Roll Call

“Bile?”Here!Ox bile / bile salts

Animal-derived

Hasn’t appeared in a scanned product yet.

As a supplement

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Roll Call does not check drug interactions or assess personal safety.

A digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, used as a supplement ingredient typically in dried, purified form sourced from cattle or other animals.

Why it’s used

Taken by some to support fat digestion, particularly by people who feel they have difficulty digesting fatty foods.

What the evidence says

Bile's physiological role in emulsifying dietary fat is well established, but evidence supporting supplemental bile salts for digestive symptoms in people with normal bile production is limited.

Where we looked

There was no paper to cite here, so this is the search instead — run it yourself and see what we saw.

  • PubMed: 22206 records · searched September 2026"Bile"[Title/Abstract] AND (review[pt] OR "safety assessment"[Title/Abstract] OR "risk assessment"[Title/Abstract] OR toxicology[Title/Abstract] OR toxicity[Title/Abstract] OR characterization[Title/Abstract] OR characterisation[Title/Abstract])
  • PubMed: 252 records · searched September 2026"Bile"[Title/Abstract] AND ("dietary supplements"[MeSH] OR supplementation[Title/Abstract] OR supplement[Title/Abstract] OR supplements[Title/Abstract] OR "oral administration"[Title/Abstract]) AND (randomized controlled trial[pt] OR clinical trial[pt] OR meta-analysis[pt] OR systematic review[pt]) AND humans[MeSH]
  • PubMed: 141728 records · searched September 2026"Bile"[Title/Abstract]

This says what this database holds under these terms. It is not a finding that no research exists.

Context

Most research on bile acid supplementation involves people with specific diagnosed conditions affecting bile production or flow, rather than general use.

Insufficient dataToo little has been studied to say either way.

Rumors

  1. Ox bile reduces bloating and digestive discomfort after gallbladder removal.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • hol+ — a professional body or practice: holistic/functional medical practice; also sells supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “hol+ is your comprehensive holistic medical home, bringing personalized functional and integrative medicine to the whole family with a modern, evidence-based approach.” (their page)
      • “Cleanse, refresh, and revitalize with our hol+ detox supplements” (their page)

  2. Ox bile supplements enhance absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and support gallbladder and liver function.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Dr. Berg Nutritionals — a brand: sells supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “Dr. Berg and Dr. Berg Nutritionals do not diagnose or treat any medical illness or condition.” (their page)
      • “Shop supplements Fuel your health journey with clean, trusted supplements designed for you.” (their page)

  3. Ox bile kills SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and relieves acid reflux.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

  4. Too much ox bile causes diarrhea.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

  5. Ox bile supplements help with weight loss / fat burning.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Advanced Molecular Labs — a brand: sells its own workout and sports nutrition supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “He started Advanced Molecular Labs (AML) because he wanted to bring something unique to the market; the most unique scientifically formulated nutraceuticals and dietary supplements that enhance optimum health and human performance.” (their page)
      • “AML's goal has always been to create and offer innovative, safe, effective nutritional and sports supplements to the marketplace.” (their page)