Your gallbladder is a small organ located just below your liver and is important for fat digestion and the storage of bile produced by your liver, which helps break down fat in your stomach. According to MedlinePlus, gallbladder removal surgery is sometimes necessary if you have gallstones or if your gallbladder is not functioning properly. Gallbladder removal is usually well tolerated, as your gallbladder is not essential for survival. Some vitamin and mineral supplements may be beneficial following gallbladder-removal surgery. Talk with your doctor before using any supplements after having your gallbladder removed to make sure they are safe for you to use. According to Dr Michael Picco, a gastroenterologist at with the Mayo Clinic, it is not uncommon for people who have had their gallbladders removed to experience chronic diarrhea. This may be due to an increase in bile acids which may act as a laxative, although the exact cause is not known. Over-the-counter anti-diarrhea supplements can be effective at promoting the normal passage of stool following gallbladder removal surgery.
Dr Picco recommends supplementing with anti-diarrheal medications to help prevent diarrhea. After gallbladder removal surgery, your body may have a more difficult time digesting fats due to the absence of bile stored in your gallbladder. Bile also helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K. Supplementing with bile salts can help your stomach digest fats and can help prevent a fat-soluble vitamin deficiency. Bile salts are widely available in tablet form and should only be taken as directed by your doctor. Choline is an essential nutrient that aides in the absorption of fat and cholesterol and helps your liver create lipoproteins, which are involved in many important cellular functions throughout your body. According to an article written by Dr. Mary Ackerley, a homeopathic physician, choline supplementation after gallbladder removal surgery helps support the natural digestion of dietary fats and can work well in combination with bile salts to help prevent excessive gas and bloating.
Betaine is a nutrient naturally found in beets and is a nutritional supplement that helps promote the normal breakdown of fats. Betaine can be beneficial following gallbladder removal, according to Lynn Morales, a doctor of naturopathic medicine. Betaine supplements assist in bile flow and fat digestion and metabolism after gallbladder removal and can help alleviate some of the side effects of gallbladder surgery, including bloating, gas, nausea and diarrhea. Nutritional Absorption After Gallbladder Removal What Are the Symptoms of a Gallbladder Problem? Foods That Heal Gallbladder Disease Naturally What Vitamin Supplements Are Good for the Gallbladder? What Happens if I Eat a Fatty Meal After Gallbladder Surgery? Foods to Avoid When You Have No Gallbladder Gallbladder Removal Effects on Cholesterol A Diet for After Your Gallbladder Has Been Taken Out Diets for People With No Gallbladder The Gallbladder and Bananas How to Get Rid of Nausea After Gallbladder Surgery
Diet After Gallstone Surgery Diet After a Cholecystectomy Foods That Cause Gallbladder Pain Foods & Drinks Not to Consume With Gallbladder Problems Foods That Affect Gallbladder Disease Symptoms What Meat Can You Eat for a Gallbladder Diet? Herbs to Support My Liver After Gallbladder Removal Liquid Diet for a Gallbladder Surgery Weight Loss After a Gallbladder SurgeryHome Articles Liver Doctor's Articles Gallbladder problems are extremely common. Approximately 750,000 Americans have their gallbladder removed each year. In most cases, the pain of a malfunctioning gallbladder becomes so bad, that surgery is the only viable option. Most people are under the impression that once their gallbladder is taken out, the pain and discomfort they’ve been living with will be gone. Sadly that’s often not the case. It is common to have just as much discomfort after the gallbladder is removed. People without a gallbladder are more prone to digestive problems and liver problems;
they can even form stones within the ducts of the liver. The risk of developing a fatty liver is also greater in people without a gallbladder. Some herbs and nutritional supplements are extremely beneficial if you don’t have a gallbladder. Are you confused about which supplements to take, or which foods you should avoid? The function of the gallbladder Your gallbladder is important. Your liver continually manufactures bile, which travels to your gallbladder, where it is stored and concentrated. Bile helps you to digest fat; therefore your gallbladder secretes a lot of bile into your intestines after you’ve eaten a fatty meal. Bile is also your body’s way of excreting wastes and toxins. Bile contains cholesterol and other fats that your liver has broken down and wants to excrete. A well functioning gallbladder helps your body excrete cholesterol, other fats and fat soluble toxins. What happens when you don’t have a gallbladder? Your liver continues to manufacture bile, but there is no longer a place to store it or concentrate it.
Therefore bile continually slowly trickles into intestines. If you eat a fatty meal, you will not be able to secrete a large enough amount of bile into your intestines, therefore the fat will be poorly digested. This means many people experience diarrhea, bloating, nausea or indigestion. Not digesting fat well means you will not be able to digest essential fatty acids, including omega 3 and omega 6 fats. It also means you’ll have a hard time absorbing fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins D, E, A and K. These nutrients are vital for good health, and you will probably need to take a supplement. How to have a healthy liver and good digestion without a gallbladder First of all it’s important to realise that you developed a gallbladder problem in the first place because you had an unhealthy liver. If your liver is not healthy, it will make poor quality bile. The bile will be prone to forming sludge and stones. Just whipping the gallbladder out doesn’t solve that problem, and in fact sludge and stones can form within the liver, compromising its function.
Here are some vital tips to follow: Keep your intake of dairy products and grains to a minimum or avoid them altogether. Dairy products (milk, cheese, ice-cream, yoghurt) worsen all cases of gallbladder disease, liver disease and they are very difficult to digest. Food intolerance is a common cause of gallbladder problems, and there is research that links gluten intolerance with gallstones. A good reason to keep your intake of grains low is to reduce the risk of developing a fatty liver. There is an easy to follow eating plan in my book Fatty Liver – You Can Reverse It. Take a good quality liver tonic such as Livatone. The herbs St Mary’s thistle, dandelion root and globe artichoke leaves all increase bile production and bile flow. Taurine is an amino acid necessary for bile production. This should help to make you feel more comfortable after a meal, and should reduce the risk of stones forming inside your liver. Eat some good fats and avoid the bad fats.
Your doctor may have recommended you follow a low fat diet after having your gallbladder removed. This is not necessary and in fact it is harmful. Your body desperately needs good fats and I recommend you include moderate quantities of extra virgin olive oil, avocados, coconut milk and oil, nuts and seeds in your diet. Take a good quality digestive enzyme supplement. The natural bile salts in this product will help you digest fats and fat soluble vitamins more thoroughly. You may need a vitamin D3 supplement. People with compromised liver or digestive function are often vitamin D deficient. Exposure of your skin to the sun’s UVB rays enables your body to manufacture vitamin D. However, this process occurs in your liver and kidneys. People with a sluggish liver often do not manufacture vitamin D adequately. Therefore it’s a good idea to get a blood test and take a supplement. 5000 IU of vitamin D3 is a safe and effective dose for most people, but it’s best to be guided by your own doctor.