The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ that is located below your liver. The gallbladder stores bile, a liquid produced by the liver. Before meals, the gallbladder is usually full of bile and has a full pear shape. After meals, it becomes like a deflated balloon. Certain foods cause the gallbladder to release more bile juice than others.
Fatty Foods
Fatty foods stimulate the contraction of your gall bladder. When the gall bladder contracts, it releases bile juice to the intestines to help digest the fat content of meals. If you have gallstones or gallbladder disease, the doctor may advise you to eat a low-fat diet to reduce the stimulation of the gallbladder. Examples of high-fat foods to avoid in this case include whole milk, whole milk dairy products, butter, margarine, creamy soups, bacon, sausages and fried foods.
Gallbladder Attacks
Gallbladder attacks are usually triggered by eating fatty foods. Gallbladder attacks usually occur at night and can last from a few minutes to three hours. Symptoms of a gallbladder attack include moderate to severe upper abdominal pain that radiates to the back or to the right shoulder, nausea, vomiting and belching, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If gallbladder attack symptoms are accompanied by fever, seek immediate medical attention.
Fat Malabsorption
If you undergo cholecystectomy, or the removal of the gallbladder, you may experience fat malabsorption or the inability to digest and absorb fat from foods. Fat malabsorption may lead to vitamin deficiencies because the body is unable to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Symptoms of fat malabsorption include abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas, bloating, foul-smelling oily stool and unintentional weight loss.
Gallstones
Gallstones are the most common cause of gallbladder attacks. Gallstone symptoms occur when the stones become lodged in the common bile duct. You may experience fever, chills, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, pale stool and yellowing of your skin and eyelids. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms.
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