What is Fel tauri?

Fel tauri is a homeopathic remedy made from ox bile. Bile is the green-brown fluid the liver makes to help you break down fat. Homeopaths give it to people whose digestion feels slow or upset after fatty food.

It is made by serial dilution. That means the bile is watered down step by step, with shaking at each step. At 30C there is essentially no ox bile left in the pill or drop you take.

Here is the evidence in one line. Trials do not show that homeopathic remedies work better than a placebo (a dummy pill). Traditional use is not proof that something works, and that point holds for everything on this page.

How does Fel tauri work?

There is no known way for a 30C dilution to act on the body, because no source material is left in it.

Homeopathy rests on two ideas. The first is 'like cures like': a substance that upsets a well person is said to settle the same upset in a sick person. Ox bile helps you digest fat, so it is given for poor fat digestion.

The second idea is that watering a substance down makes it act more strongly, not less. Chemistry does not support this. At 30C the chance that even one molecule of ox bile remains is tiny.

Low dilutions are a different matter. In 1X or 3X products, real bile salts can still be present. Bile salts can loosen the bowels and change how much fat you take in from a meal.

What forms does Fel tauri come in?

Fel tauri comes as small sugar pellets, as pills, or as liquid drops in an alcohol base.

Labels show the strength as a number and a letter, such as 6X, 12C or 30C. The higher the number, the more the bile has been watered down.

Low strengths like 1X and 3X can still hold real bile salts. Very high strengths like 30C hold none. Ox bile is also sold on its own as a plain digestive supplement, which is not the same thing as this remedy.

Where it comes from:

Ox gall has been used in Western medicine for centuries as a digestive aid, and it is still used to help break down fat.

Homeopaths began using it in the 1800s after a 'proving' (a test of the substance on healthy people). It kept a small place in later homeopathic reference books.

It is a minor remedy within one tradition, not a classical medicine used across many cultures.

What does Fel tauri help with?

• Slow or heavy digestion after fatty food: This is the main use in homeopathic books. The idea comes from bile's real job in the body, which is to break down fat. No trial has tested the homeopathic remedy for this.
• Gallbladder discomfort: Homeopaths have used it for a full, dragging feeling under the right ribs. There is no trial evidence. Gallbladder pain needs a proper diagnosis, so see a doctor first.
• Constipation with pale stools: Pale stools can mean bile is not reaching the gut. Homeopathic texts list this picture for Fel tauri. Pale stools are a medical warning sign and should be checked by a doctor.
• Nausea after rich meals: Traditional homeopathic use only. No human trial has looked at this remedy for nausea.
• Bloating and wind: Listed in older homeopathic materia medica. The evidence is limited to those written case reports, not to trials.
• Headache linked with an upset stomach: Homeopaths call this a 'bilious' headache. This use rests on tradition alone, with no supporting trial data.

Which foods are rich in Fel tauri?

1. No everyday food contains ox bile: it is collected from cattle after slaughter, not eaten as a food

Practical Tips:

You cannot get this remedy from your diet, and there is no food to eat or avoid alongside it.

What are the side effects of Fel tauri?

• Loose stools or diarrhoea, mainly with low dilutions such as 1X or 3X
• Belly cramps or wind
• Nausea
• A short flare of your symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation
• Upset stomach from the alcohol in liquid drops
• Gas or bloating in people who cannot handle lactose in the pills
• Rare allergic reaction to beef or cattle products, with rash, itching or swelling

Good to know:

At 30C the pills are sugar, so side effects are very unlikely and are the same as those from a placebo.

Low dilutions are different. They can hold enough bile salts to loosen the bowels or upset the stomach.

The bigger risk with any homeopathic product is delay. Using it instead of real treatment for gallbladder or liver trouble can let a serious problem get worse.

How much Fel tauri should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose has been set by research, because no trial has tested this remedy in people. Homeopathic labels for a 30C product usually suggest 3 to 5 pellets under the tongue, up to three times a day. Drops are usually 5 to 10 in a little water. Always follow the label on the pack you bought. Low strengths such as 1X or 3X may hold real bile salts, so do not take more than the label says.
• Best time of day: Homeopathic makers usually suggest taking it between meals, about 15 to 30 minutes before or after eating. There is no research showing that timing changes anything.
• With or without food: Take it on an empty mouth, away from food, coffee and strong mint. This is a rule of the tradition, not a finding from research.
• Time to effect: Homeopathic guides talk about hours to a few days. No trial has measured this. Any change you feel may simply be your body settling on its own.
• How long to take it: Homeopaths usually suggest a short course of a few days. Stop and think again if nothing has changed after about a week. Do not keep taking it for a symptom that is not getting better. Ongoing belly pain, poor digestion or changes in your stools need a doctor's opinion.