The benefits of TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic acid) are many. It wasn’t a supplement I’d heard of until viewers on my YouTube channel started mentioning it in comments on my videos. Viewers were suggesting I try it, so I eventually (thankfully) took their advice.
TUDCA made a big difference for me and was a major part of my healing journey.
After months of wild diarrhea that would have me running to the toilet ten minutes after I ate, I realised that my gallbladder may be my problem. So I took TUDCA consistently for about a year, and I’m happy to say I had real benefits from it! Let’s have a look at what TUDCA is and what it does in our body.
I’ll link to the brands of TUDCA that I personally used at the bottom of this article.
So What is TUDCA?
Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, commonly known as TUDCA, is a bile acid naturally found in the body. It is gaining attention for its potential health benefits, which are many. Used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine for liver and gallbladder health, TUDCA is now recognised for its broader range of effects on overall wellness.
TUDCA is a water-soluble bile acid that plays a crucial role in the digestive system. It has many benefits for health. TUDCA helps in breaking down fats, absorbing fat-soluble vitamins, and eliminating toxins from the liver.
Our liver is one of our most important organs. It is also one of the organs most negatively impacted by our modern diet and lifestyle. TUDCA can be a bit of a knight in shining armour here, as it is amazingly beneficial for liver health. A study was conducted on a group of people suffering from liver cirrhosis and high liver enzymes, who were given 750 milligrams (mg) of TUDCA for six months. TUDCA lowered the liver enzymes in 100% of the participants!
Key Health Benefits of TUDCA
Liver Health and Detoxification
TUDCA is widely known for its liver-protective properties. TUDCA can help to prevent and even reverse liver damage caused by alcohol consumption, medications, and fatty liver disease. By reducing liver enzymes and inflammation, TUDCA supports healthy liver function and detoxification processes.
It is worth noting, however, that TUDCA does not reverse fatty liver disease per se (a change in diet is required for that). But adding TUDCA to a fatty liver protocol or your carnivore diet won’t hurt, and may help overall to undo the damage done by your previous diet and lifestyle.
For individuals with reduced bile flow, TUDCA can be particularly beneficial. It aids in thinning bile and improving flow, preventing the buildup of toxic bile acids that can cause gallstones and damage liver cells.
Neuroprotective Effect
Research suggests that TUDCA has neuroprotective properties. This makes it a possible therapy for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. TUDCA has been shown to reduce apoptosis (cell death) in neurons, helping to protect brain cells from damage and death.
TUDCA’s ability to reduce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, a condition linked to various neurological disorders, further underscores its potential to support brain health.
