Bile salts are one of the primary components of bile, a crucial fluid needed to digest fats, aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, eliminate waste products and aid in the formation of hormones. Bile and bile salts are made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder between meals. Inadequate bile salts can result in poorly digested fats passing through the digestive tract causing flatulence, cramping, loose bowel movements and eventually an increased risk of gallstone formation.

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, most commonly referred to as TUDCA, is a conjugated bile salt that can support both gallbladder and liver health. Specifically, TUDCA has been shown to be a safe and effective support for patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a chronic autoimmune disease that causes bile to accumulate in the liver, and it may safeguard the liver from damage in liver cirrhosis caused by long-term alcohol consumption. TUDCA was also shown to slow the progression of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in mice fed a high-fat diet by lessening gut inflammation, improving intestinal barrier function, decreasing intestinal fat transport and modulating intestinal microbiota composition. A separate study in mice also found that TUDCA could potentially hinder the development of gallstones by reducing the absorption of fat in the intestinal tract.

While TUDCA’s role in liver and gallbladder health may appear more obvious, TUDCA also has a unique mechanism of action outside of bile support. TUDCA has been demonstrated to relieve endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress within cells thereby improving protein folding and cellular signaling outputs. TUDCA’s ability to reduce ER stress extends its potential health benefits beyond liver health to a wide variety of chronic diseases that have demonstrated ER stress. Mechanistically, TUDCA also provides cellular protection by better-regulating apoptosis.

One of the greatest applications of TUDCA’s cellular protective role is in the area of neurological health. Animal studies have found that TUDCA serves as a neuroprotectant against acute injuries such as stroke, as well as chronic neurodegenerative diseases.

TUDCA also shows promise in reversing metabolic disorders caused by excessive body fat and malnutrition. In fact, TUDCA was found to improve insulin sensitivity significantly in both liver tissue and muscles. In one study with aged mice, TUDCA lowered hyperinsulinemia and improved glucose regulation by enhancing the liver's ability to break down insulin. Lastly, TUDCA has also demonstrated protection against cell death in retinitis pigmentos and defence against renal fibrosis, and even cardioprotective function by lowering scar tissue, cell death and heart damage in mice hearts under increased pressure.

TUDCA by CytoMatrix combines 250mg of Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and 75mg of additional choline to optimally support liver health, microbiome balance, metabolism and neurological health. Choline, like TUDCA, is also essential for making bile and aiding in the removal of cholesterol from the liver. TUDCA by CytoMatrix delivers choline as VitaCholine®, a patented and clinically studied choline bitartrate salt. VitaCholine® offers a relatively high amount of elemental choline, rapidly dissolving and becoming available in the body as free choline without the need for enzymatic liberation. VitaCholine® also supports neurological function, cognition and liver health through the production of phosphatidylcholine, bile, acetylcholine and betaine.