Bile Deficiency 101: How to Recognize the Signs and Restore Digestive Flow

Bile is a fluid that helps break down fats, and help extract essential fatty acids or vitamins like A, D, E and K from different foods you eat. Then bile draws these nutrients into the body, so bile deficiency plays a big too. When we talk about digestive health, we often hear about probiotics, fiber, and maybe enzymes. But there’s one critical fluid that rarely gets the spotlight it deserves: bile.

Yes — that golden-green substance made by your liver and stored in your gallbladder is essential for breaking down fats and absorbing some of the most vital nutrients your body needs.

Let’s explore how bile works, signs you may not have enough of it, and what you can do about it.

What Does Bile Actually Do?

Bile plays several key roles in your body — far beyond just helping with digestion:

• Keeps your gut clean
  Bile acts like a natural disinfectant in your intestines, helping maintain microbial balance and preventing overgrowth of harmful bacteria.

• Helps move waste out
  It acts as a lubricant for the colon, making it easier for waste to pass through. Without enough bile, constipation is a common complaint.

• Prevents fatty liver
  Bile helps regulate fat metabolism in the liver. Without enough, fat can build up and contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

• Eliminates excess cholesterol
  It helps your body get rid of cholesterol, reducing the risk of buildup in the arteries.

• Reduces gallstone formation
  Bile keeps cholesterol and bile salts balanced, helping prevent gallstones.

How Do I Know If I’m Bile Deficient?

One of the best places to start is your diet — specifically your intake of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Even if you eat enough of these nutrients, you won’t absorb them well without bile.

Let’s Take a Closer Look at Vitamin A

Vitamin A supports your skin, vision, immune system, and mucous membranes. The RDI for adult women is 2,333 IU, which you could get from something like:

• 1 cup of cooked sweet potato

• 1 cup of mango chunks

But are you showing any of these symptoms, even if you’re getting enough?

• Hard little bumps on the back of your arms

• Dry, rough, or flaky skin

• Frequent acne or breakouts

• Brittle or dry hair

• Poor night vision

• Difficulty adjusting to darkness

• Dry eyes or inability to produce tears

• Weak tooth enamel

• Dandruff or dry scalp

Many people blame dry skin on winter weather or aging — but it could actually be a sign your body isn’t absorbing vitamin A, due to low bile production.

What About Vitamin D?

Vitamin D acts as both a vitamin and hormone, influencing everything from mood to bone strength to immune response. You can get it from:

• Egg yolks

• Fatty fish like salmon

• Mushrooms

• Cheese

• Beef liver

• Sunlight on your skin

In Canada, the RDI is:

• 600 IU for adults

• 800 IU if you're over 70

You could meet that by eating:

• A 3 oz portion of sockeye salmon (570 IU)

• One egg yolk (44 IU)

• A mushroom and cheese omelet

• Or try ½ tbsp of cod liver oil, which has about 680 IU

Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency:

• Muscle weakness or cramps

• Bone pain (spine, ribs, or legs)

• Burning sensation in the mouth or throat

• Insomnia

• Depression or low mood

• Osteoporosis or frequent fractures

• Rickets (in children)

The Importance of Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another fat-soluble nutrient that many overlook. It helps:

• Protect your cells from oxidative damage (antioxidant)

• Strengthen your immune system

• Support circulation by widening blood vessels

Found in:

• Pumpkin

• Almonds

• Sunflower seeds

• Peanut butter

Deficiency symptoms:

• Muscle weakness

• Vision issues

• Poor immunity

• Nerve damage (numbness, tingling)

• Hot flashes

Is Your Gallbladder to Blame?

If you often feel bloated or belch after eating, it could be due to a sluggish gallbladder or poor bile flow. When bile doesn’t flow well:

• Fat stays in the stomach longer = discomfort

• Fat isn’t digested = floating or light-colored stool

• Fat-soluble vitamins can’t be absorbed properly = nutrient deficiency

And if you’ve had your gallbladder removed? Your bile is released inconsistently, making it even harder to digest fat. In these cases, many people benefit from bile salt supplements or bitters that stimulate bile flow.

What Reduces Bile Production?

A few surprising things can lead to bile deficiency:

• Low-fat diets – Fat triggers bile release! Skimping on healthy fats (like butter, olive oil, coconut oil) means your body isn’t getting the message to produce bile.

• Poor gut bacteria – Your microbiome helps recycle bile salts. Low diversity = poor recycling.

• Scar tissue or inflammation – Damage in the digestive tract can prevent proper absorption of bile salts.

• Liver stress – An overworked or sluggish liver can't keep up with bile production.

Quick Bile Health Self-Check

Ask yourself:

• Am I eating enough fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)?

• Do I include healthy fats in my meals?

• Do I notice floating or pale stools?

• Do I get bloated or uncomfortable after eating fatty meals?

• Are my gut bacteria supported with probiotics or fermented foods?

As a registered holistic nutritionist, I look beyond surface symptoms. If someone has dry skin, brittle nails, or constant fatigue — I dig deeper. Often, it’s not about what they’re eating, but how they’re digesting it.

Bile is the unsung hero of fat digestion. And if it’s missing, even the cleanest diet and most expensive supplements won’t work the way they should.

Start with food. Add in healthy fats. Watch your symptoms. And most importantly, support your liver and gallbladder so your body can do what it was designed to do — naturally.

Need help figuring out if you’re bile deficient?
Let’s chat. Book a consultation and I’ll help you uncover the root of your symptoms so you can feel nourished, energized, and in balance again.

Written by Janette de Vries, RHN, B.Ed, H.BA

YouNique Holistic Nutrition
Empowering individuals to reclaim their health — one system at a time.

Author: Janette de Vries RHN, B.ed, H.BA

#biledeficiency #youniqueholisticnutrition #digestion #

Sources

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

Abrahams, Peter Dr., How the Body Works: A Comprehensive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Anatomy. London, UK. Amber Books: 2013, (p.260-261).

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-a/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bile-reflux/symptoms-causes/syc-20370115

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-

Consumer/#:~:text=Vitamin%20E%20deficiency%20can%20cause,is%20a%20weakened%20immune%20system.