Take a close look at this gallbladder! These golden brown cholesterol stones may look beautiful at initial glance, but they are a sign that the owner of this gallbladder had higher than normal levels of cholesterol in their bile. This imbalance subsequently led to the formation of stones. Presented only in liquid form, normal bile is a dark green to yellowish brown fluid that is produced by the liver of most vertebrates. It aids in the digestion of lipids in the small intestine. In humans, bile is produced continuously by the liver, and is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder. Therefore, each time after you eat a meal, this stored bile is discharged into the duodenum of our small intestine. The composition of normal gallbladder bile is mainly water, bile salts, bilirubin, a product of our broken down and recycled red blood cells, and the fats such as cholesterol, fatty acids, and lecithin.
Anytime we have a dramatic change in cholesterol through events associated with obesity, Crohn’s disease, advanced age, estrogen therapy, multi-parity and / or weight loss, we increase the risk of forming cholesterol stones like the ones seen here. Anytime we have a dramatic shift in our bilirubin levels such as hemolysis, alcoholic cirrhosis, advanced age, biliary infections, and / or total parenteral nutrition, we increase the risk of forming dark black pigmented stones, which are not pictured in this video.
When it comes to trying to avoid the formation of gallstones, a sensible diet is one of the best methods. Avoiding crash diets or a very low intake of calories has been shown to work as a preventative measure. Seeking out good sources of fiber such as raw fruits and vegetables, cooked dried beans and peas, whole-grain cereals and bran, and avoiding eating excessive amounts of fat are also proven methods.
Written by Student Doctor: Navpreet Singh Badesha
©04/11/2018 All Rights Reserved.
Featured Image from Bazaar Baltimore
To learn more about preventing gallstones, please visit this article on WebMD.
