If you've had gallbladder problems, you probably know already that diet can affect your risk of inflammation and gallstones. Surprisingly, alcohol and caffeine seem to reduce your odds of gallbladder problems, because they help to stimulate your gallbladder. Of course, that no longer applies once you've had your gallbladder surgically removed. However, you may need to make other changes to your diet following gallbladder removal.
Basics
Your gallbladder, part of your digestive system, assists in digestion by contracting to release bile that's used in your stomach to break down foods, especially fats. However, in some people, small stones form in the gallbladder, causing it to become inflamed and tender. These so-called "gallbladder attacks" can cause pain, nausea and vomiting, especially after you've consumed an especially fatty meal.
Progression
Alcohol and caffeine seem to help reduce the frequency of these gallbladder attacks because they cause the gallbladder to contract strongly and empty itself completely of bile, which means there isn't enough bile left behind to form stones. However, it's tough to prevent recurrences of gallbladder disease through diet alone. If you have repeated gallbladder attacks or if your gallbladder becomes infected, your physician may recommend surgery to remove the organ. You easily can live without a gallbladder.
Diet
Once your physician has removed your gallbladder, you no longer need to worry about the effects of alcohol and caffeine on that part of your digestive system. However, you may need to make other changes to your diet, such as limiting fats in your meals. Because your gallbladder's primary role was to help you digest fat, it's understandable that you might have difficulty digesting fat following gallbladder removal. Try to keep fat in your food to a minimum by choosing leaner cuts of meat, avoiding fried foods and using low-fat dairy products.
Considerations
Although your gallbladder removal surgery doesn't necessitate that you minimize or avoid alcohol and caffeine, you may have other health-related reasons to do so. Moderate drinking -- no more than two drinks per day for men, with just one for women -- may help you reduce your risk of heart disease, but it may increase the risk of breast cancer in women. And although moderate amounts of caffeine -- 300 mg per day, or about two cups of coffee -- should be safe, some people find even that much caffeine or less makes them anxious or gives them headaches.
References
- MedlinePlus: Gallbladder Diseases
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease; June 2009
- NetWellness.com; What Type of Diet Should I Be on If I Have Gallbladder Problems?; July 2010
- Harvard School of Public Health: Alcohol -- Balancing Risks and Benefits
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champlain McKinley Health Center: Caffeine
