Search the Internet for “gallstones” and you will find a plethora of websites exhorting you to flush your gallbladder to prevent or expel them. Olive oil, like other oils, can have a laxative effect. But if you could flush out gallstones with oil, no one would ever need surgery. And while lemon juice is certainly good for you, there’s no evidence that a lemon juice flush has any effect on gallstones.
Lemon Juice Facts
Lemon juice is high in vitamin C, which is a proven ally in neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are produced naturally through breathing and other metabolic functions. Exposure to pollutants and toxins can also cause them. If free radicals build up in your body, they can cause heart disease and certain cancers, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Adding lemon juice to your daily diet can help your fight free radicals, but it will not have any effect on gallstones.
Olive Oil Facts
Olive oil contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. These acids help raise the levels of good cholesterol, called high-density lipoproteins, or HDLs, in your blood. It also helps lower the levels of bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoproteins, LDLs. Olive oil lends flavor and moisture to foods, but it does not dissolve or help you expel gallstones.
Gallstone Facts
Gallstones are formed in your gallbladder. They are made of cholesterol and bile, and are often caused by a combination of diet and heredity. There is a correlation between previous instances of the gallbladder being inflamed and gallstone formation. Gallstones can block the bile duct, which means that bile cannot be released, and the duct sometimes becomes infected. Gallstones can be treated with surgery, sound waves and medication.
Expert Insight
The “gallstones” in photos posted on the Internet by people who claim that they were flushed out using lemon juice and olive oil are not gallstones. They are actually the lemon juice and olive oil that were ingested, along with waste matter, according to surgical oncologist Dr. David Gorski of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit in his article for Science-Based Medicine. This is backed up by gastroenterologist Dr. Michael F. Picco of the Mayo Clinic. Gallstones can be excreted, but it happens rarely and it cannot be forced with lemon juice and olive oil.
References
- University of Southern California, Department of Surgery; Center for Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases; Gallstones
- The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide: What to Do About Gallstones
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid); Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D.; June 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Gallstones; Michael F. Picco, M.D.; January 2010
- Science-Based Medicine; Would You Like a Liver Flush With That Colon Cleanse?; David H. Gorski, M.D., Ph.D.; April 2008
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