The liver may not get the attention it deserves when it comes to burning body fat or adding slabs of lean, dense muscle, but, make no mistake, if you’re liver isn’t working properly, you’re f***ed.
The liver serves as a critical filter that snares toxins, entraps waste, and expels them from your body. This includes all manner of alcohol, fat, sugar, and other harmful substances that your body is exposed to.
However, like any filter, it can become clogged, making it less efficient, and when that happens, your health and wellness are at risk.
TUDCA is a powerful liver-support and detoxifying agent that may help clean out the liver.
What is TUDCA?
TUDCA, short for tauroursodeoxycholic acid, is a chemical naturally produced by the body formed from the combination of the amino acid L-Taurine and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).
UDCA, aka ursodiol, is a secondary bile acid, produced by intestinal bacteria that aids digestive function.[1] In fact, bear bile (a natural source of UDCA) has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to combat fever, detoxify, and reduce inflammation & pain.[2]
Both TUDCA and UDCA have been studied for their beneficial effects on kidney health[**NOTE: INSERT HYPERLINK HERE TO KIDNEY KINDNESS], cognitive health, diabetes, cardiovascular health, and liver function.
What is Bile?
Bile is a fluid generated by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that is released when we eat food to help with digestion.
Bile performs three main functions:
- Absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (e.g. A, D, E & K)
- Digestion of fats
- Removal of toxins and metabolic waste
Benefits of TUDCA
#1 Supports Liver Health
TUDCA plays an important role in supporting the liver. It aids the body’s ability to remove toxic compounds and has been shown in human studies to reduce levels of transaminases. Supplementation with TUDCA has also been shown to improve feelings of dyspepsia, and it’s free of hepatotoxic effects.[3]
#2 Supports Healthy Cholesterol Levels
TUDCA also helps to support healthy cholesterol levels by aiding healthy breakdown of fats, which supports liver health. Furthermore, TUDCA also has been used to treat gallstones adversely impacted by high levels of cholesterol.
#3 Supports Brain Health
TUDCA helps to stabilize mitochondria (the “energy reactor” of every cell in the body). It also serves as an anti-apoptotic agent, which has been shown in several models of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's diseases (PD), and Huntington's diseases (HD).
FYI, apoptosis essentially means “programmed cell death.”
TUDCA may provide interesting and effective benefits in regards to neurological conditions via its neuroprotective activities. Additionally, TUDCA may also possess cytoprotective properties, and it’s been shown that TUDCA can cross the blood-brain barrier in humans.
#4 Supports Kidney Health
TUDCA not only benefits the liver -- it also has shown benefits regarding kidney health. The kidneys play a vital role in regulating your body’s fluid balance and maintaining electrolyte concentrations, which impacts blood pressure.
High blood pressure and oxidative stress can adversely impact nephrological function. TUDCA may aid kidney health by attenuating renal injury, enhancing mitochondrial function, and improving blood perfusion ratio.
#5 Supports Cardiovascular Health
By supporting healthy blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, TUDCA may promote cardiometabolic health. TUDCA has also been shown to assist in the reduction of hypertension (high blood pressure), a condition which is a significant contributor to numerous cardiovascular-related conditions.
Suggested Use
Apollon Nutrition TUDCA supplies 500mg TUDCA per serving. Consume one serving (two capsules) per day.
IF CONSUMING ALCOHOL: It should be noted that some research indicates that consuming TUDCA immediately BEFORE drinking alcohol may be damaging to the liver. As such, if you choose to supplement with TUDCA, do it after drinking.
References
- Vang S, Longley K, Steer CJ, Low WC. The Unexpected Uses of Urso- and Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid in the Treatment of Non-liver Diseases. Glob Adv Health Med. 2014 May;3(3):58-69. doi: 10.7453/gahmj.2014.017. PMID: 24891994; PMCID: PMC4030606.
- Feng, K. Siu, N. Wang et al., “Bear bile: dilemma of traditional medicinal use and animal protection,” Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 1–9, 2009.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0011393X05806599
- De Miguel, C., Sedaka, R., Kasztan, M., Lever, J. M., Sonnenberger, M., Abad, A., … Pollock, J. S. (2018). Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) abolishes chronic high salt-induced renal injury and inflammation. Acta Physiologica, e13227. doi:10.1111/apha.1322
