Gallstones are small, pebble-like lumps that form in the gallbladder. They can cause severe discomfort and may require surgery for their removal. Exercise can help prevent gallstone formation and also reduce the symptoms of gallstones that have already formed.
The Gallbladder
The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ about 4 inches long. It is connected to the liver by a small tube. The gallbladder's function is to transport bile from the liver to the small intestine. The gallbladder is also attached to the bile duct by a tube known as the cystic duct. Between meals, bile is stored in the gallbladder and is emptied into the bile duct during meals.
Gallstones
Bile is composed of bilirubin, cholesterol, water and bile salts. Gallstones form when there is an excessive amount of bilirubin or cholesterol in the bile. You are more at risk of developing gallstones if you are a woman, if you suffer from diabetes, liver cirrhosis, if you have a bone marrow or liver transplant or if your gallbladder is not emptying bile efficiently. Symptoms of gallstones may include pain in the upper or right abdomen that occurs shortly after meals, jaundice, fever, nausea and clay-colored stools.
Exercise
A 2008 study on mice, conducted by Kennnth R. Wilund and published in the "Journal of Applied Physiology," showed that exercise increases the liver's uptake of cholesterol and also the breakdown of cholesterol into bile acids. This reduces the amount of cholesterol in the bile and helps to prevent the formation of gallstones.
Treatment
Although regular exercise can help to significantly reduce the risk of gallstones forming and may help prevent existing gallstones from becoming symptomatic, there is no evidence to suggest that exercise can help to move or break down gallstones. When gallstones become a problem, they are usually removed by laparoscopic surgery.
