid taurine plays an essential role in the production of bile and bile salts, and supplementing with taurine can increase bile production. Taurine has also been found to be very beneficial for liver health and glycogen synthesis, further improving bile production via improved liver function. About 25-35% of all bile salts use taurine as a cofactor.

Taurine is arguably the most effective way to increase bile immediately (i.e. after absorption). It is present in most energy drinks, so if you drink these you will likely have noticed differences in your digestion and gut when you drink them.

6. Bitter Foods & Vegetables

Bitter foods, such as beet tops or kale, purportedly increase bile production. Carrot juice and celery juice also apparently increase bile production, possibly by nourishing the liver with hydration and minerals. Artichoke, Radish, and Beets are other foods that can increase bile production.

7. Dandelion

Dandelion, such as Dandelion tea, has many benefits, one of which is increasing bile production. It can also be eaten as a salad similar to arugula, which also has the effect of increasing bile through its bitterness.

8. Choline

Choline, which was thought to be a B vitamin, is very beneficial for liver health and thus bile production. It is also essential for the production of phosphatidylcholine, which is essentially for bile mobility and keeping it fluid, as well as digesting cholesterol. Without enough choline, bile becomes thick and slow, which can contribute to gallstones. Conversely, increasing choline would ‘thin’ bile and improve bile flow, effectively increasing bile.

9. Citrus / Lemon Water

Citrus and lemon water help to cleanse the liver and stimulate it. Lemon water first thing in the morning is great for flushing out the toxins detoxed in the night and for waking the digestive tract and liver.

10. Ginger

Ginger is a great supplement for digestion and digestive issues. Ginger increases bile production, possibly by offsetting endotoxin and TLR4. Pickled Ginger is great with food and helps many people with upset stomach.

11. Fermented Foods & Pickles

Similar to bitter vegetables like lettuces, fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi, and pickled foods like pickles, pickled daikon, and pickled ginger all stimulates bile production as well as stomach acid and digestion. Incorporating a small portion of these with savoury meals like dinner can help to keep digestion more consistent and improved.

12. Glycine

Glycine-conjugated bile salts make about 65-75% of your total bile, the rest being taurine as mentioned. Thus, supplementing glycine can increase bile production. Glycine also improves many aspects of liver health and function, which may be connected to its role in bile like many other supplements or herbs listed here.

13. Fats

Your body releases bile in direct response to fat intake. That is, eating fat is what triggers the release of bile in the first place. This is also why the meals you digest best are also the most delicious – steak, sushi, etc. which all stimulate the appetite and digestion from their fat, umami, savouriness, etc. To increase bile production make sure you are eating fat with the meal you want to digest better.

This is why its always recommended to take fat soluble vitamins – especially Vitamin K2 – with fat or a fatty meal like milk, cheese, or steak. Without the body releasing bile to digest fats, it won’t absorb these fat soluble vitamins as well, essentially passing through it like a small drop of oil in a glass of water.

Anecdotes

I always get hungry after drinking energy which have caffeine and taurine. I can feel my digestion and stomach becoming energized or ‘coming online’ particularly in the morning. Caffeine stimulates stomach acid production and of course taurine increases bile, so it is clear to me this feeling is from stomach acid, bile, and digestion all being stimulated. This is when I tend to eat the most and digest the best. You might find your appetite and digestion better with caffeine like coffee or energy drinks, so long as they don’t give you the jitters.