As I am studying to become a certified “Nutritional Therapy Practitioner” – I thought I would share some information with you. Plus I always here about people getting their gallbladder removed when they have pain or gallstones. Now a family member needs some advice as their doctor immediately removed their gallbladder after having serious pain.
Let’s start with what does the Gallbladder do for us?
The gallbladder is next to the liver. At one end of the gallbladder there is a small bile duct (the cystic duct) that connects to the common hepatic duct that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder. These ducts merge together to form the common bile duct that enters into the wall of the duodenum- the first part of the small intestine.
The role of the gallbladder acts as a storage vessel for the bile produced in the liver.
- The liver produces bile by the hepatocytes cells and then passes through the bile ducts into the cystic duct.
- After the bile reaches the cystic duct then it is pushed by peristalsis (muscle contractions- waves) into the gallbladder.
- Then the bile is gradually concentrated by absorption of water through the gallbladder walls.
- The gallbladder is storing the concentrated form of bile until it is notified the liver needs the bile to digest the fat in a meal.
How is the gallbladder stimulated and bile secretion?
- In the small intestine- the walls of the duodenum contains sensory receptors that monitor the digested food called chyme.
- Chyme passes from the stomach via the pyloric sphincter “entrance gate” into the duodenum
- When the receptor cells of the duodenum detect proteins or fats then they produce the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK).
- CCK is released into the bloodstream then travels into the gallbladder where it then activates the smooth muscle tissues of the gallbladder walls
- Once the CCK reaches the gallbladder and stimulates the smooth muscle tissues of the gallbladder to contract- the forces the bile out of the gallbladder and into the cystic duct.
- Once the stored bile moves from the gallbladder into the cystic duct then it enters the bile duct then merges with the pancreatic duct.
- The bile then flows into the duodenum where it finally is able to break the fats into smaller pieces with help of enzyme pancreatic lipase.
-source www.innerbody.com
What is bile?
Bile is a fluid made in the liver that is released during digestion in order to help us break down and digest dietary fats.
What if your gallbladder is removed?
The main job of the gallbladder is to receive bile that is produced by the liver. The gallbladder stores concentrated bile stores and mixes it with mineral salts and enzymes. Then once the bile is needed to help digest and emulsify dietary fats, then it is released into the duodenum of the small intestine.
The bile fluid that is made by the liver to digest fat is stored in the gallbladder and then released into the small intestine via the bile duct tube. The bile duct connects the gallbladder and the liver to the small intestine. The bile duct is also where gallstones are formed and block the flow of bile via the bile duct. Gallstones are formed when the substances in bile gets hardened.
The enzymes added by the gallbladder are required for proper digestion of fats so if we have a dysfunctional gallbladder or it is removed then our fat digestion is impaired.
-source: www.drdavidwilliams.com
If your gallbladder is removed- the liver will continue to make enough bile to digest the fats in the food but now it can’t store the extra bile in the gallbladder. Instead the liver will have bile continuously dripping from the liver into the small intestine. -source www.nhs.uk
Once your gallbladder has been removed, you will need supplements to help improve your digestion and assimilation of fats. Bile salt supplement is suggested to take regularly.
Foods, nutrients and supplements for promote bile flow or if gallbladder removed:
- combine beet extracts with bile salts to improve effectiveness.
- use bile salts supplement regularly (lipo complex)
- red beet and beet top extracts to enhance bile flow
- artichokes leaves to promote bile flow
- sauerkraut and sauerkraut juice to promote bile output. (one cup of juice 1-2 x per week before breakfast is suggested).
-source: -www.drdavidwilliams.com
-Debbie Potts
