How I Used Ox Bile on an Empty Stomach and Sunflower Lecithin to Beat My SIBO

The two primary supplements that I used to overcome my SIBO symptoms were ox bile on an empty stomach and sunflower lecithin for antimicrobial bile flow support. 

After years of experiencing symptoms of SIBO, such as acid reflux, loose stools, a noisy growling stomach, and tenderness when palpating my upper abdomen, I finally pinpointed SIBO as the cause of my digestive symptoms. 

The root cause of my SIBO was a sluggish gallbladder.

While I never got officially tested for SIBO, I identified SIBO as the underlying problem due to fermentable carbohydrates such as potato, banana, and corn chips causing my symptom of acid reflux. 

I owe a huge thanks to Dr. Ben Lynch for educating on the link between a sluggish gallbladder and a fatty liver causing low bile flow and thus, symptoms of SIBO. But what is the connection between low bile flow, SIBO, and acid reflux? 

The importance of bile for preventing SIBO

Bile is antimicrobial, and it is the antimicrobial properties of bile that prevent bacteria from overgrowing in the small intestine, which is what happens in the case of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. This information is priceless, as it is one of the most valuable lessons I have learned.

So many people with SIBO are using massive amounts of antimicrobials yet are not focusing on improving their natural defenses, and I was too until I learned about using sunflower lecithin to improve bile flow. I had already used antimicrobials in the past, and my symptoms still lingered, so I knew something was missing from my protocol.

How I used sunflower lecithin for bile flow support and knocking down SIBO

Sunflower lecithin contains phosphatidylcholine, which helps to prevent fatty liver and keep bile thin and flowing from a sluggish gallbladder. When sufficient bile flows from the gallbladder, the antimicrobial properties of bile can knock down small intestinal bacterial overgrowth while also preventing SIBO from developing in the first place.

Within days of taking 1 capsule of sunflower lecithin (optimal PC), for bile flow my fat digestion and loose stools improved, so I knew I was on the right track. My acid reflux and tenderness in my upper abdomen was almost gone after one month and taking optimal PC

How I used ox bile on an empty stomach for SIBO

To further knockdown SIBO, I used ox bile for its antimicrobial properties to knock down my lingering (mild) symptoms of SIBO, which for me was when eating corn and bananas.

I used one capsule of ox bile from seeking health in the evening on an empty stomach, which is like dropping an antimicrobial bomb on the SIBO. After one month of taking ox bile, my acid reflux symptoms were completely gone, and I could eat corn chips and banana in moderation with no problem.

Using sunflower lecithin and ox bile were the two primary supplements that I used to beat my SIBO and acid reflux symptoms. While I was able to tolerate ox bile on an empty stomach, many people initially will only take ox bile with food.

If someone does have SIBO and takes ox bile or sunflower lecithin, they can experience a die-off or healing reaction where SIBO symptoms may initially get worse before they get better. Healing reaction symptoms means, go slower. (Sometimes, when you hit the nail on the head, you just know it, but when it comes to your body, you don’t want to hit too hard).

I used 125 mg capsules of ox bile for SIBO from the seeking health supplement line, which is a lower dose than many supplement lines. It is best to start with a low dosage as too much ox bile can cause symptoms such as diarrhea.

You can always increase the dosage of ox bile if needed, but 125 mg capsules of ox bile for knocking SIBO down worked great for me. I also used 800 mg of the optimal PC, which is a phospholipid complex derived from non-GMO sunflower oil, to improve bile flow from my gallbladder.

Both the Optimal PC and ox bile were the 2 supplements that I used to overcome my SIBO symptoms of abdominal tenderness, acid reflux, and loose stools. 

Improving antimicrobial bile flow with sunflower lecithin optimized the natural terrain. Using ox bile externally helped to knock down my SIBO even further. 

Additional SIBO information

For more information on the connection between poor methylation, genetics, gallbladder issues, and SIBO, I recommend reading the following articles.