Running With A Gallbladder Stone

They may be as tiny as a grain of sand or as big as a golf ball. Gallstones, small stone-like substances composed of cholesterol or bile pigment, develop within the gallbladders of 10 to 15 percent of adult Americans. A million cases are diagnosed each year, and some 800,000 people a year have gallstones surgically removed, often by removal of the gallbladder. Running is generally good for those who have gallstones, but during acute episodes, you probably won't feel like it.

Gallbladder Function

Your gallbladder assists with digestion of fat and stores bile synthesized by the liver. After you've eaten, it releases this bile into your small intestine. Salt in the bile metabolizes fats. The more fat you eat, the harder your gallbladder works, and the greater the chance you will develop gallstones.

Risk

If you are obese, you are at greater risk for developing gallstones. Those who have a history of yo-yo dieting also are at greater risk, as are those who have lost weight quickly or who have gone through long periods of fasting. Your chances increase as you get older, especially after you pass the age of 60. American Indians, Mexican Americans, those who take medications for cholesterol and those with diabetes are all at higher risk of gallstones, as are those who have a diet high in fat or high cholesterol.

Symptoms

Many people can go their entire life with gallstones and never develop symptoms that demand treatment. Symptoms occur when a stone blocks the duct that exits the gallbladder, passes the pancreas and reaches to the small intestine. An acute episode usually starts with steadily growing pain in the upper right abdomen, in the back between the shoulder blades or under the right shoulder. The pain starts out dull but can escalate to become severe. Consult a physician if you develop these symptoms. You should obtain emergency treatment if the pain persists for more than 5 hours or if you develop fever, vomiting, nausea or a yellow tint in your skin or the whites of your eyes. Complications of symptomatic gallstones can include acute pancreatitis, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Exercise and Risk of Gallstones

Running can lower your risk of getting gallstones, and if you already have them, running can lower your risk of developing acute symptoms. A 2010 study published in the "European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology" found a 70 percent decreased risk of symptomatic gallstones in those who participated in a high level of physical activity. Less exercise is also beneficial, but produces less of a protective effect. A 2008 study of mice in the "Journal of Applied Physiology" found that exercise improves the uptake of cholesterol into the liver and also improves the breakdown of cholesterol to form bile acids. Though exact mechanisms are not known, exercise influences several factors that affect the synthesis, transportation and clearance of cholesterol from the blood, including body fat, weight loss and enzyme and hormone activity.

Exercise with Gallstones

If you have asymptomatic gallstones, continue to run. Exercise reduces the risk they will become symptomatic. Endurance running three to five times per week increases good cholesterol, especially in men. During acute episodes, you won't feel like running. Once your symptoms go into remission, get back to running so you can continue to lower your weight, cholesterol and risk of recurrence of gallstone symptoms. Always consult with your doctor before making significant changes to your exercise program.