Foods And Gallbladder Attacks

According to Dr. David Vogt of the Cleveland Clinic, 10 to 15 percent of people in the US have gallstones. Although you can have gallstones without any symptoms, abdominal pain is one of the symptoms of gallbladder disease, and the food you eat can play a role in gallbladder attacks.

Gallbladder Disease

Gallbladder disease includes cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gallbladder, and cholelithiasis, or gallstones. If the stones are large enough, they can block the bile duct, which leads from the gallbladder to the small intestine, causing pain, nausea and vomiting. Occasionally, gallbladder disease will also cause jaundice, or yellowing of the skin. Gallstones develop when substances in the bile form hard particles; they can be as large as a golf ball or as small as a grain of sand. Women are more likely to develop gallstones than men, and pregnancy increases risk, which increases with multiple pregnancies. Hormone replacement therapy, obesity and rapid weight loss followed by weight gain are also risk factors.

Gallbladder and Food

The gallbladder is simply a sac under the liver that concentrates and stores bile. When you eat, the gallbladder releases bile into the upper small intestine to help digest foods. Fatty foods in particular will cause bile secretion and might trigger a gallbladder attack. The gallbladder contracts to excrete bile, but the stones obstruct the bile duct and cause severe pain. Attacks usually recur and can worsen over time; the bile duct can develop scarring from repeated inflammations.

Diet for Gallbladder Disease

The University of Maryland says diet changes can help reduce symptoms. Among other things, the university suggests you eliminate possible food allergens such as dairy products, wheat and eggs. Eat more fiber and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Dr. Ronald Hoffman, medical director of the Hoffman Center in New York City, says offending foods include eggs, pork, onions, poultry, milk, coffee, oranges, corn, beans and nuts. The American Dietetic Association recommends that people with gallbladder disease eat frequent small meals with snacks and that the diet contain less than 30 percent fat. The ADA also recommends you avoid fatty foods, fried foods, foods with a strong odor and foods that tend to produce gas. However, Vogt notes that removal of the gallbladder, called cholecystectomy, is usually required if gallstones are present and that surgery relieves symptoms in 85 percent of cases.

Considerations and Warnings

Gallbladder disease and gallstones can be serious and if untreated can lead to serious infections and even death. Consult a health care professional if you have questions or concerns.