Gallbladder Health & Removal Issues

Gallbladder health problems or gallbladder removal can lead to chronic digestive issues such as nausea, digestion, and diarrhea.

And, the lack of a gallbladder can make it difficult to break down and absorb the nutrients in your food, which can lead to additional health problems caused by nutrient deficiencies.

Did you know that gallbladder removal is the most common surgery performed worldwide¹? In my experience, many people undergo an emergency cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal surgery) with little guidance about the long-term side effects of gallbladder removal.

It’s very common to experience severe digestive issues right after surgery or even years after surgery, but we rarely connect these issues to the lack of a gallbladder.

Post-Cholecystectomy Syndrome (PCS)

These digestive issues may eventually lead to a condition known as PCS or post-cholecystectomy syndrome. Symptoms are like those pre-surgery, such as:

Fatty food intolerance
Nausea and heartburn
Flatulence
Indigestion
Intermittent or chronic diarrhea
Jaundice
Intermittent abdominal “ghost” pain where the gallbladder used to be ²

Get control of debilitating digestive issues that can interfere with your daily life.

Gallbladder and Depression

There also seems to be a link between those with gallbladder removal and depression. One 2015 retrospective study of 6,755 patients noticed an increased risk of depressive disorder, with females at a higher risk than males.³ A 2021 retrospective study indicated an increased risk of major depressive disorder with most incidents occurring within two years of gallbladder removal surgery.⁴

Why is the gallbladder so important anyway?

Why is gallbladder health an issue? Without a gallbladder, bile may not be strong enough to complete several necessary body functions, such as:

Helping break down fats into nutrients like Vitamins A, D, E & K for absorption. Deficiencies of these nutrients can cause symptoms like inflammation, mood and brain disorders, and a hyperactive immune system.
Eliminating excess particles, such as steroid hormones, estrogens, insulin and old red blood cells. In fact, bile is the ONLY way excess cholesterol is excreted from the body. In addition, all those toxins released from the liver are eliminated via bile.
Helping the colon maintain a healthy microbiota ^{5, 6, 7, 8}
Finally, lack of a gallbladder may also lead to weight gain in the long-term. ⁹

In a nutshell, you can eat the healthiest diet on the planet, but without the ability to break down and absorb nutrients, you won’t be nourished from your food.

Let’s figure this out!

If gallbladder health issues or gallbladder removal side effects are impacting your health, I can help. As a nutrition master therapist, I can help you reach your health goals through sustainable diet and lifestyle strategies that deliver the results you want.

Schedule a free "Let's Meet!" consultation call and let's see if we’re a good fit!

Resources

1 Hassler KR, Collins JT, Philip K, Jones MW. Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. 2023 Jan 23. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 28846328.

2 Zackria R, Lopez RA. Postcholecystectomy Syndrome. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; August 29, 2022.

3 Tsai MC, Chen CH, Lee HC, Lin HC, Lee CZ. Increased Risk of Depressive Disorder following Cholecystectomy for Gallstones. PLoS One. 2015;10(6):e0129962. Published 2015 Jun 8. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0129962

4 Jin EH, Han K, Lee DH, et al. Increased Risk of Major Depressive Disorder After Cholecystectomy: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Korea. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2021;12(4):e00339. Published 2021 Apr 20. doi:10.14309/ctg.0000000000000339

5 Tortora GJ, Derrickson B. Introduction to the Human Body : The Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology. John Wiley & Sons; 2015.

6 Sharon Rady Rolfes, Pinna K, Eleanor Noss Whitney. Understanding Normal & Clinical Nutrition. 11th ed. Cengage Learning; 2018.

7 Hundt M, Basit H, John S. Physiology, Bile Secretion. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; September 26, 2022.

8 Boyer JL. Bile formation and secretion. Compr Physiol. 2013;3(3):1035-1078. doi:10.1002/cphy.c120027

9 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28521679/