The gallbladder stores the bile salts and cholesterol made in the liver. Bile salts are then discharged from the gallbladder into the intestine to help the digest fats. These bile salts are “soapy” substances. They are produced in response to the amount of fat in the diet requiring digestion. Sometimes these salts become stone within the gallbladder itself; the stones often contain substantial amount of cholesterol. The stones cause local inflammation; if the muscular gallbladder tries to expel them, blockage of the bile ducts by the stones may cause pain, additional inflammation, or jaundice (yellowing).
Prevention
Two risk factors for gallbladder disease increase the likelihood of disease by six to eight times. These are (1) heavy intake of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet, which means bile salt production, and (2) being overweight. Obesity not only greatly increases the frequency of the condition, but it also makes surgery to correct it more difficult and more hazardous.
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