Gallbladder stones can be a painful symptom of gallbladder disease. A diet rich in lemons and other citrus fruits may help women, who are more prone than men to gallstones, reduce their risk. Home remedies for treating gallstones include lemon oil and a lemon juice and olive oil cleanse. Talk to your doctor before trying alternative treatments for gallstones.
Gallstone Prevention
A diet rich in lemons, other fruits rich in vitamin C, green leafy vegetable or cruciferous vegetables such as bok choy and broccoli may reduce a woman's risk for requiring gallstone surgery, according to a University of Kentucky Medical School study involving 77,090 women. The women who ate a lot of fruits and vegetables substantially reduced their risk for gallbladder surgery, a recommended option for severely painful gallstones, according to lead author C.J. Tsai. The study followed the women's eating habits and health from 1984 to 2000 and was reported in the September 2006 issue of the "American Journal of Medicine."
Gallbladder Cleanse
Gallstones sometimes present no symptoms but can also cause extreme pain. If gallstones block your gallbladder duct, the life-threatening condition requires medical care. If gallstones are causing mild to moderate pain, a home remedy includes drinking a concoction of lemon juice and lemon oil. The substances are supposed to break up gallstones so you can safely pass them in your stool. But no sound evidence exists that such cleanses work, according to Dr. Michael Picco, an internist and gastroenterologist at MayoClinic.com. Possible side effects of a gallbladder cleanse include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Lemon Oil
Lemon oil may dissolve gallstones, according to an article published in “Alternative Medicine Review.” J. Sun wrote in the September 2007 article that a component in lemon oil can dissolve cholesterol and, since gallstones contain cholesterol, lemon oil can also break up gallstones. The cholesterol-dissolving property in lemon oil -- D-limonene -- occurs naturally in other citrus fruits. Sun provided little evidence to support his theory.
Other Treatment Options
Standard treatment for gallstones does not include lemon juice. If your gallstones are large -- some grow to the size of golf balls -- a doctor may inject drugs directly into your gallbladder. If your stones are small -- no more than 15 millimeters in diameter -- your doctor may prescribe an oral medication called ursodeoxycholic acid. It breaks up gallstones in about 40 percent of patients, but can take up to two years to completely dissolve gallstones. Shock wave therapy is another nonsurgical treatment option for breaking up gallstones.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Gallbladder Cleanse: A 'Natural' Remedy for Gallstones?; Michael F. Picco; Feb. 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallbladder Disease; Feb 2010
- “Alternative Medicine Review”; D-Limonene: Safety and Clinical Applications; J. Sun; Sept. 2007
- "American Journal of Medicine': Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Risk of Cholecystectomy in Women; T. J. Tsai; September 2006
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