There is a lot of promising research into the use of bile salt supplements for treating liver, gallbladder and neurodegenerative disease, as well as balancing the gut microbiome. TUDCA is a type of bile salt which is considered very potent and has been well-studied. If you are new to bile salts, read: Benefits of TUDCA and Ox Bile (What the Science Says)
Because bile salts are so promising, there are a lot of brands which now make TUDCA supplements. Some of these are very high-quality products that can really do wonders for your health. But there are also some cheap knockoffs that you need to avoid.
Here is what you need to know to pick a good bile supplement and the picks for best TUDCA supplements.
How to Choose a TUDCA Supplement
Does TUDCA Come from Bears?
Traditionally, TUDCA was obtained from bear bile. The process is incredibly cruel: bears are kept alive in despicable conditions while they have their bile removed.
Because of this, manufacturers looked for other sources of bile. Ox bile (also called sodium choleate) and bovine (cow) bile are often used because these animals have bile similar to humans. Sometimes the ox or cow bile is taken from a slaughtered animal. But sometimes the animals are kept alive in what can only be described as torturous conditions.
Luckily, scientists discovered how to make TUDCA in a lab and most of the TUDCA supplements are synthetic and not from bears.
TUDCA vs. Ox Bile
Ox bile is simply dried bile acid extracted from the animal. By contrast, TUDCA is a conjugated form of bile acids. Because of this, TUDCA is better utilized by the body and considered much more potent than ox bile. However, because it is made in a laboratory using fermentation, TUDCA is typically more expensive than ox bile.
Signs of a Low-Quality or Fake TUDCA Supplement
Avoid TUDCA supplements which have any of these red flags.
- Tastes good: Real bile acids have an absolutely disgusting sour and bitter taste. Open the capsule and taste it. If it doesn’t taste bad, then it isn’t a quality TUDCA supplement.
- Propriety blend: Some brands mix their TUDCA with herbs to support liver health. This is fine so long as they list the exact amount of each ingredient. If they use a “propriety blend”, you have no way of knowing how much actual TUDCA is in the supplement.
- Seller has no website or contact information:
- No Third Party Testing: Quality brands will test their products and supply test results when asked.
- Lots of positive reviews: It is a big red flag for a supplement to have lots of positive reviews and no bad reviews. Even really good products will still get some bad reviews!
Note about TUDCA Resellers
A lot of brands buy bulk supplements from laboratories, repackage them with their own brand name and then resell them. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with this – so long as the brand is still clear about the source of their product.
The major downside of TUDCA resellers is consistency: the reseller might decide to get their TUDCA from a new supplier at any moment. So one bottle of TUDCA might be great quality but, when you go to buy another bottle, it is a completely different product. For this reason, it’s always best to use well-known brands which are more likely to have consistent suppliers.
Best TUDCA Supplements
1. Nutricost TUDCA
The Nutricost TUDCA supplement is by far one of the most popular options. It has good specs as they are very clear about the source of their TUDCA and perform third-party testing. The supplement is also extremely bitter and gross, which is a sign of a genuine product.
- 250mg TUDCA per capsule
- 60 capsules per bottle
- Made in the USA
- Third party tested
- Sustainable (compact) packaging
- Very reputable company
- Buy Here
2. Double Wood’s TUDCA
The TUDCA by Double Wood looks very similar to the one by Nutricost. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are using the exact same supplier. The price of Double Wood and Nutricost are very similar so just choose whichever one is currently a better deal.
- 250mg TUDCA per capsule
- 60 capsules per bottle
- Made in the USA
- Third party tested
- Sustainable (compact) packaging
- Very reputable company
- Buy Here
3. Jarrow Formulas Bile Acid Factors
This bile supplement product by Jarrow Formulas only contains a small amount of TUDCA and it is formulated as a blend with other conjugated bile salts. However, it is largely considered one of the best bile salt supplements available and a lot of (real) people recommend it for psoriasis, gallstones and other conditions.
- Reputable brand
- Very popular product
- 250mg bile acids per capsule
- 5% is conjugated biles (includes TUDCA and other bile salts)
- 120 capsules per bottle
- Made in USA and/or New Zealand
- In-house testing
- Buy Here
4. Dr. Berg’s Gallbladder Formula
Dr. Berg has made a name for himself as a keto doctor. He also has a line of supplements, including this Gallbladder Formula. It’s unfortunate that he doesn’t provide more information about the testing and source of his ingredients. However, it is still a popular TUDCA supplement that many real people speak highly of.
- 100mg ox bile per capsule
- 50mg conjugated bile salts per capsule
- Also contains pancreatin, betaine hydrochloride, stone root, pepsin, slippery elm bark and choline
- Formulated for gallbladder, liver and digestive health
- 90 capsules per container
- Made in USA
- No information about testing
- Buy Here
5. BodyBio TUDCA
This company sells a small range of supplements and are likely a reseller. Their TUDCA is pricier than the other brands listed here and they don’t mention any third-party testing. It still is better than most other TUDCA supplements available though, so I’ve included it here.
- 250mg TUDCA per capsule
- 60 capsules per bottle
- Made in the USA
- In-house testing in New Jersey
- Buy Here
Are There Any Vegan TUDCA Supplements?
There are a few brands which claim to have vegan TUDCA. However, what the “vegan” likely refers to is that the TUDCA is in a vegan capsule.
Even synthetic TUDCA is typically made from a process which uses animal bile (usually from chickens). The chicken bile is then fermented to convert it into TUDCA. It is possible that some brands use a process which does not involve animal ingredients. However, none of the brands which sell “vegan TUDCA” are clear about where they get their TUDCA from and how it is made: I wouldn’t trust it.
If you are vegan, instead of using TUDCA, use these herbs which increase bile naturally.