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Dr. Grey AI

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TUDCA

TUDCA is a bile acid, a natural compound made from bile salts, that helps protect liver cells and eases stress inside them. People mostly look at it as supportive care in hepatitis C, where the evidence is moderate overall, though the one small study reviewed found that liver cell content went up in only five people. That is very little to go on, and the wider evidence is limited, with a few small studies and no clear difference in blood glucose.

Sources: PMID 8541578

Best evidence
Grade C
Conditions studied
8
Outcomes
18
Graded outcomes
0031

Evidence by condition

  • Strong
  • Moderate
  • Limited
  • Very limited

8 conditions

Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Primary Biliary Cholangitis: outcomes studied for TUDCA
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Cholestasis

Small Decrease

Improves (the measure goes down)Small effect1 study12 people

Studies that measured cholestasis

Liver EnzymesChanges; see studies4 studies258 people

Studies that measured liver enzymes

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

Small Detriment

Worsens (the measure goes down)Small effect24 people
Total cholesterolImproves (the measure goes down)24 people

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C: outcomes studied for TUDCA
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Liver Cell Content

Small Increase

Improves (the measure goes up)Small effect1 study5 people

Studies that measured liver cell content

Liver EnzymesChanges; see studies4 studies155 people

Studies that measured liver enzymes

Chronic Liver Disease

  • Liver Cell Content: improves
  • Liver Enzymes: changes; see studies
Chronic Liver Disease: outcomes studied for TUDCA
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Liver Cell Content

Small Increase

Improves (the measure goes up)Small effect1 study5 people

Studies that measured liver cell content

Liver EnzymesChanges; see studies4 studies5 people

Studies that measured liver enzymes

General Cardiovascular Health

  • Blood glucose
  • Vascular Function: improves
  • Insulin: changes; see studies
General Cardiovascular Health: outcomes studied for TUDCA
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Blood glucose

No effect

NoneNo effect12 people
Vascular FunctionImproves (the measure goes up)1 study12 people

Studies that measured vascular function

InsulinChanges; see studies12 people
Oxidative Stress BiomarkersImproves (the measure goes down)12 people

Cirrhosis

  • Liver Enzymes: changes; see studies
  • High-density lipoprotein (HDL): worsens
  • Total cholesterol: improves
Cirrhosis: outcomes studied for TUDCA
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Liver EnzymesChanges; see studies4 studies24 people

Studies that measured liver enzymes

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

Small Detriment

Worsens (the measure goes down)Small effect24 people
Total cholesterolImproves (the measure goes down)24 people

Obesity

  • Insulin Resistance: improves
Obesity: outcomes studied for TUDCA
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Insulin ResistanceImproves (the measure goes down)1 study20 people

Studies that measured insulin resistance

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

  • ALS Symptoms: improves
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: outcomes studied for TUDCA
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
ALS SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)1 study34 people

Studies that measured als symptoms

Metabolic Health

  • Insulin Resistance: improves
Metabolic Health: outcomes studied for TUDCA
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Insulin ResistanceImproves (the measure goes down)1 study20 people

Studies that measured insulin resistance

Key findings

  • CholestasisPrimary Biliary CholangitisImproves (the measure goes down)
  • Liver Cell ContentHepatitis CImproves (the measure goes up)
  • Blood glucose

Shop TUDCA

Third-party tested TUDCA products. The evidence above is limited, so read it before you buy.

  • Grade C

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Studies cited

9 studies from PubMed

  1. Does tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) treatment increase hepatocyte proliferation in patients with chronic liver diseaseItal J Gastroenterol · PMID 8541578
  2. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid for the treatment of HCV-related chronic hepatitis: a multicenter placebo-controlled studyHepatogastroenterology · PMID 9840118
  3. Differences in the metabolism and disposition of ursodeoxycholic acid and of its taurine-conjugated species in patients with primary biliary cirrhosisHepatology · PMID 9918905
  4. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid for treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis. A dose-response study.Dig Dis Sci · PMID 8674405
  5. Ursodeoxycholic and tauro-ursodeoxycholic acids for the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis: a pilot crossover study.Aliment Pharmacol Ther · PMID 9146783
  6. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial comparing the efficacy and safety of TUDCA and UDCA in Chinese patients with primary biliary cholangitis.Medicine · PMID 27893675
  7. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid in the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Eur J Neurol · PMID 25664595
  8. Administration of tauroursodeoxycholic acid prevents endothelial dysfunction caused by an oral glucose load.Clin Sci · PMID 27503949
  9. Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid may improve liver and muscle but not adipose tissue insulin sensitivity in obese men and women.Diabetes · PMID 20522594

Protocols that include TUDCA