Our amazing body can produce up to one liter of bile per day. Many people know about bile’s function in emulsifying dietary fats but are unaware of its other functions. Problems with bile acids can also be a rarer cause of chronic digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea, loose stools, abdominal pain, gas and bloating.

Bile is made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Upon eating a meal containing fats, the gallbladder releases bile into the small intestine. After assisting with fat absorption, about 95 percent of primary bile acids are reabsorbed in the last part of the small intestine and sent back to the liver to be reused. The remaining five percent of primary bile acids head into the colon, where they are changed into secondary bile acids by colonic bacteria.

Secondary bile acids have diverse effects on the body, including reducing harmful bacteria in the colon; improving insulin resistance and blood sugar control; enhancing muscle function; helping convert inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into active thyroid hormone (T3) in cells; reducing systemic inflammation in the body; and protecting neuronal health in the brain. With that said, elevated levels of some secondary bile acids have been found to increase the risk of colon and liver cancer.

The good news is that functional medical practitioners can test primary and secondary bile acid levels. Again, this is always a consideration if a patient has had chronic digestive problems that have not responded to more common treatments. With more advanced testing, treatment plans can be tailored for precision.