Weight Loss & Gall Stones

Your gallbladder stores bile, which your liver uses to process fats. Bile contains a number of products, including cholesterol, bile salts, proteins and fats. These items can collect in your gallbladder and solidify to form gallstones, which typically are made of cholesterol or pigment. Because gallstones can block ducts in your body that connect to the liver and small intestine, they can result in a number of stomach problems that lead to weight loss. Weight loss also can have a preventive role in reducing your risk for gallstones if you are overweight.

Overweight Risk

Those who are moderately overweight or more are more likely to experience gallstones, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. The risk is particularly increased in women. If you are overweight, your body uses more bile salts to break down fats in the gallbladder. Having fewer bile salts sets off a chain reaction in your body: Less bile salts equals more cholesterol, and more cholesterol increases the amount of time bile stays in your gallbladder. When bile stays in your gallbladder, you are more likely to experience gallstones.

Rapid Weight Loss

Rapid weight loss also can contribute to gallstones. If you lose weight too quickly, your body must metabolize stored fats to provide energy for your body. This causes the liver to secrete extra bile, which contributes to increased cholesterol and gallstones.

Solution

If losing weight and being overweight both contribute to gallstones, it can be difficult to adopt a preventive plan. However, you can take steps to lose weight safely without increasing your risk for gallstones. Aim to lose no more than 1.5 to 2 pounds per week, which is a safe weight loss range, reports the Weight-control Information Network from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Accomplish this by reducing your calorie intake by about 500 calories per day, but do not take in less than 1,200 to 1,500 calories because this amount can be too restrictive. Increasing your consumption of calcium and fiber also can reduce your risk of developing gallstones.

Warning

While gallstones do not always cause symptoms, they can cause extreme stomach pain and vomiting. This can affect your appetite and result in weight loss over time. Gallstone pain this severe requires surgery to remove the gallbladder, but your surgeon may opt for a minimally invasive approach. It is possible to live without your gallbladder with limited changes to your diet -- seek immediate treatment to prevent weight loss and other symptoms.