Bile Acid Factors 120 capsules - conjugated and unconjugated bile acids | discontinued

Jarrow Formulas Bile Acid Factors consists of a mixture of highly concentrated bile acids (also called bile salts), mostly in the conjugated form, from U.S. and/or New Zealand bovine/ovine bile.

• Bile acids are produced in the liver and then stored and concentrated in the gallbladder, from which they enter the small intestines via the bile duct.
• The major bile components in Bile Acid Factors are glycocholate and taurocholate, which are crucial for fat digestion and absorption.
• In the small intestine, bile acids emulsify fats to aid their absorption. Bile acid deficiency causes fat malabsorption and fatty stools (steatorrhea), indicated by diarrhea and floating stools. In addition, bile acid deficiency jeopardizes a person’s nutritional status by reducing the absorption of fat and fat-soluble nutrients.
• Conjugated bile acids have been shown in clinical trials to be effective in improving fat absorption and nutritional status.

Note: if constipation is one hazard of inadequate bile production and/or inadequate bile release, diarrhea, paradoxically is another. Malabsorption of fats found in the diet, as already indicated can induce fatty, hence loose stools. Maintaining the proper levels of bile therefore tends to lead to improved regularity.
However, excess intake of Bile Acid Factors can cause loose stools and even diarrhea. Do NOT exceed the recommended intake.

who can benefit from Bile Acid Factors?
The body’s ability to properly digest and absorb fat-soluble nutrients declines with age. This is the result of an age-related decline in bile acid synthesis by the liver or an excessive loss of bile in stools. Consequently, anyone 40 years of age or older, or anyone with digestive difficulties may benefit from supplementation with Bile Acid Factors.

background reading
The absorption of fats & fat-soluble nutrients
Essential fatty acids and other fat-soluble nutrients are among the most important elements in the diet for people of all ages. This includes the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the omega-6 fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), CoQ10, vitamin E, tocotrienols, and lycopene.
Unfortunately, the body’s ability to properly digest and absorb such nutrients declines with age or certain less-than-optimal physiological conditions. Part of this may be the result of an age-related decline in bile acid synthesis by the liver or excessive loss of bile in stool.

What are bile acids
Bile acids are the main active components of bile. Bile refers to the fluid produced by the liver and secreted into the small intestine from the gall bladder via the bile duct. Bile salt is a synonymous term for bile acid, and the two are often used interchangeably. Bile acids are present in two forms, conjugated and unconjugated.
Conjugation in this instance simply means “bound to another substance.” About 95% of the bile acids found in Bile Acid Factors are in the conjugated form. This is important since conjugated bile acids are the form actively secreted by the body. The major components included in Bile Acid Factors are two conjugated bile salts: glycocholate and taurocholate. Glycocholate is a conjugate between cholic acid and glycine, while taurocholate is cholic acid conjugated to taurine. Taurocholate is often used in medical practice to promote the secretion of bile from the liver.

In a healthy person, bile acid synthesis amounts to about 400 mg/day. However, bile acid secretion and usage in the body is about 12,000 mg (12 grams) per day. This discrepancy between production and use is bridged through the recycling of bile acids via reabsorption and reuse in the small intestine. As a consequence, a bile acid “pool” exists that circulates multiple times daily. This gives an idea of how important bile acids are in the normal metabolism of the gastrointestinal tract.

In the small intestine, bile acids solubilize fats to aid their absorption. Deficiencies of bile acids can lead to fat malabsorption, fatty stools (steatorrhea) and loose stools. In addition, bile acid deficiency jeopardizes a person’s nutritional status by reducing the absorption of fat and fat-soluble nutrients. Conjugated bile acids have been shown in clinical trials to be effective in supporting the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients as well as promoting nutritional status.

Regularity, fatty stool & parasites
Bile acids have other roles besides facilitating the absorption of fats and fat-soluble nutrients. For instance, they soften the stool and encourage peristalsis, thus improving the movement of digested food through the gastrointestinal tract. Diets high in soluble and semi-soluble fibers tie-up bile in a form not quickly reabsorbed by the system, sometimes necessitating additional bile acid support. Bile is also one of the body’s chief weapons against the colonization of parasites in the intestines.

Who might benefit from Bile Acid Factors?
Bile Acid Factors is designed for those who may not be secreting adequate amounts of bile. As a result of improper diet and lack of physical activity, this group of people is larger than would otherwise exist. Nevertheless, advancing age can lead to a reduction in digestive enzymes in almost everyone. Individuals who have had their gallbladders removed can clearly benefit from Bile Acid Factors. Another group of people with great need for Bile Acid Factors are those who do not have sufficient bile acid reabsorption (or enterohepatic circulation) from the small intestines as a result of small intestine resection surgery.

Bile Acid Factors consists of a mixture of highly concentrated bile acids (also called bile salts), mostly in the conjugated form, from U.S. and/or New Zealand bovine/ovine bile. These sources are closely monitored for safety and purity and processed in a licensed, pharmaceutical facility. The major bile components in Bile Acid Factors are glycocholate and taurocholate, which are crucial for fat digestion and absorption. Conjugated bile acids have been shown in clinical trials to be effective in improving fat absorption and nutritional status.