If there’s one thing I’ve realized while working with clients, it’s that they often become so focused on the gut that they forget to ask what influences the gut in the first place.
When someone tells me they’re struggling with bloating, constipation, indigestion, or food sensitivities, the conversation almost always turns to probiotics, prebiotics, and those things certainly have their place. But over the years, I’ve found deeper connections to gut health.
One organ I believe deserves far more attention is the gallbladder
Most of us only think about the gallbladder when a scan reveals gallstones or an emergency sends someone to the hospital. But the gallbladder has an important role in digestion: it stores and releases bile, a digestive fluid that helps the body break down and absorb fats.
So, in this article, I want to explore why supporting healthy bile function may be one of the most overlooked pieces of the digestive health puzzle and what this has to do with bile, digestion, and your gut microbiome.
What does Bile do?
I think it’s important to understand what bile actually is and why our body works so hard to make it.
Bile is a yellowish-green digestive fluid continuously produced by the liver. Instead of being released into the intestine all the time, it’s stored inside the gallbladder, a small, pear-shaped organ tucked just beneath the liver. The gallbladder’s job isn’t just to store bile; it also concentrates it by removing excess water, making it more effective when your body needs it.
So whenever you eat a meal containing fat, the small intestine releases a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK). This tells the gallbladder to contract and release bile into the small intestine. Bile acts as a natural emulsifier, breaking large fat droplets into much smaller ones so digestive enzymes can work efficiently. Without this process, digesting and absorbing fats becomes far less efficient. As a result, your body can also struggle to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are essential for everything from immunity and hormone production to bone, skin, and brain health.
But fat digestion is only one part of the story. Bile also plays an important role in regulating the microbial environment of your gut.
Bile & Your Gut Microbiome: A Two-Way Relationship
Beyond fat digestion, bile has antimicrobial properties that help regulate microbial growth in the small intestine. Our small intestine isn’t meant to contain the same dense population of bacteria as our large intestine, and bile is one of the mechanisms that helps maintain this balance.
Healthy bile flow helps create an environment that’s less favourable for unwanted bacteria to thrive. When bile flow or bile acid signalling is disrupted, however, this microbial balance can also be affected. In some individuals, this may contribute to dysbiosis or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
As bacteria accumulate in the small intestine, they can ferment carbohydrates before the body has properly absorbed them. This can produce excess gas and contribute to bloating, abdominal discomfort, and altered bowel habits.
But the relationship doesn’t stop there. Your gut microbes also influence your bile acids.
The liver produces primary bile acids, which reach the intestine and can be transformed by specific gut bacteria into secondary bile acids. These bile acids aren’t simply digestive waste; they also act as signalling molecules through receptors, influencing processes involved in bile acid metabolism, glucose regulation, inflammation, and energy balance. This creates a fascinating two-way relationship: bile helps shape the microbial environment, while the microbiome helps shape bile acid metabolism. When this relationship becomes disrupted, it may contribute to changes in gut barrier function, inflammation, and metabolic health.
Bile, Gut Motility & Elimination
Bile may also have a role in gut motility, which is particularly relevant when someone struggles with constipation. Rather than assuming every case of constipation is simply a lack of fibre or water, it’s worth looking at the bigger digestive picture, including bile flow, gut motility, diet, hydration, and overall digestive function.
Bile also carries certain substances processed by the liver into the intestine for elimination through stool. This is where regular bowel movements become important. If intestinal transit is slow, substances that are meant to leave the body can remain in the gut for longer, while some bile acids and their metabolites can undergo further modification or reabsorption through the enterohepatic circulation.
Supporting Bile & Gut Health Through Nutrition
When I work with clients, I focus on creating a diet that supports healthy digestion and bile flow. I start by reducing foods that consistently trigger digestive symptoms and, where appropriate, temporarily reducing gluten, dairy, and highly processed foods.
I also like incorporating naturally bitter foods such as radish, ginger, dandelion tea, micro greens, fenugreek leaves, and cruciferous veggies. These can be a simple way to support the body’s natural digestive processes.
I’m equally mindful of the quality of fats in the diet. I encourage whole-food sources such as extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds, while reducing heavily processed and repeatedly heated oils. These provide healthy fats and nutrients that support overall digestive and metabolic health. Soluble fibre is another important piece. Foods such as chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, oats, lentils, psyllium husk, apples can support regular bowel movements and healthy bile acid elimination.
Depending on the individual’s needs and health goals, I may consider:
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L-Glutamine – to support the gut lining.
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Digestive enzymes – to support efficient digestion and nutrient breakdown.
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TUDCA or Taurine – to support bile acid and digestive function.
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Omega-3 fatty acids – to support a healthy inflammatory response.
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Zinc Carnosine – to support the integrity and repair of the gut lining.
And finally, I never overlook the nervous system. Before meals, I encourage simple practices such as diaphragmatic breathing, humming, gentle yoga, or taking a few quiet minutes to slow down. Sometimes supporting digestion isn’t just about what we eat, it’s also about the state we’re in when we eat it.
The Bottomline
If you’ve spent months or years trying probiotics, bone broth, or restrictive diets without finding lasting relief from bloating, brain fog, or irregular digestion, it may be time to look beyond the gut itself. Bile, digestion, and the gut microbiome are closely connected, which is why supporting healthy digestion requires looking at the bigger picture, not just adding another supplement.
If this resonated with you, let’s chat in the comments below or book a personalized discovery call with me to understand your unique digestive needs and create a strategy tailored to your health goals.