A healthy gallbladder helps promote proper digestion. Hard deposits and sludge may form in the bile produced by your liver, leading to the development of gallstones. Eight percent of men and 20 percent of women experience gallstones, according to NYU Langone Medical Center. Caffeine is a natural substance that may decrease the likelihood of gallstone formation. Talk to your doctor before attempting to treat a gallstone with coffee or other caffeinated beverages.
Gallstones
Your liver manufactures the bile that it stores for release during digestion. Gallstones tend to form when the bile hardens inside the gallbladder or within the bile ducts. Although many cases of gallstones have no known cause, certain factors may increase the likelihood of developing these hardened bile deposits. These factors include excess levels of estrogen, obesity, rapid weight loss, diabetes and ethnicity. Native Americans tend to experience the highest amount of gallstones, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Certain items in your diet, such as sugar and fats, may increase your risk of forming gallstones, while other substances, such as fiber and caffeine, may lower the risk.
Symptoms
Gallstones seldom cause symptoms while they are small, although as these stones grow larger, you may experience upper abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, belching, indigestion and jaundice. Gallstones can cause abdominal bloating and pain in your right shoulder or between your shoulder blades. Symptoms of gallstones tend to occur most commonly at night or after eating a fatty meal. Serious symptoms that require immediate medical care include sweating, chills and a yellowish tint around the whites of your eyes.
Caffeine
Research indicates that a daily intake of caffeine may decrease your risk of forming gallstones, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Although additional research is necessary to confirm these benefits, caffeine may help prevent gallstones by lowering the concentration of cholesterol in your bile and stimulating your gallbladder to contract. One study regarding the effects of caffeine on gallstones resulted in a 40 percent reduced risk in test subjects who drank 2 to 3 cups of caffeinated coffee every day, according to NYU Langone Medical Center.
Precautions
Contact your doctor if you experience symptoms of gallstones. These symptoms may indicate the presence of other disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, pancreatitis or appendicitis. Although some caffeine may support the health of your gallbladder, drinking more than 4 cups per day can lead to uncomfortable side effects, such as irritability, stomach upset, insomnia and nervousness.
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